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He seems to think this over for a moment before he finally says, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I admit with a smile.

We stay that way for hours. Me, lying on his chest, listening to his heart. Tonight, I allow myself to live in the moment. I don’t think beyond what we just shared. Tomorrow, I will worry about those two final words Markis shouted.“I’m coming.”

If it’s the last thing I do, I will protect the key. It may just be with my life.

Chapter Thirty-seven

The Plan

Enzo

She’s pulling away from me. I can feel it in my bones. Ever since that night we went camping a week ago, Michaela has not been the same. Intimately, nothing is amiss. We are still fucking like horny teens. Just this morning, she nearly sucked my soul out of me in the bathroom.

However, I know something is wrong. It’s the way she cuddles up to me in bed at night. And how her kisses linger longer than they used to. It’s even in the way her smile no longer reaches her eyes and the way she stares off in space.

“Michaela, you’re going to spoil my baby,” Luna laughs.

Three days after we came back from camping, Makya Elom was born. She is the most beautiful baby girl we’ve ever seen. Chayton has not stopped smiling since his daughter was born. I’ve been working as temporary Alpha while he and Luna have been busy adjusting to the new member of their household.

“Don’t you worry about what I do with my new bestie,” Michaela jokes as she rocks the baby.

I watch her closely. Despite how good she is at hiding it, I know this is hard for her. That connection between us is vibrating with emotions.

Luna laughs. “Dang, you’ve replaced me already.”

Makya whimpers, letting us all know it’s feeding time.

“That’s my cue to leave,” I say, making my way to the front door. Breastfeeding is natural and women can and should do it any and everywhere they want to. However, I didn’t want to see my Luna’s tits.

Chayton laughs as I walk past him. I stand on the porch, taking in the warm afternoon air. We’re in the middle of May, the height of spring. There’s nothing like our woods in the springtime.

I don’t have to turn around to see who just walked out behind me. Her scent hits me first. The mix of her vanilla and my wolf scent.

“You good?” I ask as she steps up beside me.

“Of course.”

Turning to face her, I watch her intently. She’s lying.

Lowering my voice, I say, “This is me you’re talking to. I can feel it, Baby Girl. What’s wrong?”

She looks back over her shoulder before stepping off the porch. We’re at Chayton and Luna’s home, which is close to the center of town. Most of the pack lived in homes in this area. If we wanted privacy, we needed to walk a little into the woods.

I follow behind Michaela as she heads into the forest. She stops at a far enough distance so that we can’t be overheard.

“Tell me I’m being irrational, and my jealousy is unwarranted,” she says with her back to me.

I step up behind her, running my hands up and down her arms.

“Your pain is not irrational.”

She spins around and stares up at me. “I feel disgusted. My best friend just had her first child with the man she loves. I should be happy. I am happy. But I also can’t help but think about what I’ll never have.”

“Who says we can’t have it?”

“Zo,” she groans. “Don’t do this. You will only disappoint yourself. I can’t be fixed.”