A Bond's Urgent Embrace

I woke up with a gasp, my body on fire. Not the pleasant warmth of arousal but something more desperate—a churning, clawing need that made me writhe against the sheets.

"What's wrong?" Silas asked, instantly alert beside me.

I couldn't answer. The pain intensified, radiating from my core throughout my entire body. A strangled groan escaped my lips as I curled into a fetal position.

"Hazel?" Jaxon's voice, sharp with concern.

"Something's wrong," I managed to choke out. My skin felt too tight, like it was shrinking around me. Every nerve ending screamed for relief—for touch, for connection. "I need—"

Another wave hit me, and I cried out, "Rhys!"

The name tore from my throat without conscious thought. The others exchanged quick glances as Rhys rushed to my side, his eyes wide with worry.

"I'm here," he said, taking my hand. "What do you need?"

"I don't know," I whimpered, clutching at his hand. "It hurts. Everything hurts."

Silas's cool palm pressed against my forehead. "She's burning up."

"It's the bond," Ronan said quietly from the corner of the room. "Sometimes it happens like this—a sudden need that can't be denied."

Understanding dawned on their faces simultaneously.

"She needs to complete the bond," Jaxon said, his voice oddly gentle. "With all of us."

Rhys paled slightly. "Now? But I've never..."

I reached for him, my fingers digging into his arm. "I'm sorry," I gasped. "I don't want to force you."

Despite my agony, I understood what Rhys was trying to say. This would be his first time, and it shouldn't happen like this—rushed and desperate because I was in pain.

"We can handle the first wave," Silas said practically, already pulling off his shirt. "You can decide when you're ready, Rhys."

Relief flashed across Rhys's face, quickly followed by what looked like guilt. "Are you sure?"

"It's fine," I managed to say through gritted teeth, though nothing about this situation felt fine. My body was a live wire, every touch both torture and relief.

Jaxon took charge then, his movements efficient as he stripped off my pajamas. "Breathe through it, little one," he murmured, his hands firm and sure on my skin. "We've got you."

The moment his skin touched mine, some of the burning subsided, replaced by a different kind of heat. I arched into his touch, beyond shame or hesitation.

"Please," I begged. "I need..."

"I know what you need," he said, his voice dropping to that gravelly tone that made me shiver despite the fever burning through me.

He positioned himself between my legs, already hard. The sight of him, powerful and ready, sent a fresh surge of need through me. I spread my thighs wider, desperate for relief.

"Look at me," he commanded, and I forced my eyes to focus on his face as he pushed inside me with one smooth thrust.

I cried out, my back arching off the bed. The relief was immediate but incomplete—like drinking half a glass of water when dying of thirst.

"More," I gasped. "Need more."

Silas appeared at my side, stroking my hair. "We're here, Hazel. All of us."

Jaxon established a steady rhythm, each thrust sending waves of pleasure-relief through my burning body. But something still felt missing, incomplete.

My eyes found Ronan, standing uncertainly at the edge of the bed, his expression a mix of concern and barely contained desire.

"Ro," I whispered, reaching for him. "Need you too."

His eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yes," I panted, as Jaxon hit a spot inside me that made stars explode behind my eyes. "Please."

"Go on," Silas encouraged him. "She needs all of us right now."

Hesitantly, Ronan moved closer, then shed his clothes with trembling hands. Despite my pain-addled state, I noticed the impressive size of him, already fully erect.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said softly.

"You won't," I promised, though I had no idea if that was true. All I knew was that I needed him, needed all of them, with a desperation that overrode all else.

Jaxon shifted slightly, making room while maintaining his rhythm. "Come here," he told Ronan. "She can take us both."

Ronan approached, still looking uncertain. I reached for him, guiding him toward my mouth. Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by a flash of heat.

"Are you sure?" he asked, one last time.

In answer, I pulled him closer and took him into my mouth. The taste of him, the fullness of having both men inside me at once, sent a fresh surge of relief through my burning body. Some primal part of the bond was being satisfied, the fever receding slightly with each point of contact.

"Fuck," Ronan groaned, his hands gently cupping the back of my head.

Jaxon's pace increased, his fingers digging into my hips as he watched me take Ronan into my mouth. "That's it, little one. Take what you need."

I closed my eyes, giving myself over to sensation. The dual penetration, the feel of both men using my body, the knowledge that Silas and Rhys were watching—it should have been too much. Instead, it was exactly what I needed.

My body tightened around Jaxon as pressure built low in my belly. The relief was so intense it bordered on pain, my nerve endings firing with each thrust, each slide of Ronan against my tongue.

"She's close," Silas observed, his own breathing quickened as he watched.

"Come for me," Jaxon commanded, his voice rough with need. "Let go, Hazel."

As if my body was programmed to respond to his commands, the tension shattered. I screamed around Ronan's length as waves of release crashed through me, each one washing away more of the burning fever that had gripped me.

Jaxon followed immediately, his body tensing as he found his own release deep inside me. Above me, Ronan's breathing grew ragged, his movements less controlled.

"It's okay, Ro," I whispered, pulling back just long enough to speak. "Let go for me."

With a strangled groan, he did just that, spilling himself in hot pulses as I swallowed around him. The final connection completed something within me—a circuit closing, the bond humming with satisfaction.

As the three of us collapsed together on the bed, the burning fever that had consumed me just minutes before receded completely, replaced by a bone-deep contentment that made my limbs heavy.

"Better?" Silas asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

I nodded, too exhausted for words. The urgency that had gripped me was gone, leaving only a pleasant, buzzing satisfaction in its wake.

Jaxon was already up, moving with efficient purpose. He returned with a warm, damp cloth, cleaning me with surprising gentleness. Ronan, once he'd caught his breath, helped tuck me under fresh covers that Silas had somehow produced.

"I'm sorry," Rhys said suddenly from where he stood by the window. "I should have—"

"Don't," I interrupted, reaching a hand toward him. "It wasn't the right time. That's okay."

Relief washed over his features as he moved to take my hand. "Next time won't be because you're in pain," he promised, his thumb tracing circles on my palm.

"How do you feel now?" Silas asked, his analytical mind clearly trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Better. Complete," I murmured, struggling to keep my eyes open. The rush of energy that had possessed me earlier was gone, leaving exhaustion in its wake.

Ronan slid into bed beside me, gathering me against his chest. "Sleep," he said softly. "We'll be here when you wake up."

I nestled into his arms, comforted by his solid warmth. From this position, I could see the others moving around the room—Jaxon disposing of the washcloth, Silas straightening the discarded clothes, Rhys pouring glasses of water for everyone.

There was something profoundly touching about watching them work together so seamlessly, caring for me and for the space we shared. No awkwardness, no jealousy—just a harmonious understanding that we belonged to each other now, in every sense.

As sleep pulled me under, I felt safer than I ever had before. Whatever storms were coming, whatever dangers still lurked outside our door, we would face them together—five parts of a whole, bound by something ancient and unbreakable.

I snuggled deeper into Ronan's embrace, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull me toward sleep, content in the knowledge that I was exactly where I belonged.