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“Give me a minute,” Devyn says, “and I’ll have the macarons ready.” But her attention has turned to the customers, and I want to scowl at all of them.

Employees appear from the back to help, and I step aside as Devyn packages the macarons, keeping my eyes trained on her. I notice the way she chews her lip as she picks each cookie carefully for the box, then mutters to herself until she’s satisfied with her choice.

I want more time with her. I want to convince her to go out with me the minute her shift is done.

Don’t scare her off.

Instead, like the dutiful, obedient boyfriend I am, I simply pay for the box of cookies as Devyn rings me up.

“Sorry we don’t have more time to talk,” she says. “It gets pretty chaotic in here.”

The line is at least anothertenpeople behind me, and every employee is working quickly to serve up pastries or drinks.

“I just wanted to see you once,” I tell her. “Hopefully it won’t be the last time, either. Unless Connor truly fucks something up. And even if he does, maybe I’ll just steal you for myself. Enjoy your date, Devyn.”

I don’t give her time to reply. I take my cookies, give her a smirk, and then leave, despite everything in my body telling me not to.

She’s our Omega. I know she is.

I won’t let Connor mess this up.

6

BEN

My cousin sitswith his booted feet on his desk, reclining in his chair. I can feel his scrutiny as he stares at me, and I do my best to ignore it and enter case files into my laptop.

River is…complicated, to say the least. I was convinced he hated me for years—maybe he still does, for all I know.

But he helped me get promoted to detective for Isleton PD, so maybe not. Now I work closely with him and his agency whenever they need extra help.

Skylar, Devyn’s best friend and his Omega, has mellowed him out a bit. He doesn’t call meassholeevery two seconds and occasionally asks me questions about my life.

But now he’s staring at me.

I sigh and swivel my chair to face him. “What?”

“I heard Devyn has a date.” His green eyes are critical.

I shrug. “And?”

“You never mentioned it.”

I look at him incredulously. “Why would I mentionthattoyou?”

Since when do we discuss our personal relationships?

“Because it’s a big fucking deal, dumbass. You could finally be in a pack if this goes well. And it’s her first time dating an Alpha. He has a boyfriend too, right? So technically she could be gainingtwoAlphas.”

I blink. “Wait. How do you know all that?”

He shrugs and quirks his lip. “The women talk. What can I say?”

I don’t want to discuss this. An uncomfortable feeling churns in my gut.

I didn’t know Connor had a partner, but it doesn’t bother me.

I just don’t like not knowing who he is yet.