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Leo’s voice is carefully neutral as he gives the next directions.

“Turn right up here, and then I think it’s three miles to the private laneway. The gate code is 266266.”

Sighing, Gideon makes the turn, and then they’re even farther into the forest than Leo thought possible.

“Leo. My life was shit for a little while, and those lessons don’t go away. I love you, and I will be damned if I drag any of you into the pit that I will have to dig in order to do what I need to do.”

It’s the weirdest sensation to have his heart soar and his stomach fall at the same time.

Gideon never says the wordsI love you. Almost never.

Leo will not stand by and let his alphas bury themselves under the weight of this—whatever it turns out to be—alone.

“You don’t get to decide what I do, or what any of us do when it comes to protecting this pack. We are equals, and you deserve our protection, too.”

“But—”

“No. You say you’ve been ‘training’ your whole life to do this, right?”

Gideon gives a single nod.

“Right, well, I have been training my whole life to take care of people and to love them. To care for them inside and out, hold them up, and try to give them what they need. Let me do that for you. You never let me just…love you. It’s like you think you have to earn it.”

The van speeds up abruptly, like Gideon’s foot had stumbled on the pedal.

But it settles when Jay grunts from the back of the van.

Leo’s heart clenches becausethat’sa revelation.

“You do! You think I love you because you can protect me or cook for me?”

“Don’t forget the fucking,” Gideon mutters under his breath.

Leo surprises himself with anger.

“Are you serious?” he asks incredulously, which sparks into something else entirely when only silence follows.

“You are. Holy fuck. Am I the only one who just figured this out?”

Leo questions the last two years; fear that he’s let his mate down in such a grievous way pushes that earlier simmer into a full-blown fury.

“Have I not shown you how much I love you?Just for being you?”

“Leo.”

Self-doubt is as unfamiliar as being lonely in their house or unaware of his family’s needs, and it’s by far the worst thing Leo can remember feeling.

It burns in his gut—an amalgamation of fear, shame, and horror, sending his heart rate skyrocketing.

“No. You know what? I am not doing this right now. You can’t even look at me. Fuck, I want to puke.”

Is this a panic attack?

Do the others think he only loves them for what they do for him?

Have they not told him what they really need?

Has he been ignorant of more than just his mother’s life?