Page 27 of For All My Effort
Even as he climbed the steps back up to the third floor, the gentle rocking motion had me nodding off to sleep for a moment. It was the sound of water pouring that jostled me awake again.
The lights were bright, but I managed to open my eyes fully after lots of blinking and rubbing against my eyelids. This bathroom was a dark gray and gold mix, making the whole space appear very elegant. Dark cabinets with bright handles, little streaks of that tawny yellow through the floor’s grout.
What stood out the most was the tub, its bright white surface not matching the vibe of the rest of the room. It was huge, though, definitely made for two people to relax in. As it filled up, the room began to fill with steam.
“Usually, I would ask if you wanted me to stay with you,” Han started. “But this heat was longer than usual, and I can tell you’re wiped. I’m going to stay in here with you and make sure you don’t fall asleep in the water, okay?”
“No. Join me.”
Han chuckled and I took that as his agreement.
He set me down on top of the counter, making sure my blanket was under my thighs so the cool surface didn’t bother me. After checking the temperature, adding a few drops of some sort of oil, and then using his hand to stir the water, he picked me back up, letting my sarape drop to the floor.
With how warm the space was, only my arm hairs seemed to rise in response to the slightly different temperature.
My alpha stepped into the water first, sighing even as the warmth only rose to his knees, and then helped me in. I almost cried with how good it felt to be in the water. Behind me, my mate leaned against the tub, letting me lean against him. As we settled, the water lapped at my neck before calming.
Now that I was closer to the water, I could smell the mint drops Han had added. It overwhelmed my senses, in the best way, seeming to clear out the primitive part of my thoughts that demanded the scents of my mate and the comfort of my nest.
It was a good choice that Han joined me because at some point, I did fall asleep in the water.
****
The next few days, the pack mostly slept and ate. I found myself falling asleep with one alpha only to wake up with a different one. Every day I felt a little less antsy about being away from my nest until eventually, I let my mates help me clean out my private space.
Air purifiers set up in the room for the permanent drapes that hang from the ceiling, blankets in the wash, pillows deep cleaned with a fancy nozzle that used hot water and soap.
Then a huge pack cuddle with all the freshly cleaned items to get everyone’s scent back on them.
By the end of the weekend, I was officially out of my post-heat phase and the alphas were all preparing for work. I learned that Sebastian was a scientist, currently testing betas and the effects of bonding them into a pack. Jackson owned his own company which was a bunch of long-term security teams for famous people. Zeke was a tattoo artist at a prestigious studio where the wait to get a single piece by him was a six-month period. At least Han worked from home, his job letting him be anywhere his computers were since he worked on breaking into security systems and then refortifying them until he couldn’t.
When the morning came that three out of my four alphas were supposed to leave, I started to spiral. We had been so focused on regaining our energy and cleaning the nest that we didn’t actually have time to talk about what happened.
The flirting beta, sex during the heat, all of it was making me unable to hold still. Jackson, Sebastian, and Zeke were all eating breakfast, a meal my tastebuds craved but my stomach threatened to revolt if I so much as took a bite of it.
I knew my mates could feel the anxiety burning through my system, but no one seemed concerned as they ate away at their meals. Or maybe they were just chalking it up to my opinions on my missing mate.
“Where’s Han?” I demanded.
I was pacing back and forth, walking a few steps out of the dining room, wanting to look for my fourth mate before my body demanded I turn back around and be near my present mates.
“He’ll be back soon,” Zeke said.
“But where is he?” If I clenched my jaw any tighter, it would be a miracle if words still managed to make it past my teeth.
“Don’t worry, Hannah. He’ll be home before any of us leave.”
I glared at him mentioning the ‘L’ word.
“What are your plans for the day, rebel?” Jackson asked.
Shrugging, I admitted, “I don’t know.” Leaving the house wasn’t technically legal, and I was still injured. Reaching a hand to feel the strange section of missing hair, I add, “Maybe I’ll make a hair appointment.”
All three of my mates perked up at that, their excitement blatantly obvious.
“That sounds like a great idea, princess,” Seb said. “Are you thinking of a new color? You’ve had purple for a while now.”
“You don’t like the purple?”