Whispers of Heat and a Promise of Intimacy

My stomach growled loudly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over us. I looked around at Silas and Ronan, who both looked as hungry as I felt.

"Please tell me we have food," I groaned, clutching my stomach dramatically.

Silas grimaced, running a hand through his tousled brown hair. "Bad news. We're out of pretty much everything. Someone was supposed to go grocery shopping yesterday, but with everything that happened..."

"Great," I sighed. "My first heat and I'm going to starve to death."

Ronan chuckled softly, the sound warming me from the inside. "I don't think that's how heats work, Hazel."

Before I could respond, the door swung open, and Jaxon stalked in, his dark hair still damp from his shower. My eyes immediately tracked to the way his black t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. My body responded instantly, a rush of heat flooding through me.

"Vance is still tied up with some academy business," he announced without preamble. "But he said your mom is fine, and you can see her after your heat passes."

Relief washed over me. "She's really okay?"

"That's what he said." Jaxon's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied me. "Lyra's in heat too. They've got her bonds watching over her."

"Is that why we're on our own?" I asked, trying not to sound disappointed that Kaelen hadn't checked in personally.

Jaxon nodded. "Academy's dealing with the fallout from yesterday. Security protocols, damage assessment, the usual shit."

My stomach growled again, embarrassingly loud. Jaxon's eyebrow quirked up.

"We need food," Rhys announced, appearing from the hallway. "Hazel's starving, and there's nothing here."

"I'll go get something," Jaxon offered, surprising me. "The cafeteria's still open for those who didn't go home for break."

"I'll come with you," Rhys volunteered quickly. "You can't carry enough for all of us by yourself."

I felt a sudden spike of panic at the thought of them leaving. "Wait—"

"We'll be quick," Rhys assured me, squeezing my shoulder gently.

As Jaxon moved toward the door, I noticed he was wearing different clothes than earlier. "Is that my jacket?" he asked suddenly, nodding toward the black leather jacket I'd draped over a chair.

I felt my cheeks heat. "Maybe. I got cold."

A slow, rare smile spread across his face. "Thief," he said, but there was no heat in it. If anything, he looked pleased.

The moment they left, anxiety crawled up my spine. I paced the living room, unable to sit still. What if something happened to them? What if they were ambushed? What if they didn't come back?

"Hazel," Silas called gently. "They'll be fine. They're just going to the cafeteria."

"I know," I said, biting my lip. "I just—I can't help it."

"It's your heat," he explained, patting the couch beside him. "You're going to feel anxious when your mates are away. It's normal."

I sank down beside him, but shook my head. "It's more than that. I feel like I need to protect them. Like something terrible is going to happen if I let them out of my sight."

"That's interesting," Silas mused, his forehead creasing thoughtfully.

I grabbed Jaxon's jacket, clutching it to my chest and breathing in his scent. It calmed me marginally but not enough.

Silas noticed and gave Ronan a meaningful look. "Ro, could you grab one of Rhys's hoodies from the bedroom?"

Ronan disappeared and returned moments later with Rhys's favorite gray hoodie. I immediately reached for it, adding it to my collection.

"Better?" Silas asked, watching me carefully.

"A little," I admitted, though my heart was still racing.

Without another word, Silas shifted closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Ronan settled on my other side, his solid warmth pressing against me. Sandwiched between them, I felt the panic recede, replaced by a different kind of heat.

"There," Silas murmured. "Your bonds are here. You're safe."

I relaxed into their embrace, my breathing slowing. "This is... really nice."

"Hazel," Silas said after a moment, his voice thoughtful. "I'm not convinced this is just a regular heat you're experiencing."

I turned to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"Your symptoms—the protectiveness, the anxiety when we're apart, the need for physical contact—they're similar to heat symptoms, but there's something more." He brushed a strand of hair from my face. "I think it has something to do with our specific bond. The Spark bond."

"So I'm a freak even by freak standards?" I joked weakly.

Ronan squeezed my hand. "You're extraordinary," he corrected me, the firm conviction in his tone making my heart flutter.

We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, their presence soothing my frayed nerves. The warmth of their bodies against mine was becoming increasingly distracting, however. Every point of contact sent little shivers of awareness through me.

"Your heart's racing again," Silas observed, his thumb stroking my wrist where he could feel my pulse.

"Different reason this time," I admitted, my voice coming out huskier than I'd intended.

Ronan's eyes darkened. "What are you thinking about?"

I hesitated, then decided honesty was the best policy. "Not very pure thoughts."

Silas chuckled, the sound vibrating through me where our bodies touched. "Care to elaborate?"

"I was thinking about what it would feel like if..." I trailed off, suddenly shy despite the desire coursing through me.

"If?" Ronan prompted, his hand moving to rest on my thigh, innocent yet electrifying.

"If you both kissed me at the same time," I whispered, heart hammering.

The temperature in the room seemed to rise ten degrees. Silas and Ronan exchanged a look over my head.

"I think that could be arranged," Silas said, his voice dropping to a tone that made my stomach flip.

Ronan shifted, turning more fully toward me. "We could do a lot more than just kiss you, if you wanted."

My breath caught in my throat. "Like what?"

"Whatever you need," Silas said, his fingers tracing delicate patterns on my arm. "Whatever would make you feel better."

The hunger in their eyes matched the burning need building inside me. I thought about Jaxon and Rhys, who would be back soon with food. But this hunger couldn't be satisfied with a meal.

"Are you offering to... take care of me?" I asked, the words coming out breathless.

"If that's what you want," Ronan confirmed, his usual shyness replaced by a confidence that was incredibly appealing.

I looked from one to the other, desire and affection overwhelming me. These beautiful, caring men were mine, and I was theirs. The realization was both humbling and empowering.

"Yes," I decided, excitement bubbling through me. "But I need to shower first!"

I jumped up, suddenly energized, and hurried toward the bathroom, leaving them staring after me with matching expressions of surprise and anticipation.