Page 38 of Bound By Song (Evie Quad Omegaverse #1)

EVIANA

W hen we’re all done, I gather two of the plates automatically, sliding to my feet before I even think about it.

But three chairs scrape back almost at once, and suddenly I’m surrounded.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Blaise says, plucking the dishes from my hands with a grin. “Absolutely not. You cooked nothing, so you clean nothing.”

“I can help,” I say, though it comes out a little too defensive. “It’s my house. You shouldn’t even be cooking. You’re my guests so I should be doing everything.”

Grams would be turning in her grave for so many reasons, but being a bad host is probably the worst in her eyes. Well, that and shacking up with alphas in her house. The thought makes me bite back a smile.

Dane’s already stacking the cutlery. “You could, but you won’t. We’ve got it.”

I cross my arms, not quite able to hide the tension crawling up my spine. “I’m not helpless.”

“No one said you were,” Xar adds, quiet but firm as he carries the last of the serving dishes to the sink.

Blaise flashes me a softer smile now, less teasing. “You’re used to doing everything yourself. We get that. But we’re here now, Evie. Let us take care of you. Even if it’s just dishes. We love this shit.”

It shouldn’t feel like a big deal – but it does. The idea of letting someone else take over, of resting, sets off a hundred silent alarms in my brain. Like if I stop moving, stop managing, everything will collapse.

“I don’t really do resting,” I admit.

“Then it’s time to start,” Blaise says with a wink. “Go lie down. Or at least pretend to.”

I hesitate, then nod slowly. “I’ll just get washed up. Get changed.”

No one stops me this time, but I still feel their eyes on my back as I head down the hallway.

The power comes back on as I’m heading upstairs and so I decide to make the most of it by showering.

The bathroom is warm and misty by the time I finish freshening up.

My skin still tingles from the shower, my hair damp as I squeeze it out in a towel and lean toward the mirror.

The cut on my head is fine. I think the Steristrips were an overreaction.

But studying my reflection, there’s a strange quiet in me now, like the storm within me has finally echoed and passed.

I reach for the brush then freeze as I catch movement behind me.

Xar.

He’s there, just inside the doorway, his eyes locked on mine through the mirror. There’s no warning, no sound. Just him, tall and steady, his expression beautifully unreadable.

The memory of the attic slams into me – his mouth on mine, the way I’d clung to him like he was the only solid thing in the world. And then it hits again, sharp and hot: scent.

Mine flares, wild and unfiltered, pouring out before I can stop it. I blush.

Xar inhales, his pupils darkening. He moves forward, slow and sure, closing the door behind him without breaking eye contact.

I turn, my back pressing against the cool edge of the counter as he closes the space between us. My heart stutters in my chest.

He lifts a hand and gently tucks a damp strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger against my cheek so carefully.

I lean into the touch without thinking, my eyes fluttering closed. I breathe him in – warm and addictive – and the sigh that slips out of me is completely involuntary. Quiet. Content.

For once, I’m not braced for impact.

Just breathing him in, and being.

His hand lingers at my cheek, heat bleeding into my skin. I don’t move. Don’t want to. The air feels thick between us, full of everything we haven’t said and everything we have, just with touch and scent and silence.

“You always do that,” he murmurs, voice low. “Hold your breath when I’m close.”

My lips part, caught off guard. “I don’t mean to.”

“I know.” His thumb brushes just beneath my jaw, barely there. “It’s like you’re waiting for something bad to happen.”

I look up at him, our eyes meeting again in the mirror. “Old habit.”

His gaze darkens, not with anger, but something heavier. Protective. “You don’t have to brace with us, Eviana. We’re not going anywhere. We’re not going to break you.”

My breath shudders out, unsteady but real. “I don’t know how to do this. Letting people in. It’s…scary. But being around you guys is getting easier. It feels…right.”

“You don’t have to know all the things,” he says, echoing the words he didn’t quite get to say this morning – but softer now, more personal. “We’ll learn together. Step by step. We’re still strangers, really. But we have time to be more.”

“I feel like I’m…burning inside,” I whisper. Hushed, tentative, confessional. “Like my skin’s too tight and my heart’s too full and I don’t know what to do with all of it.”

Xar leans closer, his forehead brushing mine so lightly I almost miss it.

