Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Mia
I come back to myself slowly.
At first, all I know is warmth. A deep warmth that seeps into my bones and curls itself around me so that I don't know where I end and my comfort begins.
My brain takes its sweet time entering reality, but as it does, I become acutely aware of the pack.
My pack.
A heavy arm is draped across my waist. Someone's leg is tangled with mine.
My cheek is pressed against a broad, warm chest that rises and falls beneath me in a steady rhythm.
Another body is tucked close to my back.
A set of fingers lazily traces patterns along my hip, and I'm not immediately sure if one of the three men can't stop touching me in their sleep or if maybe I'm not the only one stirring awake.
My lashes flutter open.
The nest is dim and soft around us, everything exactly as it should be. Blankets everywhere. Pillows kicked out of place all around the bed. The air is thick with our scents–hibiscus, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and sea salt–and the deeper scent of sex.
A shiver runs through me that obviously has nothing to do with being cold. I'm completely exhausted, my body seemingly drained completely of its usual energy. And yet, I can still feel a little flutter of awareness between my legs as the men start to stir.
I belong to them; they belong to me.
Before I can form a fully coherent thought, my eyes grow misty as I'm hit with a tidal wave of emotion. My heart is so full it could burst, spewing my lovey-dovey guts all over the newly renovated room.
That would be in poor taste, though, so I manage to hold all my guts in for the time being.
Now that my eyes are open, I take stock of where each of the men is in the bed. Now that we're bonded, I can't help but feel like the edges of where one pack member ends, and another begins, are blurry.
Spencer's chest is the one under my cheek, his strong arm around my middle. His eyes are open already, warm and watchful when we make eye contact. He makes me feel like the center of his universe.
Zak lies on Spencer's other side, his leg passing between Spencer's legs to tangle with mine. His arm rests across Spencer's body to reach me, his fingers the ones drawing designs on my skin.
I turn my head a little to see Freddie, whose body is the one pressed against my back. He hooks his chin on my shoulder to meet my eyes, looking at me with an unguarded sweetness. He doesn't even open his mouth to make a joke, even though that seems to be his favorite way to start most mornings.
No one rushes to speak; all of us are too busy basking in the afterglow of sharing my heat and our new bonds.
There are words creeping up my throat, though. Words that crowd my mouth, too big and tender to hold in any longer. I love you. The sentiment feels so sudden and impossible, but also like the most natural thing in the world.
I guess that's what happens when fate steamrolls your whole life for a year and then rewards you for surviving the impact.
And these guys are one hell of a reward.
My lips part.
Freddie beats me to breaking the silence.
"I love you so much," he blurts out, his voice rough with sleep and emotion, the words bursting out like he couldn't bear to hold them in for one more second.
"All three of you. I love this pack an embarrassing amount.
Enough to want to put on my Simon suit and stand next to the highway holding up signs about how much I love you so that other people could attempt to understand the full extent of my devotion. "
A startled laugh bubbles out of me. The mental image is pretty hilarious.
Spencer squeezes me with his arm, and I give him my attention. "He's not the only one. I love you, Mia."
"Me too," Zak says quietly. Pushing up on his elbow to lean over Spencer to get closer to me. "I love you, baby girl." He looks at Freddie, then Spencer. "And I love both of you, too."
That's it. I'm done for.
My eyes sting so badly I have to blink rapidly to avoid my tears falling onto Spencer's chest. "Rude," I whisper in a voice thick with emotion. "I was literally about to say that first."
Freddie gasps behind me. "Were you? Because I would like it noted for the record that I was first. That means I won. I won at love."
"You did not win at love," Spencer says dryly.
"I absolutely did. I was totally first."
I laugh again.
This is insane.
We've barely started getting to know each other in the grand scheme of things, but I know that we have a lifetime to catch up.
A lifetime of new experiences together. Lying in the middle of the nest, wrapped up in their arms with fresh bonds marking my skin, I have zero doubts that this is where I'm meant to be.
"I love you," I tell them, finally getting the words out. "Spencer. Freddie. Zak. I love the three of you with every part of me."
Saying the words aloud leaves me feeling lighter, like something inside me has clicked into place for the first time in my life. All the years I spent chasing flirty fun feel like a distant memory in the rearview now.
I wouldn't trade my new reality for anything else.
I glance between them and murmur, "Even my bestie couldn't write a better romance than this."
Freddie snorts. "That feels like an insult to her talent."
"It is not," I protest. They know I think my bestie is basically the best romance writer to ever exist. "It's the highest compliment to you guys.
Belle writes excellent romance. She's just never written anything as satisfying as a heroine getting abducted by a mascot, falling in love with three football-affiliated sex gods, and ending up bonded in a former medication closet. "
Zak laughs under his breath.
Spencer grins.
Freddie smugly says, "Honestly? It's the meet-cute of the year."
"The meet-cute of a lifetime," I correct.
I settle deeper against Spencer, rubbing my cheek against his chest, until a very important thought strikes me, and I lift my head.
"Wait," I say.
All three of them tense at once.
"What?" Spencer asks warily, lifting his head from the pillows.
"Where's my Zak's coat?"
There's a beat of stunned silence. Then, Zak starts laughing. He rolls over to the side of the bed for a moment and reaches over the edge, returning a moment later with the peacoat in tow.
"I can't believe that's one of the first things you're thinking about," he says, eyes full of good humor.
"Of course it is." I hold my hand out expectantly. "I've been through a lot. I need my emotional support coat."
Freddie nods solemnly against my shoulder. "She makes a convincing argument."
Zak drapes the coat over me, tucking in the edges to give me extra comfort. The moment the familiar material and scent wrap around me, I sigh in complete satisfaction and snuggle down into my comfy spot.
"Thank you," I tell him, looking up through my lashes. "You're a great daddy."
His cheeks turn pink. A moment later, Zak cuddles up against Spencer's side, and Spencer quirks an eyebrow. I have a feeling my words might have gotten a... response out of Zak that must now be pressed firmly against Spencer.
All I need is a little more time to finish waking up, and I'll be prepared to help do something about that, no matter how tired my body still feels.
But first, I get to enjoy a few more minutes snuggled amongst my pack. My ridiculous, gorgeous, perfect pack.
"I'm so happy to belong to all of you," I tell them with a pleased little sigh.
This time, no one rushes to fill the silence as we settle into our cuddle puddle. They don't have to. They've already given me absolutely everything I could ever need.
At least until my birth control implant comes out.
And on that day, I have no doubts that they'll be ready to give me one last thing I'm going to need. Seed. So much seed.
After all, they gave me this huge house that's just waiting to be filled.
They'll fill me up so I can fill our house with kids. Sounds like the most perfect deal in the whole world to me.