Fuck, it hurt. I was curled on my side, my head in Rylan’s lap and my feet in Avery’s. The pain was back in full force, which meant I didn’t have long. It didn’t usually kick back in so quickly, but being in the middle of these amazing scents and fading into my instincts brought things on quickly.

It wasn’t here yet, but it was coming. I just wanted to hold on until the nest was ready. Because we’d gone to all the trouble for it, and I knew deep in my heart it wouldn’t be the same now. My Omega had locked onto the image in my mind, and it was what I needed.

But all I felt was warmth and pain. When I was home, I didn’t notice time passing or anything except the need for more. To be filled and taken and the desire for closeness I never had.

Avery had me in his arms again and he smelled like a chai latte with all the spices. I inhaled, turning into his chest and breathing him in. Every part of me he touched was on fire, and it was only growing worse. Or better, depending on how you looked at it.

“Addie is right behind us and she’s going to fix everything up for you. What do you think about taking a bath? We can keep you cooler and talk a little.”

I laughed, recognizing the sound as lighter and freer than normal. “What’s there to talk about?”

He laughed too. “Would you like the bath?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

We were already moving up the stairs toward the nest. But we didn’t go in that direction. We were in the big bathroom, and I knew why, but the soft whine still came out of me.

“You’ll be okay, baby girl,” Avery said, setting me on the counter. “They’re fixing up your nest right now, and when it’s ready, we’ll go straight there. Yesterday we talked about boundaries. I know it’s a bit different now. Other than not biting you, do you have anything you don’t want us to do?”

“I don’t like pain.”

Anger flashed over his face, but he covered it quickly. “Trust me, we’re not interested in hurting you.”

“Like real pain. Something like spanking is fine, but more than that? No.”

“Spanking,” Avery looked both surprised and intrigued. “Not the direction I was thinking.”

I flushed. “It’s okay, I don’t need that or anything. I just—”

Avery leaned forward and captured my lips with his. He hadn’t kissed me yet, and fuck yes, I needed this. His kiss was impossibly all Alpha and all softness and warmth at the same time. I yanked him closer, wrapping myself around him and making sure we were touching in all the right places. Yes, yes, yes. More.

God, he tasted just as good as he smelled.