Chapter 105 Chapter 105

Chapter 105 Chapter 105
I nodded, too exhausted to speak further. The ritual had taken more out of me than I'd anticipated, and I could feel my upcoming heat making the drain even more pronounced. My body felt feverish, my skin hypersensitive where my mates touched me.

"She needs rest," Liam said firmly, noticing my deteriorating condition. "The heat is accelerating because of the power expenditure."

Kane nodded, immediately taking charge. "Lucious, the Priestess will see to your recovery. We need to get Seraphina isolated before her heat fully manifests."

I saw concern flash across my brother's face before the Priestess gently led him away, assuring him that I would be fine in my mates' care. The bond between us thrummed with his reluctance to leave me, but Apollo's exhaustion was pulling him toward sleep just as Diamond was doing to me.

My mates brought me to our suite, their movements efficient but tender as they prepared for what was coming. Though I'd experienced something similar to a heat when our bond first formed, this would be my first true heat with Diamond fully awakened, potentially more intense than anything I'd faced before.

"Sleep now," Kane murmured as they tucked me into our bed. "We'll be right here when you wake."

I surrendered to exhaustion, Diamond's weary contentment washing over me as darkness claimed my consciousness. The last thing I remembered was the gentle press of Fin's lips against my forehead and the comforting weight of Brent's hand in mine.

When I woke, the world was on fire.

Heat coursed through my veins, my skin burning with sensitivity that made even the silk sheets feel like sandpaper. Diamond stirred restlessly within me, her recovery accelerating the onset of my heat beyond what any of us had expected.

"She's awake," I heard Liam say, his voice sounding strained even to my heat-addled mind.

I forced my eyes open to find all four of my mates watching me with matching expressions of concern and barely-controlled desire.

I felt their eyes on me, dark with need and concern. My skin felt too tight, too hot, and I reached out instinctively, seeking their touch to cool the burning inside me.

"How long was I asleep?" I managed to ask, my voice rasping in my dry throat.

"About six hours," Fin answered, moving to pour water from a pitcher beside the bed. "The cleansing ritual accelerated your heat timeline considerably."

I accepted the glass with trembling hands, the cool water a blessed relief against my parched throat. Through our bond, I could feel their restraint, the careful control they were maintaining for my sake, even as their wolves pushed them to claim me immediately.

"Lucious?" I asked, memories of the ritual flooding back despite the heat-haze clouding my thoughts.

"Recovering well," Kane assured me, his voice rough with the effort of control. "The Priestess is with him. His wolf is strong, though exhausted."

Relief washed through me, momentarily dampening the fire in my veins. My brother was safe. We had succeeded in cleansing the Northern Alliance forces. For now, at least, the immediate threat had passed.

But that relief was short-lived as another wave of heat crashed over me, drawing a gasp from my lips. Diamond surged forward, her presence intensifying my need beyond anything I'd experienced before.

"The preliminary heat like you experienced when our bond formed was nothing compared to this," Liam explained, his scholarly mind still functioning despite the obvious strain in his voice. "A true heat with a fully awakened wolf is... intense."

"I noticed," I managed weakly, trying for humour even as my body trembled with need. The sheets beneath me were already damp with sweat, my clothes clinging uncomfortably to my hypersensitive skin.

Brent moved closer, his amber eyes nearly black with desire. "We've prepared everything you might need. Food, water, and clean clothes. The room is secured and soundproofed."

I nodded gratefully, though those practical concerns seemed distant and unimportant compared to the burning need consuming me. All that mattered was my mates, their scents filling my nostrils, their presence soothing and inflaming me simultaneously.

"I need..." I began, not even sure how to articulate the desperate ache building inside me.

"We know," Kane said softly, finally moving to touch me, his fingers tracing my feverish cheek with exquisite gentleness. "We're here, Luna. All of us."

His touch was like cool water on burning skin, providing momentary relief while stoking the fire higher. I turned my face into his palm, breathing in his scent with a desperation that would have embarrassed me under normal circumstances.

"The heat will last three to five days," Fin explained, ever practical even now. "With periods of intensity and relative lucidity. We'll take care of you through all of it."

I knew they would. Despite the intensity of their own need, which I could feel pulsing through our bond like a living entity, my mates' primary concern was for my well-being. It was humbling and overwhelming, especially in my current state.

"Too many clothes," I whimpered, tugging ineffectually at the thin nightgown someone had dressed me in while I slept.

Liam's gentle hands helped me, lifting the fabric away from my overheated skin. The momentary relief of cool air was quickly replaced by a new wave of sensitivity as four sets of eyes drank in the sight of me.

"Beautiful," Brent breathed, his restraint visibly crumbling.

I reached for him, needing his fire to match my own. "Please," I whispered, beyond pride or hesitation. "I need you. All of you."

Their control snapped in unison, a collective growl rumbling through the room as they moved toward me. What followed was a haze of sensation, hands and mouths worshipping every inch of my burning skin, whispered endearments and primal claims mingling in my ears. I surrendered completely to their care, to the bond that bound us together as Diamond surrendered to their wolves.

Time lost meaning, measured only in waves of pleasure and brief moments of clarity. My mates took turns, their stamina matching my seemingly endless need. When one needed rest, another would take his place, ensuring I was never left wanting. Through it all, they kept me hydrated, occasionally coaxing food past my lips during the brief periods when the heat ebbed enough for basic needs to register.

I had no idea how many hours or days had passed when I finally woke to a different kind of clarity; the burning need receded to a manageable warmth rather than an all-consuming fire. Diamond's presence was calm within me, satisfied in a way that felt new and profound.

"Welcome back," Kane murmured, his dark eyes watching me from where he sat in a chair beside our bed. He looked exhausted but deeply content, his normally perfect appearance delightfully rumpled.

"How long?" I asked, my voice hoarse from overuse.