DAY
My heat ended the morning after tomorrow, lasting a total of three and a half days—so longer than usual. The last wave was gentle and slow, leaving my body feeling lazy and drained. I didn’t even have the strength to open my eyes; I was completely immersed in the sensation of Jan being in me, over me, all around me. I absolutely adored how in sync we were as lovers. Being True Mates probably had something to do with that.
Because of him, my hole didn’t feel swollen or sore like after my previous heats, where I’d just stuffed myself with dildos and kept going relentlessly until it was too much. Back then, recovery had been painful, filled with depression and misery as I would lie curled up in bed—either crying or numb, completely shut down like a discarded rag doll.
After our last time together, I just knew. And Jan seemed to know too. He lay beside me, propped up on one elbow, his gaze fixed on my face.
"Thank you for sharing this with me," he said softly, smiling. "It was… a blast."
My eyes drifted to his neck, where both glands bore my mating marks, faint pink scars already forming thanks to the True Mate’s magic speeding up the healing process.
"You’re mine now," I murmured, my tone tinged with both possessiveness and deep exhaustion. Of course Jan caught the tired note right away.
"You need to sleep and rest," he said gently, his fingers lightly brushing my cheek.
I pouted. "I’m sticky."
Jan chuckled, nodding. "True. But I can help with that."
He stood up and headed to the bathroom, still completely naked. His broad back and firm ass were a very welcome sight, even though my worn-out body could only manage a soft sigh. Still, I hoped recovery wouldn’t take long, and soon I’d be able to enjoy feeling him all over me again.
When Jan returned, this time in boxers, I let out another sigh—disappointed but too tired to complain. His height might not have reached the typical alpha standard because of his accident, but his other proportions? They definitely hadn’t been affected. If anything, that contrast made him look even more impressive.
Without a word, Jan pulled back the covers and leaned down to lift me effortlessly. His soft smile told me everything, so I chose to stay quiet. He carried me to the bathroom, where the tub was already filling with warm water, and gently lowered me in.
The sensation was pure bliss. My body responded instantly, relaxing and practically melting into a loose puddle of limbs.
"God, I needed this," I moaned, spreading out in the tub. Jan had that knowing smirk as he picked up the sponge and began gently soaping me up with smooth, steady strokes.
I let myself relax under his touch, leaning into the soothing rhythm of his movements.
He shifted behind the tub and grabbed the shampoo bottle. Soon his fingers were massaging my scalp, washing out the mess of my tangled strands. It felt so good—calming, grounding. When he rinsed my hair with warm water and lifted me out of the tub, I was this close to calling him an angel out loud. I was soaking in Jan's tenderness, bathing in every bit of care he offered.
Even years ago, when I was with Nico, it was never like this. Now I felt like the center of the universe, pampered like a prince. Jan wrapped me in a towel, dried my hair, brushed it, and slipped a fresh T-shirt over my head. And I let him do it all—because why not? I was finally precious to someone again, and I didn’t want that feeling to go away. Period.
Before he carried me back to the bedroom, he changed the sheets, then he set me in the middle of my half-dismantled nest. I promised myself I’d fix it once I woke up. The idea nagged at the back of my mind, relentless, even though I was too tired to care right now.
"Sleep well, Day. Everything’s good. You’re safe. I’ll be downstairs—call me if you need anything."
He kissed my forehead and slipped out of the room.
I lay there for a while, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling as the events of the past few days spun through my mind—the open fair, the humiliation, the stress, those early days living with Jan, the day I told him about the assault. Everything was sharp and vivid, except…
I realized my memories of what happened in Ferguson’s house felt pale, almost blurry—washed out and lacking detail. They didn’t stir up any real emotion anymore.
Blinking in surprise, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through the True Mate articles I’d been reading lately. One had mentioned something about healing from mental trauma.
I went over it again, amazed. It seemed true—those memories weren’t paralyzing me like before. They were just… there, without the agony it used to give me. The memory itself wasn’t gone, but it no longer hurt so much.
Setting the phone aside, I stretched out on the bed, feeling so good, so free. Happy. And in that peaceful haze, I drifted off to sleep.
◆◆◆
When I woke up, I knew I was deep in the heat recovery stage. My hormones had nosedived, leaving me weak but… calm. No signs of the typical misery—just physical exhaustion. My mind felt peaceful and settled.
For a second, I even thought about pulling out my long-forgotten yoga mat—currently gathering dust in the back of the closet—and doing some stretches, but decided to leave it until after breakfast.
As if sensing I was awake, Jan walked in, grinning wide and carrying a tray.
Alphas didn’t have a real equivalent to this stage. Their bodies didn’t go through the same upheaval during heat, though they could get tired. But mood crashes? Not a part of their post-rut experience.
The smell wafting from the tray was mouthwatering.
"Penny Bun mushrooms!" I practically shouted, recognizing the scent.
Fried with onions and butter, they smelled like pure heaven.
I sat up as Jan set the tray on my knees. "Enjoy, Day," he said warmly. And yeah, I fully intended to.
"Deep-fried cheese balls and fried penny bun mushrooms topped with parsley."
I devoured every bite, smiling the whole time.
"I don’t usually eat mushrooms, but this is incredible."
"Well, I guess my Polish roots are showing," Jan said with a laugh.
I raised an eyebrow. "Polish? Is your name pronounced exactly how it’s spelled?"
Jan burst out laughing. "My dad named me after his grandfather, Jan, who was Polish. He knew everyone would pronounce it like a short form of January, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to switch the spelling to ‘Yan’, even though that’s how it’s pronounced in Polish. He was sentimental about using the original name."
"So it really should be ‘Yan’, huh?"
"I’m good with whichever version you prefer." His hand moved toward mine, fingers lightly skimming over my knuckles.
My gaze dropped, watching the movement.
A quiet pause formed between us as our hands slowly intertwined. Only then did I realize I wasn’t as bony as before—my knuckles weren’t sticking out so sharply. Life with Jan seemed to be changing me for the better. And before I could think twice, the words just spilled out:
"I think I’m falling for you, Jan."
I heard the breath he caught before I dared to look up. His golden eyes shone, warm and bright.
"The feeling’s mutual," he said softly, giving my fingers a gentle squeeze. "Crazy to think I almost hated Uncle Frank for pushing me to go to that fair. I was furious at Storm Nolan for trying to stop me from running. I fought Fate, and it just… didn’t give up."
We sat there, quiet and close, hands intertwined. The energy between us was warm and vibrant, wrapping around us in a way that just felt right.
"This is where our everyday life starts, Day," Jan said softly.
"Yeah, and honestly? I can’t wait. I just want… normalcy. To belong. To have the kind of simple life I never really had in my crazy surrogate world."
"Simplicity, huh?" He tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If that’s what you’re after, I’ve got a mountain of orders waiting to be packed—some sitting for way too long already."
I burst out laughing. "No better day to start than today."