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“You didn’t ask for the bite, and I just did it.”

I stare at him. “Wait. I thought you didn’t want to?”

“Dev, I’ve wanted to do it since our first night together,” he confesses, and I freeze at his words. “Do you know how hard it was tonotbite you since we’ve been together? I always thought it was best for you to wait, and so I never did it. But it shouldn’t have been my choice. I shouldn’t have pressured you like that.”

My head spins. “You didn’t feel forced to bite me? You don’t regret it?”

That was a small fear I had this whole time. It wasn’t planned, and maybe Ben was somehow…mad at me?

Ben pulls out of me, rolls out from underneath me, and sits up. He looks down at me with a shocked expression. “Babe. I would never, ever regret being tied to you. I amhonoredand will always be honored to belong to you. The only thing I regret was making you feel like you had to second-guess your desires.”

Tears spill from my eyes. “You’re not mad?” I ask in a small, scared voice.

“Oh, baby,” Ben sighs, wiping away a tear. “Of course not. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

I could swear his eyes turn watery, too.

“I love you, Dev. Nothing will change that, ever. Not only do I love you, but I’minlove with you. That will never stop, either.”

I pull him to me, and we kiss until we’re both breathless, and he’s smiling against my lips.

“We’re family,” he whispers. “Remember?”

I swallow and nod.

Family.

“The rest of your pack would like to see you too,” he adds, kissing my forehead.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest.

“I miss them,” I admit. “As much as I’ve missed you, and my chest still aches.”

“We have something planned for you tomorrow,” he says, and my eyes widen. “A surprise, if you trust us.”

“A surprise forme?” I squeak.

I adore surprises, and Ben knows this.

“Yup. You have tomorrow off. Skylar and April made sure of it.”

“Wait. They know about the surprise too?”

My friends didn’t tell me?!

Ben chuckles. “Yes.So, I’m assuming you want to meet them, then?”

“Of course I do, now that there’s a surprise involved,” I say cheekily.

My inner Omega squeals in excitement. Not only will I see my mates, but they have something special planned.

Now that I’ve opened up to Ben again, I’m confident I can reunite with my pack.

“I’m proud of you,” Ben says suddenly, and I frown.

“For what? For running away and hiding from you?”

“No. For going after what you wanted, and keeping your distance when you needed space. For communicating with us, even though it was hard.”