The thought should have terrified me. Should have sent me spiraling into panic about what came next, about how to explain this to the town, about whether I’d made a terrible mistake.
But through the bonds, I could feel their steady presence. Could feel that this was real and solid and not going away the moment reality intruded.
So instead of panic, I felt peace.
For the first time in five years, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Silas stirred first, his eyes opening to meet mine. Even half-asleep, his scent-sensitivity was probably picking up on my wakefulness, reading my emotional state through the bond we now shared.
“Hey,” he said softly, his voice rough with sleep. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” I admitted. “Exhausted. Overwhelmed.” I paused, making sure he heard the next part through both our bond and my words. “Happy.”
His smile was bright enough to light the dim room. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I touched the bite mark on his neck, my mark, proof that he was mine. “I’m happy. Terrified about what comes next, but happy about this.”
“What comes next is we figure it out together,” Dane said from behind me, apparently not as asleep as I’d thought. “Whatever challenges we face, we face them as a pack.”
“Starting with going back to town,” Beau added, also awake now. “People are going to notice the bite marks. Are going to have questions.”
“Let them question,” I said, surprising myself with how firm my voice was. “I’m done hiding. Done being ashamed of what Iwant. If people have a problem with me bonding three alphas, that’s their problem, not mine.”
“That’s my girl,” Silas said, pride radiating through our bond. “Strong and fierce and not apologizing for anything.”
“Though we should probably coordinate our story,” Dane said, his tactical mind already working through scenarios. “Emergency response officials in a bonded pack will raise eyebrows. We need to be prepared for questions about conflicts of interest, about whether the bonds affect our professional judgment.”
“They won’t,” I said firmly. “My job is coordinating emergency response. Your jobs are executing that response. The bonds don’t change that. If anything, they make communication better.”
“Try explaining that to the county commissioners,” Beau said dryly.
“I will if I have to.” I sat up, wincing at the soreness between my legs, the ache in my muscles from hours of intense activity. “But first, I need a shower. A real one. And food. And possibly to sleep for twelve hours.”
“You can have all of that,” Dane said, standing and offering me his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up, fed, and rested. We’ll deal with the rest of the world after you’ve recovered.”
The shower was long and hot and exactly what I needed. Dane washed my hair with careful fingers while I leaned against the tile wall, too tired to hold myself up properly. When he was done, Silas took over, washing my body with the same gentle care, mindful of how sore I was.
They dried me off and dressed me in clean clothes. Dane’s shirt again, soft flannel that smelled like leather and gunpowder and pack. Then they led me downstairs to the kitchen, where Beau had apparently been cooking.
“Protein,” he announced, setting a plate in front of me. Eggs, bacon, toast. Simple but exactly what my depleted body needed. “Eat. All of it. You burned a lot of calories last night.”
I ate mechanically, too tired to taste anything but grateful for the fuel. Through the bonds, I could feel their satisfaction at taking care of me. Feel how much it meant to them to provide for their omega.
Their omega.
I was theirs now. Permanently, irrevocably, completely.
The thought should have scared me. Instead, it just felt right.
“What time is it?” I asked when I’d finished eating.
“Almost seven,” Dane replied. “You’ve been in heat for about sixteen hours. The claiming bites must have shorten the duration. Your biology got what it needed.”
“So I can go back to work?”
All three of them looked at me like I’d suggested something insane.
“Absolutely not,” Beau said firmly. “You need at least another day of rest before you’re back to full function.”
