Page 187 of Pretty When She Breaks

Ocean was taking me for a shower, and now there’d be a fresh sheet underneath us for when I came back and rested. I was very sticky and sleepy and grumpy that they were going to be washing all their scents off me, but at least I’d have all of it when I got back into the nest.

Ocean warmed up the shower, then placed me gently on the bench and started to lather me with soap. I gave a happyhum and rested my head on his shoulder, eyes drooping shut as he washed me and conditioned my hair.

Then I was wrapped in a fluffy towel and brought back to the nest, where Kaos was waiting with a hair dryer. I’d left them strict instructions for my hair, and it was nice to just relax and doze as the hum of the hair dryer and warmth of the air as it ran over my skin. I must be the happiest omega in the world right now, because I couldn’t imagine it getting much better than this.

I nodded as I listened to Ocean's heated debate with Kaos over which one of them would win in a feral alpha match.

Kaos, of course, but I wouldn't be saying that out loud even with a gun pointed at my head.

My heat had been a beautiful, exhausting whirl, and I was happy, pleasantly sore and 100% hungry.

I'd wanted Shin Ramyun, and Finch had offered to make me some, but I'd declined. I'd developed my own way of making it and I wasn't sure he'd approv?—

“What are you doing to that Ramyun?” Finch's voice made me jump, and I froze, halfway through tapping half a packet of seasoning into a dry bowl. Ocean hopped up onto the counter with a chuckle.

“Ooh the secret is out,” he said, opening a bag of chips.

“Nothing,” I said to Finch, straightening and hiding the packet behind my back.

“Is that cheese? And butter?”

He looked at my bowl, half confused, half horrified. I could feel my cheeks heating.

The pot of Ramyun on the stove started boiling and I turned, cracking an egg into it and covering it with a lid.

“But doesn't the cheese congeal in the broth?” he said, still looking at my bowl.

I muttered my answer under my breath, so he didn't catch it.

“What did you say?”

“I, uh, dump the broth out,” I admitted.

I wasn't avoiding eye contact. I just had to keep a close eye on my cooking. I peeked under the pot lid, then carried it over to the sink, still not looking at Finch. Coincidentally.

I dumped the noodles into the sieve, and the broth ran down the drain.

“Aigoo…” Finch said, running his fingers through his hair and making him look dishevelled.

“I have to! It's too spicy otherwise!” I protested, moving my bowl over to the sink.

“See?” I said, pouring the noodles on top of the cheese and butter. “I still put some of the seasoning into the bowl!”

It was so good. Spicy, cheesy, buttery, chewy noodles with rich egg yolk stirred in….it was my new favorite snack.

Finch was still looking at me in abject horror.

I tried to pass Kaos, but he snatched my fork and took a bite.

“Hey! Get your own!” I said, smacking his hand away and pushing past him to the table.

“It's pretty good,” Kaos said, sitting beside me. “But we'll never get your spice tolerance up like that.”

“Just let me enjoy things!” I told him, hugging my noodles protectively.

“I will do a lot of things for you,” Finch said, following us into the dining room. “I will rub your feet, and bake you treats and bring you sandwiches. But this is where I draw the line. I will never take part in preparing Ramyun like that. If I make it for you, I’m doing it properly.”

I shrugged, hiding a smile.

Challenge accepted.

I had the rest of our lives to wear him down, after all.