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She doesn’t. Instead, she turns slowly again and walks to the open door.

“This is a nice nest. A safe, solid nest. Plenty of room to make it a good nest.”

It’s the first thing she’s said in almost twenty minutes. I want to howl; I want to shake some reaction free of her.

I jump up and bear down on her, pressing into her. She doesn’t move, in fact, she barely reacts, but her scent, oh, that scent.

“Tell me you want me,” I plead desperately.

“I want you.”

“Tell me-”

“Bailey.” She turns and pulls my head down, fusing our lips together. The kiss is so potent, so hot that I forget everything. When I pull back, I’ve got her pinned to the door frame. Her legs are wrapped around my hips, and my hand is gripping her breast.

She lets go with her legs, and I allow her to slide down my body. It takes everything I’ve got to step back, to give her space.

“Well, look at this.”

Kingsley walks into my sight and drops a whole heap of cat supplies on the ground.

“Oh, no! No cats!” I bark out.

Shade lets out a vicious hiss that has me wanting to throw it out the window. Lucky for the cat, the windows are sealed up.

Edric puts a bag down and looks at her.

I want to growl out a protest, a warning, but I manage to smother it.

The heat wafting off her is intense. How is she still standing? When she takes a step away, we all take a step towards her.

“I want you to come into the nest now.”

Mael’s voice surprises me. He’s been so quiet. I glance at him.

Why is he looking at me?

I look back at Selene. “Come on, Selene.”

She sighs and tilts her head back as if she’s exasperated. “Bailey, you’re confused.”

“I am, am I?” I smirk at her, but the way she just stares at me flips my stomach.

She nods her head and ties up her hair. “It’s not my heat.”

The words repeat in my head. And again. A third and fourth time. They don’t make sense. Who else’s heat would it be?

Wait.

“No fucking way. You’re wrong. Smell her. It’s hers! It’s not mine!”

Kingsley puts the cat down and comes towards me, hands out. “Bailey, it’s going to be okay, one little heat isn’t going to ruin you-”

“How the fuck would you know?” I shout. “I,” I slam my fist on my chest, “am an alpha! I do not have heats! I do not take knots! I am an alpha!”

I look between them, frantically watching to see, waiting to see the dawning comprehension. The moment they realise it’s not me, it’s her.

It doesn’t come.