Page 141 of Knot Her Cowboys
I followed the sound of her whimpers. When I tired, the others took over. When the heat subsided again, we bathed and ate and cuddled. And when the heat properly broke, we lay together, exhausted but sated.
The omega suite was a fog of sweet lupine blended with all our scents.
“I’d say this bed isthoroughlybroken in.” I stretched my arms overhead with a yawn.
Riley giggled from beneath the blankets, burrowing around until she found an exit point to pop her head up. “Quite the understatement. I’m surprised we didn’tactuallybreak it.”
“Is that a dig at my carpentry skills?” Cooper grumbled.
“Never,” she insisted as she curled into a ball between us. “You made a very sturdy bed and I love it, but you guys basically fucked me into oblivion, so I’m impressed the bed was able to take it.”
“We had to rent a crane to get the logs up here through the window,” I told her. “He carved them outside and it took all of us to put it together up here.”
“I think that was the year all of our more permanent staff found out you existed,” Levi said to Riley.
“Not by name,” I clarified. “Just that Cooper was down bad for someone they had never seen before. I imagine a fair few of them connected the dots pretty quick when you showed up.”
Riley rolled over, flattening Cooper to the bed. “Why are you so fucking cute? You made me the most beautiful suite and I feel like the luckiest omega on the planet to have such a perfect space.” She squeezed his cheeks and planted a loud kiss on him. “But not as lucky as I feel to have you guys as my pack.”
Dakota nudged his way into the nest, tray in his hands. “I come bearing sustenance.”
Our meal of roast beef sandwiches was sorely needed. The team had left the fixings on the side so they didn’t get soggy, and had included a tray of brownies that Riley started with before Levi coaxed some protein into her. She sat between Dakota and me, with Cooper and Levi on the floor in front of us, Riley’s legs hooked over their shoulders so she could touch all four of us at once.
This wasn’t especially practical long-term, but it was nice to be able to indulge post-heat. She was content as hell in the bond, and everyone else reflected that too.
Our pack was complete for the first timeeverand I fucking loved it. It was kind of magical to be able to read my pack members on this new level. I was already pretty good at reading people in general, but now that we shared the bond, we would always know when one of us needed support but wasn’t expressing it out loud.
Riley was working on another brownie and a glass of milk while I carefully rolled sliced beef for her to snack on, dipping the end lightly in horseradish before feeding her each bite.
“That flavor combination looks terrible,” I commented.
“The milk washes each one away between bites.” She took a swig and shoved another mouthful of brownie to chase it.
I loved the opportunity to feed her and feel the steady glow of affection each time she popped open her mouth for me to deposit her snack. Once upon a time she’d never have allowed herself to be that vulnerable. We’d managed to create an environment where she felt safe enough to let us take care of her however we all pleased.
“Go team!” I said with a laugh, holding my hands out for each of my packmates to high-five me.
“Why are we high-fiving?” Dakota asked.
“We successfully got through our first heat together, and this is the coziest Riley has ever felt in the bond.”
Her cheeks flushed and she nuzzled her way under my arm. “If I didn’t love you so much I’d call you a cheeseball for that.”
I took the opportunity to kiss her forehead. “Call me whatever you like, honey bun, so long as you call me yours.”
My whole world had shifted on its axis. Where I had once felt so precarious—a breeze away from falling apart—now I was steady. My alphas cradled me from all angles. I was the peak of the pyramid and they were my base, ready to hold me up from every direction no matter how the wind buffeted me.
“Can someone pass my phone?”
Levi detached it from the charger and handed it over. “Here you go, sweetheart.”
“Thank you.” I kissed the back of his hand when I took it, and quickly tapped out a message.
Riley:
GUESS WHAT
Morgan:
