This timeIsnort. “Y’all are crazy. I’m gonna go get washed off.”
Hayden follows me into the bathroom, and I arch a brow at him as I switch on the shower.
He gives a sheepish smile. “Sharing is…caring?”
Grinning, I roll my eyes. “Alright, fine, get in here.”
Under the spray, there’s no sexual charge, even as Hayden runs his hands over every inch of my body with a washcloth. I just feel…loved.
He hums as he washes my hair, and I can’t help but let out a little sigh of relief. “Did you do research on how to care for an omega after a heat or somethin’?”
He chuckles. “Yes, actually. Though…this part comes naturally to me. I…Iwantto take care of you. And it means so much that you let me, considering how long you’ve been taking care of yourself.”
The water shuts off, and when we open the glass door, Kole is waiting with a towel for each of us. His hair is wet like he ran and took the quickest shower possible downstairs, then raced back up to the nest to make sure he was here when we got out. He unceremoniously throws one at Hayden’s head, but wraps me up carefully before carrying me bridal style back into the nest.
The sheets have been replaced, and my nest items switched out with clean ones. Kole sets me on the mattress before gently patting me dry. Sam comes over with a large t-shirt and pajama bottoms, making me lift my arms to slip the shirt on before he shimmies the pants up my legs.
West, full of surprises, approaches with a brush and a bottle of leave-in conditioner. “Would…” he flushes red enough that I can see it under his dark complexion. “Could I braid your hair for you?”
My brows shoot up as a smile breaks out on my face. “Well, Doctor, where did you learn to braid?”
He flushes deeper. “My…my mom would have me help her with her box braids sometimes. She taught me all kinds of things…said it would be important to know how to do hair similar to mine when…when I have kids.”
My heart clenches at the words. “Oh, West…”
“So, I know you don’t have the same hair type, but I can still do a mean braid.” He gives a sheepish smile.
“I would be honored.”
I slide down to the carpet, and he sets up on the edge of the mattress, putting one leg on either side of me. He starts gently brushing through my hair, and before I know it I have a sleek Dutch braid going down the center of my back.
I rush to the bathroom to get a good look. “Oh, West!” I gasp, turning my head in the mirror. “It’s beautiful, thank you!”
My beta’s chest puffs up with pride. “Any time, Siren.”
Between Hayden washing me, Kole drying me, Sam dressing me, and West doing my hair, I’ve never felt more pampered in my whole damn life.
I suppose my heats can’t bethatbad if they still want to do all this for me when it’s over.
Mabel crushes me in a bone-splitting hug the moment I open the door. “Oh, Jo! How are you feelin’? Are you doin’ okay?”
“Mabel!” I laugh, pulling back and looking at her. “I’m fine! What’s goin’ on?”
“I just…” Her bottom lip wobbles. “Maeve told us you went into heat and then all I could think of wasmyfirst heat, and how all the heats after that were so horrible, and I couldn’t bear it if your experience was anythin’ like that. But…” Her eyes roam over me, her features calming. “Itwasn’t, was it? Jo, you’re positively glowin’!”
“I…” My cheeks flush, even as love for my pack blooms in my chest. “My omega was apparently a little more…demandin’ than what would be considered…normal…but the guys were troopers and took care of me so well, even after.”
Tears well up in her eyes briefly before she blinks them away. “Good.” She sniffs. “You deserve the best, Jojo, and I—”
“Jo!” Declan’s voice calls out, and I curse my brother for having the worst timing possible. Mabel’s expression changes from earnest to stone cold in an instant, and then without a word she’s marching away, around the back of the house so as to not cross paths with Declan. He looks after her with a painedexpression before shaking his head and jogging up the porch steps. “Jo, you have to turn on the news.”
I frown, even as he reaches into the front pocket of his shirt and produces Turnip, who climbs into my hands eagerly. “What is it?”
“Come on.” He pushes past me into the house, and I’m glad that we aired it out before Mabel came by. Turnip chitters, rubbing her face against my cheek, but something about Declan’s demeanor has me on edge.
The guys are on the couch where they were giving Mabel and me some privacy, but nobody says anything as Declan grabs the remote and turns the TV on.
A news anchor immediately fills the screen, standing in front of…
