I don’t hurt in the way I normally do after a heat. Although my muscles are sore, it’s the delicious kind—the kind that says it was worth it.
And emotionally, I feel… Safe. Treasured. Cared for.
Tears fill my eyes, and I blink, trying to keep them at bay.
My memory is spotty from the last few days—week?—however long it’s been. I remember a few moments, and I cringe when my needy voice demanding a bite pops into my head. I raise my hands to my neck, both relieved and disappointed to feel no bond marks there.
Then I get a whiff of my body odor, and I grimace for a different reason.
I carefully untangle myself from the blankets and tiptoe on shaky legs to the bathroom for a shower. I hope it doesn’t wake the others, they deserve a week of solid rest after the marathon they pulled for me.
My omega is sad to wash their scents off me, but it also feels good to rinse off days of sweat and cum. I have a hazy recollection of Riley in the tub with me at one point, but I don’t know if I bathed at all besides that.
I’m pouring a glob of shampoo into my hand when the bathroom door opens and Neveah slips in on silent feet.
“Can I join you, Sweetling?”
“Yeah,” I say, voice raspy.
She smiles and holds up one finger, then turns to the sink and fills a glass of water, holding it out to me.
I take it gratefully, downing the whole thing. I didn’t realize how parched I was until she offered. Then she’s slipping into the shower behind me.
“Let me help,” she says, scooping the shampoo out of my hand.
“I can?—”
“Please,” she murmurs. “My alpha needs this.”
Oh. Okay.
I relax into her touch as she scrubs strong fingers through my hair and then tilts my head back to rinse it out.
“I don’t know how we’re going to get your hair untangled. We should have braided it when we noticed your heat had started,” she says, voice soft.
“Maybe…” I say, but then stop, losing my confidence.
“Maybe what?” she presses, moving her fingers down my neck to my shoulders as she rubs the sore muscles.
I moan at how good it feels.
“I was thinking maybe I could cut it, if you all don’t mind.”
“Why would we mind?”
My body tenses beneath her strong fingers, and she turns me to face her.
“Is this another ‘alpha thing’?” She puts the phrase in quotes, as we’ve started to do when refering to the lies my brother and his friend filled my head with.
I nod, hesitant, and she sighs.
“Sage. I don’t know what they told you about alphas and … hair preferences?”
I nod again, so she continues.
“But all any of us want is for you to be happy. You can keep your hair long if you like it, or you can cut it, or you can shave it bald for all I care. More important than your hair, isyou.You are the important part of this equation, Sage. Not how your hair looks.”
“So… You won’t be upset if I cut it?”
