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Mine.

Yet, I still hold on to the guilt that the mating bite shouldn’t have happened the way it did.

Ben had told us about her plans and how she dreamed of the perfect moment for her mating bites, and that didn’t happen.

I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that I’m worthy of being her Alpha, though.

I’ll do everything I can to earn her forgiveness.

“So,” Devyn says, interrupting my train of thought. “What are we doing after this? We’re not separating, right?”

“Absolutely the fuck not,” Ace says before I can answer. “You’re staying with us for the rest of your life.”

I look at him, and he raises an eyebrow, challenging me.

“What hemeansto say is”—I turn to Devyn, who looks at me with wide eyes—“we would like you to stay with us. To move in with us.”

Devyn blinks, then looks to Ben.

“It doesn’t have to be forever,” Ben tells her, even though I want to argue that it absolutely will be. “And only if you’re comfortable.”

She nods eagerly. “Of course! I don’t want to be away from you guys, ever. Are you serious?” She reaches a hand over the table, and I take it, my body thrumming from the contact. “But what about the café? I mean, I don’t mind the drive, but?—”

“We have a new house,” Ace says, and Devyn frowns.

“You moved?”

I shake my head, squeezing her palm. “No, we just bought another house. One closer to you.”

She tilts her head. “You bought another house…to be closer to me?”

Ace scoffs. “Of course, babe. What choice did we have?”

She looks at us incredulously.

“We were sick without you,” I admit. “I can’t imagine how bad it would be if we were farther than we are now.”

“Where’s your house at?” she asks.

Ben turns to her. “They’re in the same neighborhood as Tammy,” he says, and Devyn gasps.

“We…we would be near Tammy?”

“She’s important to you, babe,” Ace says. “Of course we would be.”

Devyn bursts into tears and buries her face in her hands.

I share a worried look at Ben and Ace, but through our bond, I know she’s not crying out of sorrow.

Her tears are from joy, along with an emotion so powerful it’s overwhelming.

Love.

“Thank you,” she whispers after she looks at us again. “Thank you so, so much.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Ace says. “Anything for you. We’re family now.”

She laughs delightedly, even though tears stream down her face. “Good,” she chokes out. “I’m so happy. I can’t believe this is happening.”