"Now we wait," I say. "Logan said to give him an hour."
She nods, settling back against the couch. But I can see the tension in her shoulders, the way she keeps glancing at the door. The brief spike of adrenaline has pushed her heat back for the moment, but I can smell it starting to build again. Her scent is getting stronger, more complex.
We're going to be in trouble soon if Logan doesn't get back.
"Griff?" Savannah's voice is softer now, and when I look at her, I can see the flush starting to return to her cheeks.
"Yeah?"
"When this is over... when my heat is finished and everything goes back to normal..." She pauses, biting her lower lip. "What happens then?"
It's a fair question. We've all been so focused on getting through the heat, on keeping her safe and claimed, that we haven't talked much about what comes after. What it means for the three of us to share an omega. What it means for the pack dynamic.
What it means for me.
"I don't know," I admit. "But whatever happens, you're ours now. That doesn't change when your heat ends."
She nods, but I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. And I get it. This is all new territory for her too. She's never been claimed before, never been part of a pack bond this complex.
Hell, none of us have.
"Are you worried?" she asks.
I'm terrified that when the heat fades and the biological imperative is gone, she'll realize she doesn't actually want this. Doesn't want me. That Logan will always be her first choice, and I'll go back to being the grumpy bastard on the sidelines.
But I can't say that. Not when she's looking at me with those trusting eyes, not when she's wearing my shirt and still carrying the mark of my teeth on her neck.
"No," I lie. "I'm not worried."
She studies my face for a moment, and I have the uncomfortable feeling that she can see right through me. Savannah has always been too perceptive for her own good.
"Liar," she says softly, but there's no accusation in it. Just understanding.
Before I can respond, she's moving closer, pressing herself against my side. Her skin is hot again, and I can smell the sweetness of her arousal starting to bloom.
"Savannah," I warn.
"I know," she says. "I can feel it building again. But I want you to know something first."
"What?"
She looks up at me, brown eyes serious. "I chose this. All of it. Logan first, yes, but you too. And Xavier. This isn't just biology, Griff. This isn't just the heat talking."
The words hit me harder than I expected. Relief and possession and something that might be love all tangle together in my chest, making it hard to breathe.
"You sure about that?" I ask, because I have to. Because I need to hear her say it when she's thinking clearly.
"I'm sure." Her hand finds mine, fingers threading together. "I've been sure for months. I was just too scared to admit it."
And there it is. The truth I've been hoping for and dreading in equal measure.
I don't know what to say to that, so I don't say anything. Instead, I lean down and kiss her, slow and deep and thorough. She melts into me, soft and pliant and perfect, and I can taste the heat building on her tongue.
When we break apart, her breathing is uneven and her pupils are starting to dilate again.
"How long has it been?" she asks.
I check the clock. "Twenty minutes."
