Page 213 of Beasts of Mine

“You've slept with it against your face for weeks.” Malek pointed out as he stepped closer and lifted one hand toward my hair, waiting until I closed the remaining distance before touching me.

“I don't appreciate being observed this closely.” I told Malek as I tilted my head and let his fingers separate a small tangle created by the walk from the station.

“You photograph animals for a living. You should understand the value of observation.” Malek replied in his usual dry voice while his fingertips worked carefully through another knot.

“That was almost a joke.” I accused Malek as I looked up at him, catching the pause in his hand.

“Almost.” Malek agreed, the corner of his mouth finally moving. When my bag was closed again, I checked the room one more time. The soft shirt stayed in my drawer, the old lens cloth remained near my pillow, and Tavian's stone sat on my shelf beside my hair tie and the empty card cases. A cleaning brush and several cheap supplies remained inside Luca's sealed storage box because I had duplicates at home and absolutely no reason to carry them.

Luca's blanket stayed in the nest, and so did enough of my scent that my Omega cared far more about the bedding than anything I'd just put into a travel bag.

Restlessness had been building beneath my ribs since I'd entered the room, becoming stronger whenever my attention moved from the closed bag to the nest. I knew I was leaving, and my instincts apparently understood it too, because I'd already smoothed the same section of blanket twice and moved one pillow only to return it almost exactly where it had started.

I caught myself doing it again.

“You're fixing something that isn't wrong.” Tavian observed from behind me as both hands settled around my waist, his chest pressing lightly against my back.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” I told Tavian as I flattened the edge of Luca's blanket with my palm.

“You moved that part five minutes ago.” Tavian pointed out as he lowered his chin near my shoulder and watched my hand. I stared at the blanket for a second and reluctantly accepted that he had a point.

“That sounds suspiciously like criticism of my nest.” I told Tavian as I turned inside his arms and rested both hands against his chest.

“I would never.” Tavian replied immediately, making his face solemn enough that I knew perfectly well he was lying.

“You value your life.” I reminded Tavian as I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Very much.” Tavian agreed, but instead of adding another joke, he lowered his face into my hair and wrapped his arms more firmly around me. I leaned against him and let the contact settle some of the restlessness that rearranging the bedding hadn't fixed.

Luca checked that my alarm was set and made sure the radio had finished charging. When I told him everything else was handled, he accepted the answer without opening my bag or asking me to list what I'd packed. Malek combed my hair while I sat at the edge of the nest, Tavian found reasons to touch me almost constantly, and food appeared beside my elbow whenever I stopped moving long enough to eat it.

No one suggested sex. After the night before, my body was still pleasantly sore in enough places that I would've complained anyway, but that wasn't the real reason I wanted the evening to stay quiet. I didn't need another huge moment before morning. I wanted their hands on me, their voices nearby, their scents in the bedding, and one ordinary final night with them.

I changed into soft underwear and pulled Malek's charcoal shirt over my head instead of packing it yet. The hem fell low over my thighs, and cedar immediately surrounded me strongly enough that some of the tension in my body eased.

After I invited them into the nest, Tavian stripped down to his underwear and lay facing me. Luca removed his shirt before settling on my other side, while Malek came in last and took his usual place behind me.

For a long time, we barely spoke. Tavian kept one hand beneath the hem of Malek's shirt against my waist, his thumb moving slowly over the same patch of skin until the repetition became soothing rather than distracting. Luca rested one palm over my shin where my leg crossed his, occasionally rubbing his thumb over my skin, while Malek worked his fingers through my hair. Their three purrs filled the room at different depths beneath the insects outside and the repeated call of a frog somewhere near the wetter ground beyond the ruins.

Tavian kissed me slowly, with none of the urgency we'd had the night before. His mouth moved against mine while his hand stayed warm at my waist, and when he finally pulled back, his forehead remained pressed to mine.

“The temple is going to be weird without you.” Tavian admitted as his thumb continued rubbing lightly over my side, his voice more subdued than usual.

“Weird how?” I asked Tavian as I pushed a lock of dark hair away from his forehead.

“Too quiet.” Tavian answered after considering it for a moment, then frowned. “And before you say anything, I know I talk.”

“I wasn't going to say anything.” I told Tavian as I fought the smile trying to betray me.

“You were thinking it.” Tavian accused me as suspicion narrowed his amber eyes.

“Maybe. I'll miss the noise.” I admitted to Tavian as I traced my thumb over his temple. The humor left his face almost immediately.

“I'll miss you too.” Tavian told me as his fingers tightened slightly at my waist and his purr changed beneath his chest.

“I know.” I answered Tavian as I kissed him again, letting the moment remain simple instead of making either of us explain something we'd already said. When I turned toward Luca, he was running one thumb slowly along the edge of the blanket beside us.

“Do you want us to leave everything like this?” Luca asked me as he glanced around the nest before returning his attention to my face.