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“Close the doors.”

Darius did.

I looked away and pointed towards the pile of knitted blankets beside the nest. “Wrap yourselves in those before you come in.”

The mattress dipped beneath their weight as they climbed in, and my whole body finally relaxed once their clean scents settled around me. That was better.

Alaric sat near the centre, with Caius and Leon on either side. Lucien settled opposite us, while Darius stayed closest to the opening.

Except Darius sat completely upright, like he was still on duty. I looked at him, and he caught me staring. “Where would you like me to be?”

“Here.”

I picked up a cushion and shuffled towards him. He let me put it behind his back, although he still didn’t lean against it until I pressed my hand against his shoulder. The muscle beneath my palm was so solid that I nearly forgot what I was doing.

“Everyone should be cosy in here. I don’t think there is another place in the world more cosy than my be—nest.”

“It is rather…”

“Cosy. Comfortable. Soothing maybe?”

Something in his face softened, and he finally leaned back against the cushion. A low vibration started inside my chest, and my eyes widened.

I was purring.

The effect on them was immediate. Caius breathed out slowly, Leon’s head fell back, and Alaric’s shoulders dropped a little. Lucien, on the other hand, watched me so closely that it probably should’ve made me nervous, while Darius closed his eyes as the vibration travelled through my hand and into him.

Seeing them react like that only made the purring stronger. Before I could feel embarrassed, I tucked another cushion beneath Darius’s arm and pulled his blanket a little higher.

“Cosy?”

“Yes, little Omega.”

I smoothed my hand over the wool covering his chest, and his jaw tightened.

“You’re so composed,” I said, leaning a little closer.

“It’s necessary.”

“Is it?”

His pupils widened, and I kissed him before he could answer.

It was only a soft kiss, just me seeing what it felt like, but his whole body tightened beneath me. I almost smiled as I pulled back and ran my thumb over his lower lip.

“You can relax now.”

His eyes stayed on mine. “As you wish.”

I kissed his forehead then turned to the others, only to find all four watching me.

Still purring, I adjusted the cushion behind Leon’s head, moved Lucien farther beneath the canopy and changed the support beneath Caius’s shoulder. Alaric was waiting in the middle, so I patted the space beside me.

“Here.”

He moved exactly where I wanted him and stayed still while I pulled a heavy blanket over his legs, fixed the cushions behind him and rested my hands on his shoulders.

I sat on my heels right beside him, then leaned down and kissed him. When I drew back, I touched his mouth with my thumb.