Chapter 13: Jayce

Chapter

Thirteen

JAYCE

I can't take my eyes off Ember as Carter and I help her stand under the warm spray of the shower. Her legs are still shaky, and I'm not sure if it's from the intensity of her orgasms or the fact that she's been bent over for so long.

Probably both.

The thought sends a fresh wave of arousal through me, but I push it down. This isn't about me right now. It's about taking care of our omega.

"You still good, beautiful?" I ask, running my hands gently down her arms.

She nods, leaning back against my chest with a contented sigh. The trust in that simple gesture makes my heart swell.

Carter reaches for the shampoo, squeezing a generous amount into his palm before working it into Ember's hair. I watch, mesmerized, as she tilts her head back, eyes closed in bliss.

It's such a small thing, but the intimacy of it strikes me hard.

This is what it means to have a mate.

Not just the mind-blowing sex, but these quiet moments of care and tenderness.

As Carter rinses the suds from her hair, I grab a washcloth and start gently cleaning her body. I'm careful around her sensitive areas, noting the way she winces slightly when I brush against her core. A pang of guilt hits me—we weren't exactly gentle with her—but she catches my hand, pressing it more firmly against her.

"It's okay," she murmurs, her voice still a bit hoarse. "I like feeling you."

Fuck .

How does she do that?

How does she manage to undo me with just a few words?

We finish washing her in comfortable silence, trading soft touches and gentle kisses. By the time we're done, Ember looks about ready to fall asleep on her feet. Without thinking, I scoop her up into my arms, cradling her against my chest.

"I've got you, Cotton Candy," I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let's get you back to the nest."

She nuzzles into my neck, her breath warm against my skin. "M'kay," she mumbles, already half-asleep.

As we step out of the shower room, I catch Adder and Mason's knowing looks. They don't say anything, but I can see the mix of concern and arousal in their eyes. I give them a small nod, silently communicating that Ember's okay, just exhausted.

And it looks like the seventh—or maybe eighth?—time is the charm, because the scent of her heat is already fading.

Unfortunately for us.

I lay her down gently in the center of the nest, and immediately she curls up, looking small and vulnerable. The urge to protect her, to wrap her up and never let her go, nearly overwhelms me.

I have to remind myself that she's not really ours.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

"Ember, sweetheart," Adder says softly, kneeling beside her. "You need to eat something before you sleep. Can you do that for us?"

She makes a soft noise of protest, but slowly uncurls, blinking up at us with bleary eyes.

God, she's adorable like this.

I want to wake up to that sleepy, tousled look every morning for the rest of my life.

Mason appears with a protein bar and a bottle of water. "Here," he says, helping her sit up. "Just a few bites, okay?"

Ember nods, taking small bites of the bar as Mason holds the water bottle for her. I watch, a lump forming in my throat at how naturally they care for her. How easily we've all fallen into these roles, as if we've been doing this for years instead of hours.

As soon as she's finished eating, Ember's eyes start to droop again. Adder and Mason exchange a look before carefully maneuvering her between them. She goes willingly, curling into Adder's chest as Mason spoons up behind her. The sight of her, safe and content between our packmates, fills me with a warmth I can't quite name.

Carter catches my eye, jerking his head toward the other side of the room. I follow him, knowing we need to talk about...

Well, everything.

"The roads should be clear soon," he says quietly, once we're out of earshot. "And the phone lines are back up. Frank called earlier. Said they're expecting to have everything open by tonight."

I nod, a heavy feeling settling in my chest. "So, that's it then? We just... what? Go back to our lives and pretend this never happened?"

Carter sighs, running a hand through his hair. "None of us want that, obviously, but..."

"But it's not up to us," I finish for him. "It's Ember's choice."

He nods, and we both turn to look at her, peacefully sleeping between Adder and Mason. She looks like she belongs there. Like she was always meant to be a part of our pack.

"She's perfect for us," I say softly, voicing the thought that's been running through my mind since the moment we met her. "You see it too, right? The way she challenges us, brings out the best in all of us?"

Carter smiles, a rare, genuine expression that reaches his eyes. "Yeah, I see it. She's... something else."

We fall into silence for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I can't help but voice the fear that's been gnawing at me. "You think she'll feel the same when all this is over? When the heat fades and reality sets in?"

Carter's expression grows serious. "I don't know. She's been hurt before, that much is clear. And we didn't exactly make the best first impression."

I wince, remembering my clumsy attempts at flirting. "Yeah, not our finest moment."

"But," Carter continues, "she's starting to let her guard down. You've seen it too, right? The way she laughs more easily now, how she seeks us out for comfort?"

I nod, hope blooming in my chest. "You think we have a chance?"

Before Carter can answer, Adder's voice calls out softly. "Guys? She's out cold. We should probably figure out our next move."

We make our way back to the nest, settling down on the edges. Ember doesn't even stir, her breathing deep and even. I resist the urge to reach out and brush a stray lock of hair from her face, afraid I'll disturb her.

"So," Mason says, his voice low to avoid waking Ember. "What's the plan? We can't exactly keep her here against her will once the roads are clear."

No, we can't.

We definitely can't do that.

It's wrong to kidnap your mate, even if you keep her in a luxurious house plied with everything she could ever want and spend every moment worshiping her.

Fuck, no. Bad alpha.

"Maybe we could turn the ice rink into fake snow somehow," I quip, trying to lighten the mood. "Make this last a little longer."

The others chuckle, but it's a hollow sound.

We all know what's really at stake here.

"In all seriousness," Adder says, his tone grave. "We need to be prepared for the possibility that Ember might want nothing to do with us after this. We have to respect her wishes, whatever they may be."

The thought sends a spike of pain through my chest, but I know he's right. We can't force this, no matter how much we might want to.

We all fall silent, each lost in our own thoughts. I can't help but replay every moment with Ember in my mind—her fiery determination on the ice, the way she melted into our touches, the sound of her laughter.

The thought of losing all that, of never experiencing it again, is unbearable.

"We should talk to her," Carter says finally. "When she wakes up. Lay all our cards on the table and see where she stands."

Adder nods. "Agreed. But we have to be prepared for any outcome. If she wants to walk away, we let her go. Somehow."

The words hang heavy in the air, a grim reminder of the reality we're facing. But as I look at Ember, peaceful and beautiful in her sleep, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope.

She chose to trust us.

To let us in despite her reservations.

That has to mean something, right?

I settle back against the nest, my eyes never leaving Ember's sleeping form. Whatever happens when she wakes up, whatever she decides, I know one thing for certain.

Meeting her has changed everything.

And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her in our lives, even if it's not in the way I desperately want.

The way I need .

As sleep starts to tug at my own consciousness, I make a silent promise to myself—and to Ember. We'll show her that we're worth taking a chance on. That what we have is more than just biology or heat-fueled lust. That we can be the pack she deserves.

If only she'll let us.

With that thought, I finally let my eyes close, drifting off to the sound of Ember's steady breathing and the warmth of my packmates around me.

For now, in this moment, everything is perfect.

And I'll hold onto that feeling for as long as I can.