Page 178 of Bound By Song

Something in me feels different. Not the desperate, heat-hazy ache of the past few days, but a quiet clarity. I’m not trembling. I’m not scent-drunk or writhing with need. I’m…here. Lucid. Whole. And still, every instinct in me hums with longing for them. For my pack.

I shift gently, and Dane stirs, tightening his grip around my waist before turning me enough that he can look at me.

“Hey,” he says, voice hoarse from sleep but so tender it makes my eyes sting. “You okay?”

I nod, throat tight. “I think so.”

Blaise stretches with a groan, his hand sliding up to cup my hip as he yawns. “Morning, pretty girl.”

“Hi,” I whisper, blinking at them, overwhelmed by how gentle they look. How safe I feel.

Xar steps into the doorway holding a tray. “She’s up.”

And then he’s there, crouching beside the nest, placing the tray down carefully. Pancakes, warm fruit compote, a mug of tea, and a tiny glass of juice. It looks like something from a dream.

“Hey,” he murmurs. “You’re back.”

I smile. “Morning,” I whisper. “I feel…” I trail off, trying to find the right word.

Dane kisses my temple. “Whole?”

I nod. “Yeah. That.”

“For you, omega,” Xar says softly, brushing a hand along my hair. “You’ve earned it.”

“You brought me breakfast?” I blink.

He grins. “Alpha duties. Plus, we figured you’d be starving after…everything.”

My stomach decides to make its presence known at that point, growling loudly, making the others chuckle. “I am,” I admit, somewhat redundantly.

I sit up slowly, and all three of them move at once – hands steadying me, pillows propping behind my back, gentle touches that make my heart squeeze. Dane pulls the blanket up to cover my chest without a word.

“I feel…” I trail off, then swallow. “I feel like I’m not in heat anymore.”

“You’re not,” Blaise says gently, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “You’re past the worst of it. Body’s resetting.”

“Does that mean it’s over?” I whisper, panicking a little. “Did I miss?—?”

“No,” Dane says firmly, his hand wrapping around mine. “It just means you’re finally clear enough to choose. You can do whatever you like.”

And I understand what he means.

This is the moment.

“Even if I want to sleep for a week?” I joke.

“Especially if you want that,” Blaise says, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. “You’ve earned it.”

My chest tightens. “Can I…can I freshen up and eat first?”

Xar kisses my temple. “Already got you a bath running.”

They feed me berries from their fingers, laughing when I try to swipe syrup off Blaise’s thumb with my tongue. Xar makes aplate for me, small and perfect, and when I manage to eat half, all three of them look like I’ve performed a miracle.

“What?”

“Well, one, that’s the most you’ve eaten since Christmas Day…” Xar begins.

---