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I’m also experiencing some cramping, but I popped my emergency suppressants when Connor and Ace weren’t looking.

My Heat isn’t due for a while. This is just because I’m around so many Alphas at once.

Ben’s clean, subtle scent fills my senses as he wraps his arms around me, and I relax into his hold.

Ace looks at me, then to Ben, and raises an eyebrow.

Ben’s grip on me tightens, and suddenly, there’s tension in the air.

Connor looks at me quickly, then turns to Ben. “Nice to see you again, Ben,” he says evenly.

“You.” Ben’s voice is low, and I move out of his hold to look at him, my mouth parted.

He’slivid. He glares daggers at Ace, who just crosses his arms and looks unimpressed.

“Me,” Ace croons. “Long time no see,detective.Congrats on the promotion, by the way.”

Ace’s lavender scent grows spicy as Ben wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. My eyes widen and I turn to look incredulously at my boyfriend.

“Do you know him?” I ask.

Ben rarely wears that look on his face. His lips are pulled into a thin line as he steps in front of me, shielding me from Ace. “So, you go by Ace now, huh?” He turns to Connor. “Do you know what this guy has done? Did you bother to tell her?”

Ihatefighting. I hate conflict more than anything, to the point where I will run away and cover my ears.

Something awful is happening, and I don’t want to be here to witness it.

“Tell me what?” I ask, the frightening urge to cry building in my chest.

Connor glares at Ben, stepping in front of Ace. “There’s nothing to tell,” he says. “I’d watch how you talk about my boyfriend, Ben.”

Ben pulls me tighter to him while I gape at the three of them in shock.

“Aw, babe,” Ace says. “You don’t have to hide my past.” Then he looks to Ben. “Don’t worry,detective, I was going to tell her in time. It’s not exactly first-date material, you know?”

“You know each other?” I demand, turning to Ben. “How?”

Please don’t tell me it’s something awful,I think.

Ben has told me horrific stories from his job, but only after I encouraged him to open up to me about them.

He can’t carry all that weight by himself, and I’m happy to lend an ear if it helps.

But he’s seen some terrible things, and I start to assume the worst by the way he looks at Ace.

“I’ve been an upstanding citizen for more than five years, babe,” Ace tells me. “But I’m sure Ben would love to tell you about how horrible I am.”

“She’s not yourbabe,” Ben snarls.

People are starting to watch us, and I grow restless. I shake out of Ben’s grip, furious tears in my eyes.

“What is going on?” I demand, first to Ben, then to Connor and Ace. “How do you know Ben?”

“You didn’t even research Connor before you let her go on this date?” Ace laughs. “I thought you were adetective.”

“And how long have you gone by Ace?!” Ben booms. “We have you underAnselin our system.”

Ace makes a face. “I fucking hate that name,” he mutters.