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I took the water bottle. It was room temperature, and I swallowed half the bottle in one go. “It’s fine.”

I tried to go back to sleep. Ben was sleepily stroking my shoulder, like we had nowhere else to be.

I jerked again. “My family. My job?—”

“Alejandro took care of that.” Ben cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “You’re on heat leave for the foreseeable future.”

“It wasn’t the fun heat,” I grumbled. Despite the sweetness of our scents layered together, I could still smell my own sour notes. “No endless orgy of sexy times. Instead I had a panic attack to kick things off.”

I couldn’t help but feel disgruntled. Absolutely none of this was going the way I’d wanted.

Ben opened his eyes and frowned. This close, his eyes looked darker. “Sweetheart. I hate that you were upset, but none of us minded being with you.”

“Thanks.” I took another swig of water, trying to ignore the rising tide of feelings.

I didn’t want to feel anymore. The worry that this was going to come crashing down at any second was at an all-time high.

The alpha softly caressed my face. I leaned into the touch, craving him. “Ember,” he whispered. “It’s okay for you to not be okay sometimes. I’m not okay all the time.”

“You’re hot, funny, and smart,” I muttered, pulling a blanket over my shoulder. Rian, still absolutely dead to the world, breathed softly on my shoulder. It was utterly adorable. His arm was slung over my waist, and the freckles dotting his arms stood out against my own skin.

“Also blind,” Ben said, sounding amused. “And it’s getting worst, and sometimes I feel sorry for myself about that. I also work long, weird hours. I missed West’s call about you being upset, and if I hadn’t been working so much, maybe you’d feel more comfortable with me.”

“What?” I frowned, shocked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I should have been there,” he said fiercely, his face set. “We should have known the second something was wrong.”

“I didn’t know something was wrong until…” I paused. “You couldn’t have.”

He gave a little shrug, not agreeing with me.

I poked his chest. “Listen, you don’t get to feel bad for things outside your control.”

He kissed my forehead. “You first. Let me know how that works out for you.”

“Fine.” I sighed and pressed my face into his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. I saw his point, even if I didn’t like it.

Or rather, it was far easier said than done.

He moved his hand through my hair, and I instantly relaxed. I loved having my hair played with; it never failed to make my brain shut off.

Some of my immediate worry faded, and I was just left with being tired. Bone weary. Panic attacks and then a heat induced by the panic attack would do that.

West woke up next and leaned over Rian to kiss my cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” I said.

“I’ll get you some food.” West started to leave.

Ben shook his head. “I’ll go.”

“It’s fine,” West scooted down the mattress.

“I know it is,” Ben said. “Omegas stay in the nest.”

“But Ember’s comfortable,” West said, stubbornly crossing his arms.

I was sort of amused, and sort of turned on by their bickering. Ben was hell-bent on taking care of West, and West was hell-bent on not needing it.