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I hung on to my optimism with both hands. Rian talked to her, sang to her. Promising that she could hear his new songs if she would make the request.

“I’m going to tell her you said that,” West muttered.

“Please do.” Rian’s love and concern shot through our bond, and I kissed his forehead.

The third day, I dared to hope it was better. Ember came out of the nest in the morning, looking around the hallway like she was waiting for Julian.

Luckily, Julian was coming in the morning around the same time, so he arrived with Sunshine a minute later.

“Waiting for me, babycakes?” Julian beamed and hefted a tinfoil pan. “Your alphas tell me you’re being good and eating.”

Ember just blinked at him, like he was a stranger to her. But it almost felt like…something was happening in the bond. Like she was reaching out.

I pushed more love and reassurance to her, and she looked at me, dropping her face on my shoulder. She looked exhausted still, dark circles under her eyes, and her skin was washed out.

“I made Logan make you Sex in a Pan,” Julian said, and nodded at Sunshine. “Your cousin knows how much you love it. You have presents, when you’re ready.”

She watched his face with interest. Suspicion, but interest.

“Luna brought you some lavender,” Sunshine added. “Raina brought you a bunch of Squishmallows. I’ll leave the rest for a surprise.”

Julian sat and chitchatted in his soothing voice. Even West relaxed again, rubbing his chin on Ember’s shoulder. He was wedged between Ember and Ben this time and also looked exhausted.

Julian pulled the syringe out with a needle. “I’d really love to take some blood, honeybun. I know you feel like crap, and checking your blood might help us figure out how to make you feel better.”

Ember wrinkled her nose but didn’t hiss at him. She huffed and stuck out her arm. She turned away, pressing her nose into my neck.

“What a good girl,” I hummed. “So brave.” I kept praising her, Ben and Rian flooding the bond with their approval, as Julian took two vials of blood. West held her tight, whispering in her ear, telling her at least they weren’t at the hospital.

Julian left, and Ember crawled back into the nest. We took a nap, but that evening she crawled out again.

Her family was in the den, overjoyed to see her. Ember just blinked and froze.

Her sister recovered first. “Hey, feeling better?” She switched the TV to the cooking show Ember loved.

Ember relaxed, and we curled up on the couch together.

“I brought you some books,” Terran said, bringing her a tote bag. “I went back to that bookstore. Maybe next time you can come with me, tell me if that alpha and omega pair are hitting on me?”

Ember made a noise in her throat but touched the books. Zephyr approached her next with photo frames. “I brought family photos for your new house.” He gestured around the den. “You have a wonderful pack. We’re so happy you found them.”

Ember made a chirring noise, reminding me of a cat again, and her pleased feeling filtered through the bond.

I tried to remain relaxed. I pushed love back at her, and didn’t jump up and down that she was feeling something other than vague confusion.

“You need to finish that PowerPoint for the turtle pond,” Raina said. Her hair was perfect as usual, but she looked brittle, like she was going to break. “I have no idea how to look up the financials for it if I don’t have the specifications.”

Ember hummed and focused on the television. We watched the amateur chefs on TV do hilariously bad work.

That night in the nest, we lay down and I tried not to hope too hard that her leaving on her own meant anything.

Chapter 60

Ember

It was dark and warm.Safe, my brain said.Safe safe safe.

Confusion warred with instincts. I scented milk and honey, and I rolled over to my packmate. Behind me was guanabana and tropical citrus, a soft contentment through the bond.