Page 58 of Nesting With My Three Alphas
"I would love to," I said, meaning it completely.
Charlie's bedtime routine was a well-orchestrated dance of tooth brushing, pajama changing, and the careful selection of exactly the right stuffed animals to provide optimal sleep support. I watched Jonah navigate it all with the practiced ease of a single parent who'd been doing this alone for years.
But tonight, he wasn't alone. Tonight, Charlie had two people tucking her in.
"This one," Charlie said, selecting a well-worn copy of a book about a brave little dinosaur who learned that being different was actually a superpower.
I settled into the chair beside her bed, acutely aware of Jonah's presence in the doorway as I began to read. Charlie's eyes grew heavy as the story progressed, but she fought sleep with the determination of someone who didn't want this perfect day to end.
"Kit?" she whispered as I closed the book.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Will you still be here when I get back from Aunt Emma's?"
"I'll be here," I promised. "This is my home now too."
"Good," Charlie said, her eyes finally closing. "I love you."
Three simple words that changed everything.
"I love you too," I whispered back, meaning it with a depth that surprised me.
Downstairs, Reed had returned with a single duffel bag and was setting up what appeared to be a temporary sleeping arrangement on the couch.
"Is that really all you brought?" I asked.
"I'm a simple man with simple needs," Reed said with a grin. "Besides, most of my important stuff has been migrating heregradually. Tools in Jonah's garage, clothes in the spare closet, coffee preferences memorized by the household chef."
"Hey," Micah protested from the kitchen, where he was cleaning up dinner dishes. "I'm a baker who occasionally cooks, not a household chef."
"You're whatever we need you to be," Jonah said with the easy affection of long friendship. "Just like the rest of us."
"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" I asked.
"Charlie leaves at nine," Jonah said. "I take the day off to make sure you're settled. Micah handles the morning rush at the bakery and then comes back. Reed finishes up his current project and then he's here full time."
"You're all taking time off for me?"
"Kit," Micah said gently, "your first heat in a safe environment, with people who care about you, is important. We want to make sure everything goes perfectly."
Like my comfort and pleasure were priorities instead of afterthoughts.
"I should probably get some sleep," I said, suddenly aware of how the evening's emotions had drained me. "Tomorrow's going to be a big day."
"Night, Kit," Reed said quietly as I passed. His fingers brushed mine, brief, careful, grounding.
I headed upstairs, hyper aware of the fact that this was my first night in this house as a permanent resident. My room felt different now that it was truly mine. Larger somehow, more welcoming, infused with the scents of the three men who'd welcomed me into their lives.
As I changed into pajamas and settled into bed, I could hear the soft murmur of their voices downstairs. Planning, coordinating, taking care of the details that would make my transition as smooth as possible.
Taking care of me.
For the first time since leaving Chicago, I fell asleep not to the sound of my own anxious thoughts, but to the comforting knowledge that I was surrounded by people who wanted me exactly as I was.
Tomorrow, Charlie would leave for her adventure. Tomorrow, my heat would probably begin. Tomorrow, everything would change again.
But tonight, I was home. I was safe. I was loved.
