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T hey moved me to my nest before most people were awake to avoid having to answer questions from curious onlookers.

We’d update them in time. The doctor had disappeared to talk to Yelena and Kendrick after Seth had told us about his conversation with them, and I knew she was coming closer from the anxiety in the bond that skyrocketed as the door opened.

Yelena crawled straight into the nest, hugging me as best she could with all of the pillows propping me up. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m?—”

“I’m okay,” I promised.

She kissed me softly, cupping my cheek, letting her forehead rest on mine when she pulled away.

Kendrick peeked in behind her, nervous energy wafting off him. “I came to check on you.”

“You can come in if you want.”

Seth and Caden lifted their heads to observe, both in their small cat forms. Haru was draped over my legs, wolf tail whacking the blankets.

“I don’t think any of them want me in there.”

“It’s my nest, not theirs.”

Yelena melted into her smallest form, cuddling against me beside Caden, all of them staring at Kendrick.

“Haru,” I said softly, “would you mind shifting to your smallest form too?”

He glanced up at me before his wolf disappeared, replaced by a darling pup.

“Thank you.” I turned back to Kendrick. “Do you have a travel size?”

His cheeks flushed pink in the dim light. “It’s embarrassing.”

“I bet it’s cute.”

That only made his blush worse.

I reached out, letting my fingertips brush his skin. If you’d rather not show me, that’s okay .

Only for you .

Kendrick took a deep breath, his form wavering until there was only the tiniest deer I had ever seen standing in his place. He was no bigger than a house cat.

“Oh my gods. Come here.”

Mini deer Kendrick picked his way over the blankets, freezing when Seth rubbed a cheek against his, his whole little body trembling.

“You’re okay,” I crooned softly.

Seth nudged him along with another head boop until I could scoop up Kendrick’s minuscule weight and cuddle him to my chest. He melted instantly, head flopping on the pillow, tremble disappearing.

I’m sorry I hurt you. I swear to every god in existence that it wasn’t on purpose. You can rip my antlers off if you want.

I don’t want to hurt you in return . His fur was bristly as I traced over it, gently scratching him to soothe both of us at once. He wasn’t nearly as soft as a cat, but the texture was interesting, almost mesmerizing as I continued to stroke it.

I would deserve it.

I don’t believe in an eye for an eye. We already have an enemy and I don’t plan on making more.

Footsteps and the swing of the door alerted us to Velda’s arrival. She crouched down, ready to crawl in, but stopped short, eyes wide. “Oh my gods. Kendrick? You’re so fucking little.”

He tensed up instantly.

I’ve got you. “Velda, be nice.”

“I’m always nice.” She slipped into the nest, drawing me into a kiss that had my perfume erupting.

A fog of jasmine and earth filled the space, every animal touching me staring at me with enormous eyes.

I knew it didn’t affect them the same way as if they were in their human form, but they would still notice.

If you’re reacting like that while injured, said Yelena, your heat has to be close.

“That would make sense. I feel a little better each time.”

Velda’s eyes gleamed. “Let me test that theory.”

Her kiss swept me away, and her hand landing on my thigh, quickly scooting upward, had every nerve in my body alight. Power pulsed in my core, spreading to fill me up with a cozy heat. The sensation itself was weird as hell, almost like I could feel each cell repairing itself.

She pulled away, pupils dilated. “Thoughts and feelings?”

I let out a long breath. “It’s helping. Not ready to get fucked six ways to Sunday, but the well isn’t quite so dry now.”

Velda grinned. “So the secret to undrying the well is to make the pussy wet?”

I burst into a cackle I instantly regretted as the muscles in my torso tensed, my injuries immediately protesting. “Fuck. You can’t make me laugh.”

“Noted. No laughing, only moaning.” She dipped down, tracing her lips along my throat, the familiar flare of power soothing the hurt I had just caused in myself.

“Velda, I’m covered in cuties. Now is not the time.” The moan that followed didn’t make the protest very convincing.

“Cuties are free to leave, unless you actually want me to stop.”

A pitiful whimper snuck out. “He just got here.”

I can go , Kendrick offered.

My hands tightened around him. My head was a confusing mess of desires fighting with practicalities.

I couldn’t ask him to turn into his human form and stay.

That felt like far too much for the others to handle.

I wasn’t always very good at balancing my desires with the necessities of the world, but I tried.

I don’t want you to go. Unless you want to. You don’t have to stay if you would prefer to leave.

His tiny nose pressed against my cheek. He was so cute I wanted to cry, which was even more confusing with Velda sitting next to me looking like she was ready to devour me.

