Page 98 of Examining the Bond

That earns me a weak laugh, and I press a kiss against her temple while I wait for the water to warm. I keep it room temperature, not wanting to exacerbate her temperature by making it hot. She’ll probably pout, maybe even complain, but it’s what’s best for her.

I carefully help her into the shower, hating how wobbly she is on her own feet, and climb in after her. I pull her against my chest, letting her lean on me as the water pelts her back.

“It’s so cold,” she whines. “Can’t you make it hotter?”

“You’ll get used to it in a second,” I promise. “Here, let’s get your hair wet so I can wash it.”

With a whimper, she obeys, and I get her hair wet enough to massage shampoo into the long strands. I’ve never had long hair, so this definitely isn’t my forte, but I do my best. I massage her scalp with her arms around me, moving quickly in case she gets too unsteady to stand. Then I run conditioner through her long locks.

“That feels good,” she sighs with her eyes still closed. “Can you do this all the time?”

“As often as you want, preciosa.” I kiss the tip of her nose before grabbing a wash rag. I set to work washing her head to toe, kneeling to gently clean between her thighs.

When she’s clean, I go to reach for the faucet, but she shakes her head against my chest. “Not yet. Please.”

“Don’t you want your nest?” I ask.

“I do, but… I want… to stay here for a while.” She pulls back enough to look up at me. Her brows are slightly pinched together, and I fear she might be uncomfortable, but I don’t want to rush her if she wants to stay in the shower.

“Alright, but we’re going to sit. And whenever you’re ready to go back to the nest, let me know.”

She nods.

I adjust the shower head so it won’t be spraying us straight in the face and take a seat in the bottom of the tub. Riann plops down in front of me, her back pressed flush against me, her head leaning back on my shoulder.

“Are you comfortable, preciosa?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her and gently pressing against her middle with my hands, hoping it’ll stave off the cramps and buy us a few more minutes.

She sighs softly. “This is… perfect.”

Riann’s heat is short and brutal, lasting just over twenty-four hours. Somewhere around midnight, I began to wonder if I’d be able to get her through it. Was I alpha enough for the job? Or would she suffer because I lacked something essential to easing her discomfort?

However, in her brief moments of lucidity, when she wasn’t completely lost to the heat, she told me over and over again how grateful she was to have me. That I was doing everything perfectly.

That was enough to fuel my determination. I made her come as many times as her body could manage, until she was a limp noodle in my arms. My fist might not have been a knotted toy, or the real thing, but it did the job just fine.

When her fever finally breaks, and we’re lying beneath the glowing fairy lights in her nest, it hits me just how perfect we are together. Riann buries herself close, fitting snugly into the crookof my arm, and I settle into the sea of mellow bliss that comes from making love for hours.

With my omega sated and happy, I couldn’t ask for anything else.

I try to fall asleep, but I can’t. Not again—not since I woke up to her in pain. A buzzing energy still pumps through my veins, the urge to watch over my omega and make sure she’s safe. I run my fingers through her long red hair, loving how her nose scrunches as I tickle the shell of her ear. I can’t stop staring at her, admiring the way my bite mark looks against her pale skin.

I freeze as she stirs beside me, a faint moan escaping her.

“What is it, preciosa?” I ask gently, pressing my lips on her forehead. “Do you need something?”

Half-asleep, she shakes her head slightly and sighs.

“No,” she says softly as she drapes her arm over my chest. “Just making sure you’re still here.”

“I already told you, I’m not going anywhere.” I turn ever so carefully onto my side, so I can face her. Then I trail my fingers over her shoulder, down her waist, and rest my hand on her hip.

“Good,” she mumbles without opening her eyes. “You should go to sleep.”

“I can’t,” I chuckle. “I have to make sure you have everything you need.”

She yawns and stretches, settling in once more right after. “You’re all I need, silly.”

It’s playful, but her words hit deep.