Page 90 of Claimed By My Exiled Alphas
“Then we’ll talk about it,” I said firmly. “That’s what the bonds are for, right? We can feel each other’s emotions. We’ll know when something’s wrong before it becomes a real problem. And we’ll communicate and adjust and figure it out together.”
“Together,” he repeated, testing the word. “I’m still getting used to that concept.”
“We all are.” I kissed him softly. “None of us have done this before. We’re all figuring it out as we go.”
Hollis called from the bathroom that the shower was ready, and I reluctantly extracted myself from Cassian’s arms. My legs were unsteady when I stood, three days in the nest making my muscles weak and protesting.
“I’ve got you,” Cassian said immediately, supporting my weight as I walked to the bathroom.
The shower was heaven. Hot water sluicing over sore muscles, washing away the physical evidence of heat even as the emotional and spiritual changes remained. The bite marks on my neck were already healing, but they’d scar. Permanent visible reminders that I was claimed, bonded.
Three ways to be broken, a small voice whispered in the back of my mind. Three alphas who could hurt you, disappoint you, leave you.
I pushed the thought away, but not before it leaked through the bonds.
When I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in my robe, all three of them were in my bedroom looking concerned.
“What was that?” Jace asked. “That spike of fear through the bond?”
I sighed, settling back into the nest. “Just my anxiety talking. Ignore it.”
“We can’t ignore it,” Hollis said gently, sitting beside me. “That’s not how bonds work. If you’re afraid, we need to know why so we can address it.”
“It’s stupid,” I protested.
“Nothing you feel is stupid,” Cassian said firmly. “Tell us.”
I looked at all three of them, at their genuine concern and care, and felt ridiculous for the thought that had caused such alarm. “I was just thinking that three bonds means three ways to be broken. Three alphas who could hurt me or disappoint me or leave.”
Silence for a moment, then Jace moved to sit on my other side, taking my hand in his.
“You’re right,” he said, and my stomach dropped. “Three bonds does mean three potential sources of hurt. Three alphas who are imperfect and will definitely disappoint you sometimes because we’re human.”
“But it also means three sources of support,” Hollis added. “Three alphas who will be there when you need them. When one of us falls short, the others can step up. We’re built-in backup for each other.”
“And the bonds work both ways,” Cassian said. “You can hurt us too. Disappoint us. That’s the risk of being in any relationship, pack or otherwise. The vulnerability goes both directions.”
“So what do we do with that?” I asked. “How do we manage the fear?”
“We communicate,” Hollis said simply. “We use the bonds to stay aware of each other’s emotional states. We talk about problems before they become crises. We trust that we all chose this intentionally and want to make it work.”
“And we remember that perfect isn’t possible,” Jace added. “We’re going to mess up. All of us. But messing up doesn’t mean failing, it means we’re human and still learning.”
“I can work with that,” I said, feeling the truth of their words settle something in my chest. “I can accept imperfection if you can.”
“Deal,” all three said in slight variations.
Jace disappeared and returned with a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. I ate slowly, my appetite returning as my body recovered from heat. The eggs were perfectly seasoned, the toast exactly the right level of crispy. He’d been learning well from our cooking lessons.
“So,” Cassian said once I’d eaten half the plate, “logistics. Where do we go from here?”
“The house,” Hollis said immediately. “My grandmother’s house. We already agreed to that before the heat. Now we just need to actually make it happen.”
“It needs work first,” I said. “Updating, cleaning, making it feel like ours instead of just a place your grandmother lived.”
“I can handle the contracting and renovation planning,” Cassian offered. “Get estimates, coordinate timelines, manage the budget.”
“I can help with the physical labor,” Jace added. “Painting, repairs, whatever needs doing. I’m good with my hands.”
