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Something cracks open in my chest at the words.

I close the gap between us, just enough to press my forehead to hers, my hand cradling the back of her neck. “You’re not lacking anything, little dew drop. We’ll get through this, baby. Every tangled, beautiful, terrifying second of it.”

Her breath fans across my lips. She nods once, barely moving more than a breath.

And together, without another word, we let the moment settle like a heartbeat in the quiet.

EVIANA

Comfort presses in from all sides – pillows, blankets, perfect scents – like the world has finally gone quiet. For a moment, I don’t know where I am – just that I feel safe. The scent of my nest surrounds me, soft and rich and tangled withthem. Honeysuckle and leather. Amber and rain. Spices and woods. Fruit and flowers. I breathe it in like it’s the first breath I’ve taken in years.

The haze isn’t here yet.

But I can feel it approaching. Inevitable and imminent.

It hums at the edge of me, like a wave preparing to crash. I know it won’t be long now. A day. Maybe two. It’s coming – and with it, the thing I’ve feared all my life, but am somehow starting to long for too.

Instinct. Desire. The loss of control.

But not yet. This morning, I still have a choice. And I already know what I want to do with it.

I want them.

Each of them.

Not in the haze of heat, not because biology demands it, but becauseIdo. I want to let them in, to explore the craving that’s been building inside me for days, for weeks. And I want to do it onmyterms.

My skin prickles with awareness as I shift slightly, and that’s when I feel him.

Dane.

He’s lying beside me, propped up on one elbow, watching me with that quiet intensity of his. His scent curls around me all musk and cherrywood, warm and grounding andhis. I can’t help the little hitch in my breath as our eyes meet and his amber aroma blooms as the corners of his eyes crinkle with his smile.

“Good morning,” he murmurs, voice low and sleep-rough.

“Morning,” I whisper back, voice still thick.

“How are you feeling?” he asks softly.

I blink at him, surprised by the question. Not because it’s unexpected, but because no one’s everreallyasked me that like it matters.

I take a moment to check in with myself. “Alright, actually,” I admit. “Clear. Good.”

His lips tip in a soft smile. “You smell different.”

I stiffen, instinctively pulling the blankets higher.

“Not bad,” he adds quickly, voice gentle. “Just…softer. Settled.”

Settled. That feels right. Like something’s finally clicked into place inside me.

I shift again, suddenly restless. “I should, um…freshen up.”

He nods, making no move to stop me, and I slip from the nest and into the en suite. I didn’t get the chance to appreciate it before but Dane’s worked wonders in here too. The walls are painted a deep, dark blue – almost midnight – and he’s swapped the harsh lighting for something much softer. The shower has had an upgrade and I’m relieved to see he kept the original roll-top bath. He said yesterday that he still wants to re-tile and make some finishing touches in here, but the place seems perfect to me, especially considering he did everything himself on such a short timeline.

I use the toilet, wash my hands, splash water on my face, brush my teeth, comb my fingers through my hair and then stare at my reflection longer than I mean to. I’m wearing just my panties and one of Blaise’s band tees – black with the Ruin Bound logo on it, which reminds me I need to look them up later if the power is on. There’s colour in my cheeks. There’s a light in my eyes too, something new. Something brave.

When I return, Dane’s still waiting for me, but he hasn’t moved. His gaze tracks me as I cross the room, but it’s not predatory. It’s reverent. He looks at me like I’m something rare. Precious.