“Good.” She grinned, keeping eye contact as she scrubbed every intimate bit of me.

By the time we were finished with the actual cleaning, I was ready to fuck her against the tile, but I had to be patient. Her body was going to take so much when her heat kicked in. I had to get her to rest before then.

I filled the bath halfway with the warm water and settled in, curling my fingers, beckoning her to join me. My omega melted into the water and leaned against me, her purr instant. At least with both of us in here, we didn’t have to spend all day warming up water. The others were probably up for hours getting everything ready for her.

“I really thought I would be afraid of my heat,” she said quietly. “I guess I was, at first.”

“But not anymore?” I whispered. The dim light and our position weren’t ideal for signing, and my throat was already making its displeasure known. She would have to settle for my quiet presence.

“The hormones help,” she confessed. Morgan rotated, climbing onto my lap and hooking her hands behind my neck. “You all help more, though. I was so wigged out during my first heat I don’t think any of us really enjoyed it. Getting all this time with the four of you beforehand is keeping me pretty chill. Plus, I know I’m going to like it this time.”

I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue.

“I don’t know how all of you know it, but it feels like you’ve read a manual on how my body works.”

I traced her bottom lip with my thumb, drawing her into a soft kiss.

When she pulled away, it was only to let her forehead rest against mine. “See? How did you know I wanted you to kiss me?”

I nudged her back so she could see my signed response. “It’s in your eyes.”

She rolled her hips, gliding against my hard cock, but I put my hands to her hips and forced her to be still. Her pout almost broke my resolve. “Rest,” I signed quickly before renewing my grip on her.

“Resting is less fun.”

I indulged her in one more kiss before cupping her chin, making sure she was looking at me, then signed, “Your body needs to prepare. A heat takes a toll. Don’t wear yourself out before we’ve even started.”

“Okay, fine.” She tucked herself against me, sprawling over my torso.

Morgan was so vulnerable out here with us, not even just with her impending heat, but with simply existing among us when we were so isolated. I was never going to get over her trust of us, of me. Thinking about it too hard stole the air from my throat and made my chest tight.

I was never going to feel this way again if she left us.

I wouldn’t have been surprised if trust was completely off the table after Brandon, but I was continuously relieved that wasn’t the case. When all of this was over and the roads were cleared, we could figure out a plan. I hoped part of it contained revenge. That man had almost cost her everything, almost costusthe chance of a life with her.

The water slowly grew tepid and the others came to check on us. Morgan was fast asleep in my arms, protesting halfheartedly when Ryder lifted her out of the water. He and Kit dried her quickly and transferred her back downstairs in front of the roaring fire. I joined them after dressing, finding her in Ryder’s lap while Kit gently towel-dried her hair.

They all took so much care with her. It didn’t sound like she had ever experienced that before. She could have it be her future if she wanted. I would happily spend a lifetime wrapped around her.

Pumpkin fought Maverick as he tried to dry her as well from her time rolling in the snow. That dog loved making herself a mess, but you would think getting clean and dry again was the end of the world.

“Stop fussing, you beautiful weirdo,” Maverick admonished. “You can’t cuddle with our omega smelling like wet dog.”

Morgan laughed, watching his struggle.

We settled into a simple meal, conserving our strength for the next few days. None of us knew how strong Morgan’s heat would be, but I knew for sure I was going to put my all into it. My omega wasn’t going to want for a damn thing when she was with us.

Listening to my body was weird. I’d gotten into the habit of ignoring it whenever possible, but with my instincts screaming like an air raid siren, that was no longer an option. The only thing that seemed to shut everything up was burrowing deep in the nest and having whichever alphas were available plastered to me in there. Kit and Bear hadn’t gotten a damn thing done all day.

“We need to finish our conversation,” Kit insisted.

Ah, yes, the conversation about what I was comfortable with them putting where. Kit had been trying to drag the words out of me for days now, but time was running out for me to give coherent and consenting answers to his questions. “But I don’t know what to say.”

“Little fox, I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to make some decisions. We’ll obviously keep an eye on you during the heat and not continue with anything where it’s not obvious you like it, but we need to know what’s off-limits.”

I squirmed closer, dipping my gaze so I didn’t have to look at his face. “But I still don’t know what I like.”

“Hey there, firecracker.” Ryder popped his head inside the nest. “Could I tempt you with some food?”