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Ilya’s head shakes and there’s a small twitch in his shoulders. “I couldn’t say. But we’d better get this done as soon as possible.”
“Tomorrow,” I tell them. “It’s going to happen tomorrow.”
“Agreed. We’ll be ready.”
Once the water is off, it’s only a minute or two before Sin emerges, clean and fresh of face in a short black robe. I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying very naughty things.
My pack brothers and I follow suit with the washing and preparing for bed, and then the four of us somehow pile onto the small mattress together without anyone falling off or it collapsing beneath our weight.
Ilya’s back is against the wall, Sin in his arms facing me, Cade at my back.
My brothers fall asleep first, and I keep a watchful eye on Sin’s face as she tries, but fails, to fall asleep herself. I reach up and push her hair off her forehead, gently grazing her skin with my fingertips as I do. Her bright blue eyes open slowly, and all I want is to wipe away the fear I find there.
She was a fierce warrior tonight. Not because she killed those monsters, but because she did it for everyone they’d hurt, not just for herself. She did it to fight for the freedom of her friends.
“You don’t need to stay strong right now. We’re here to be a safe place for you to fall.” I whisper, pressing my lips together after.
Tears begin to fall sideways down her face, and my heart aches as she tries to keep quiet. So, I wrap my arms around her, pull her face to my bare chest, where my purr greets her.
And no one is more surprised than I am at this, but there’s no time to dwell.
“Let it go, Sin,” I coo at her. “Don’t hold back, love. We’re all here for you.”
“We love you,” Ilya murmurs from her back, stirring to wrap his arms around her, too.
“Incoming.” It’s the only warning we get before Cade crawls on top of all of us to cover Sin completely.
Her sobs become a laugh for a brief moment at the absurdity, then she returns to releasing her fears and anxiety, letting out all of her emotions, cocooned by her Alphas and our purrs.
We stay like that for a very long time, longer than Sin’s tears. Eventually, Cade goes back to his spot on my other side, and Ilya has started to snore at Sin’s back.
“Thank you,” she whispers to me, placing a gentle kiss on my sternum. “For the comfort, and for saving me tonight.”
“Oh, love.” I run my hand down the side of her face, trace her lips with my thumb. “If you willed it, we would scorch the earth in your name. Raze every corner of existence for your simple fancy.” I push my thumb into her mouth, and she whimpers, her eyes growing wide and lust-hazed in the dark. “What do you think we’d do to keep you safe?”
She nuzzles the palm of my hand, and I sigh contentedly. “When you’re ready, love, we’re going to give you all the pleasure that your body, mind, heart, and soul can handle. Would you like that?”
Sin lets out a little whine, and it draws a hiss from my throat.
“I think she likes that idea.”
“Oh, I know she does.” I rub the tip of my nose over hers before kissing her forehead. “She loves it.”
“I love you,” she emphasizes.
And there goes my heart again.
Chapter Thirty-One
Cade
“And you’re sure someone here wants to meet with me?”
I lost count of how many times Sin asked this question of us, between the car ride over, pulling into the parking lot, and walking into the lavish hotel we’d been staying at since we came to L.A. a month ago.
“Yes, love,” Garen sings.
“And it isn’t Petrov, right?”