“That’s your omega waking up,” he says quietly. “Finally being seen. She’s been locked down so long she doesn’t know how to stretch without shaking.”

I let that settle. Let it hurt , in a way that makes room for healing.

“Every time I’m near you,” I say, “I feel like I’m going to fly apart.”

“You’re not,” he murmurs. “You’re just falling into place.”

My breath catches again – because I believe him. Just for a moment, I believe him.

His hand trails down to my jaw, fingertips ghosting along my throat before pulling back. Not because he wants to. Because he’s letting me choose.

And god help me, I almost ask him to stay.

But instead, I whisper, “Thank you,” and lean into his touch just a second longer before pulling away.

The silence is warm, not broken.

“I’ll wait,” Xar says simply. “However long you need. The others will too, Evie. There’s no pressure. We just want what’s best for you.”

Then he slips from the room, leaving the door open behind him, and me, standing there, breathless – but not braced anymore.

By the time I’m composed enough to get dressed, dry my hair and make it back downstairs, the power is out again. I feel bad. I shouldn’t have taken so long. I should have offered the guys showers first.

I’m a terrible host.

When I walk past the kitchen, I peek inside but it’s empty.

Everything has been returned to how it was before: the table wiped down, the chairs pushed under, the washing up has been dried and put away, and the floor’s even been swept.

A warmth spreads through my chest at the thoughtfulness as I follow the sounds of the guys talking into the lounge.

As I enter, Xar stands, the movement purposeful, as if he’s made up his mind.

He glances over at me, his gaze soft, but there’s a quiet intensity there that I can’t ignore.

“We need to get out of here, Eviana,” he says, his voice calm but edged with concern.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better. ”

I blink at him, confusion clouding my thoughts. “What do you mean? The storm? Go where? What do we need to do?”

Dane pushes himself up from his seat, his gaze intense as he steps toward me.

“We need to stock up on supplies, firewood, and whatever we can get to fortify the house before the storm really hits its peak. It’s not that bad yet, not really.

We brought some stuff with us but I’m worried it’s not enough.

We don’t know how long the power might be out for, or how often this is going to happen, and we need to make sure you’re safe. ”

I nod, slowly processing his words. It makes sense – I don’t want to be stuck here without essentials. “Okay,” I murmur, still feeling the tight knot in my chest, the lingering panic threatening to resurface.

I hate going into town unless it’s absolutely necessary, but I guess in this instance it is.

“Good,” Blaise says with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll grab the list of things we need. Let’s get it sorted.” He moves to the door to grab his coat, and I take a breath, realising how much of the situation I’m not fully processing.

I didn’t think he meant we need to go right now. Obviously we don’t have days to wait, or possibly even hours, but I need a little time to process leaving the house…it’s a huge deal for me.

But then something shifts, something in the way they’re looking at me.

This isn’t just about supplies. I can see it in their eyes, the tension in the set of their shoulders, the way they’re not quite meeting my gaze.

..And though I can’t quite put my finger on it, there’s a sense of purpose in the way they move.

I hesitate, the weight of everything pressing in on me again. I can step outside my front door, no problem, but getting in a car to go into town? That’s…huge.

“Come on,” Xar urges softly, giving me a brief, reassuring look. “You’ll feel better once we get everything in place.” He gestures for me to follow.

I look over at Blaise and Dane. There’s a quiet certainty in the way they both stand, watching me with their boots and coats already on, as if they’re waiting for something.

They don’t rush me, but there’s an unspoken message in the way they stand guard, close but giving me the space to make my decision.

I’m not ready for this, but the storm outside is relentless. The idea of staying here alone with this new tension hanging between us feels more unbearable than stepping into whatever they’re planning next. Maybe I’ll feel better once we get everything set up, maybe the fresh air will clear my head.

Maybe venturing out with three burly alphas to protect me won’t be so bad.

I take a deep breath, slip my feet into my shoes and my arms into my thin jacket, and follow Xar out into the storm, Blaise muttering about my inappropriate clothing choices behind me as he locks up.

The wind slaps against my face, the cold biting through the thin fabric of my clothes, but I keep walking.

It’s like I’m moving through fog – uncertain but determined.

I don’t even own a proper winter coat because normally if it’s raining, I just don’t go out.

Dane grumbles before chucking his jacket over my shoulders.

Silly really, as I’m already wet.