“Motherfucker,” he gasped out. He gathered my wet hair into his fist and let me play with him.
Leo hardened again and I figured out a pace that let me sink down on both of them at once. Who needed to breathe when I could coax that strangled sound out of Nathan?
Somehow, they managed to get us from the shower into the nest without detaching me from anyone. I wasn’t capable of questioning what witchcraft they enacted to accomplish it, but I did appreciate it. Sprawled out, surrounded by my pack, and being ridden into my mountain of pillows was exactly where I needed to be.
I dipped under the waves, waking each time to welcome a new alpha into my arms until we were all the way back to Jude.
His thumb tenderly stroked my cheek, his smile sleepy as he gazed down at me. “I know I’ve seen you like this before, but it keeps hitting me how much better it is in reality than anything I could’ve fantasized about before having you.”
My purr roared.
A straw tapped my lips and I gratefully drank water until my stomach grumbled.
“On it.” Nathan bounded out of the nest and returned with some sort of stuffed pastry. “We ordered gorditas from Leo’sfavorite place. There’s other stuff in the fridge, but I figured this would be the easiest for you to eat while horizontal.”
I bit into the crispy exterior, moaning as the warm cheese hit my tongue.
“Is the heat flare over, treasure?” Alve kissed my hair and lifted me enough to slide in behind me, supporting my weight.
“I think so.” I inhaled the rest of the gordita, looking plaintively at Nathan for more. He dashed off to fulfill my silent request. He came back with a full plate in one hand and a bowl in the other, Poppy and Pepper on his heels.
Nathan fed me some of the best tortilla soup I’d ever had in my entire life, Alve and Leo stopping the cats from going after the food. They strained little giraffe necks, sniffing the air until Jude took pity on them, giving them the tiniest sample from the edge of a gordita. Content with their miniature pillaging, they wedged themselves into empty bits between us, purring away.
“Wait until you see what Alve picked out for them.” Nathan grinned. “Pops and Peps are living like queens.”
I inhaled the rest of the soup before my curiosity got the better of me and we all ventured to the living room. “Holy shit. That thing is enormous.”
The cat tower took most of the windowed wall. Poppy and Pepper slunk past me, hopping up to separate platforms to stare out the window.
Emotion tightened my throat. Even when I had panic-bolted from them, they had been thinking about building a home together. “When did you get this?”
“While you were stress-organizing,” Jude explained. “Jazz ordered us to give you space, and it gave us something to do in the meantime.”
I traced my fingers over the sisal rope and fluffy carpet. “It’s perfect for them. I was never able to give them something like this before.”
“Our cats deserve the best,” Alve said, stepping up to my side.
Ourcats.
They thought of my babies as their own and provided for them accordingly. I’d always wanted that for them, to live in a home where they were beloved by everyone.
Now they had that.
Nowwehad that.
Tears slipped over my cheeks, my bonded mates moving instantly to check on me. Nathan, not to be left out, joined us, too.
“What’s wrong?” Alve asked, his nerves twitching in the bond.
I laced my hand in his. “Nothing. I think I just keep realizing I’m living a dream come true.”
My kitchen had never been cleaner. That was the upside to waking up at four in the morning and being unable to fall asleep again. I had Poppy to keep me company, at least. She sat on the island, her feet tucked under her, watching me scrub the backsplash grout with an old toothbrush.
“What do you think?” I asked her quietly, glancing over for approval, though she had no idea what I was saying.
“I think it looks great.”
I spun toward Madison, my cheeks warming that she’d caught me conversing with Poppy.
