Ignoring the others, I paused when I reached her breasts, waiting for her consent. She inhaled audibly, then nodded once.
I continued, keeping my movements respectful even as her nipples pebbled before my eyes. I was acutely aware of the room, of the weight of four other gazes. No one looked away. I didn’t either.
Her blush spread further, vivid now, creeping across her chest and up to her ears.
“This is deeply unfair,” she grumbled.
“Running off alone was unfair,” Griff replied calmly. “This is just another consequence, just like your spanking.”
She glared at him. “You enjoyed that far too much.”
His mouth curved. “I think you did too, little mate.”
Nox snorted softly. Bishop grinned with obvious interest. Eamon shook his head, lips pressed together in amusement.
I moved to her stomach next, careful around the faint tenderness left behind by the lycan wound.
“You’re healing fast,” I said quietly.
She swallowed. “I feel… different.”
“You are,” I replied. “You’re a wolf now.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine, soft and uncertain. “I’m not used to that.”
“I know,” I said gently. “But you have us now. And whatever you need, we’ll be here for you.”
When she was clean, I reached for a towel and draped it briefly around her shoulders, blotting away the last traces of water before letting it fall back to her lap. She looked up at me as she stood up and dried off, her eyes searching mine before her lips curled up just slightly in the barest trace of a smile.
“Thank you,” she murmured and I nodded once in acknowledgement.
Then her shoulders slumped just a fraction. The defiance in her spine softened. Her breathing deepened, the adrenaline finally bleeding out of her system now that the hunt, the shift, and the bath were done.
She swayed just a bit.
She was tired.
Griff noticed at the same time I did. He moved in without a word, one hand hovering at her back without touching yet, giving her the dignity of choice even as he prepared to catch her.
“Hey,” he said. “That’s enough excitement for one day.”
“I’m fine,” she said automatically, but it came out slower this time. Much less convincing than before.
Bishop took a step closer. Nox straightened from the wall. Eamon was already reaching for the blanket at the foot of the bed.
“Tamsin,” I said quietly, rising to my feet. “You’re exhausted.”
She scoffed weakly. “I just did a bit of hunting.”
“While healing from a lycan bite,” Eamon added calmly.
She rolled her eyes, but her knees bent slightly, betraying her.
Griff didn’t wait any longer. He took the towel away and tossed it aside. Then he looped an arm around her and lifted her clean off the floor.
“Hey—” she protested, reflexive. “Put me down.”
“No,” he countered. “You’ve done enough for today.”