I’ll come back later , Kendrick promised. It’s too soon for anyone to want me to stay and I’m not standing in the way of you healing from injuries I caused you.

I scooped him up, kissing his forehead before setting him outside the nest. His transition back to human form had my perfume going off again. Kendrick had no business having an ass that looked that good.

The moment he was out of sight, Yelena shifted into her gloriously naked human form. She balanced herself carefully so none of her weight was on me, her lips dancing down my throat in the same manner as Velda on the other side.

They were impossibly gentle with me. The lightest caress of their fingers set me off, the ghosting of breath over my skin, the simple knowledge that they were so close. Velda whipped her shirt off and unclipped her bra before pulling me back into a kiss.

She laughed softly against my lips. Your eyes got so big .

Precious, I can smell your slick. Yelena purred, touching me so lightly, as if she was afraid I would break. I’m not going to make you come. You need to keep your power in, replenish yourself before you go shooting it off in every direction.

I whimpered even though I knew she was right. Even without my issues directing power, tensing as hard as I did during an orgasm wasn’t going to feel great.

Neither of them touched anywhere remotely improper but my body didn’t care. Yelena traced her fingertips down my arm, my power sparking beneath her hand.

You’re not doing this just so I can charge the wards, are you?

I can’t decide if I’m offended you would think that.

Yelena rooted along my throat, pressing a kiss beneath my ear.

The wards are a secondary perk. I want you to feel better, and I waited a lot of agonizing hours to be able to touch you again.

Guilt has eaten away at me, and I desperately want to make you feel good after I fucked up so badly. I touch you because I want you .

I arched up with a hiss when Velda lifted my breast, drawing the tip into her mouth.

Yelena broke away, tapping Velda on the head. “She can come that way, so mind you don’t push her that far.”

Velda popped off, smiling at me with glistening lips. “You’re just a little treasure trove, aren’t you? If you were further into your recovery, I would eat that pretty cunt until you cried.”

My power boomed like a kettle drum, the air sizzling around me.

Velda looked absolutely delighted. “Dirty talk works just as well as touching you?”

“Apparently,” I squeaked out.

She dipped back down, tongue tracing over my nipple. I’m going to fuck you until you can’t think during your heat. Wring every gorgeous sound from your lips, suck your clit until you fall apart. You really do make the best noises for me.

I let my head rest against the pillows, panting and shaking until she pulled away once more to let me settle.

“If I’d known healing could work this way, I might’ve become a doctor,” Velda said with a laugh. “I would have the healthiest patients in existence. Of course they would all have to be girlfriends with sex magic, but I think the sentiment still holds true.”

My laugh blended instantly with a groan and Yelena smacked Velda’s shoulder.

“Stop making her laugh.”

“I’m sorry! It’s not my fault I’m naturally hilarious.”

I wasn’t going to make it through the day at this rate.

Would Dr. Atling approve of our methods?

Maybe it didn’t matter so long as it produced results.

Each kiss and touch was like drinking down a sweet cup of coffee.

A slow revitalization that pulled me further and further away from the brink of death I had brushed not too long ago.

Caden shifted back to human form first, wedging between Yelena and me, his mouth on my breast and his fingers curled over my hip.

Velda moved out of the way for Seth to take her place as he shifted back too, and Haru followed but stayed exactly where he was, tucked between my legs.

They didn’t even have to touch me at this point.

Anticipation alone had power coiling tightly through me.

Their gentleness was diametrically opposed to the reactions going on inside my body. It didn’t matter how lightly they touched me, that anticipation turned to craving, turning again into a desire that bathed my cells in energy.

Velda tiptoed her fingers over my thigh, toying with the thatch of hair nestled between them.

She didn’t go any further down than that, ignoring the throbbing ache in my cunt and the gathering of slick, the scent of which hung like a fog in the air.

I whimpered when Haru shifted, nudging my thighs further apart to press their knuckles against me.

Not what I wanted, but better than no touch at all.

The firm press of Velda’s hand kept me still so I couldn’t rock and get the friction I wanted.

Let go. Caden whispered through my mind. You don’t have to do anything, don’t have to think. We’re all right here.

They weren’t all right here, but I kept that thought contained.

I melted, Caden’s words cradling me as much as their bodies did. I wasn’t going to scale any peaks, but I could enjoy the thrum of desire. As much as I might want them to spread me open like a book, we all had to be patient.

If only I weren’t keenly aware that even after many years of trying, patience was never going to be one of my virtues.