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Ace laughs.

“I want to go back in there and act like the last thirty minutes didn’t happen,” I declare.

Connor nods. “Then let’s do it,” he says. “Besides, you still have to teach how me how to be better at pinball.”

I inhale his rich coffee scent, and my inner Omega calms.

Despite the hiccup, I have a feeling that the rest of the evening will go well.

They’re on the same page now.

And that page is me.

12

CONNOR

“That wasthe worst date of my life,” Ace grumbles.

It’s been three days since we last saw Devyn and Ben, and Ace has alternated between saying he’s never been happier or that he’s lost in despair.

“You said you loved it an hour ago,” I remind him.

“Yeah, but I didn’t get to kiss her. You’ve kissed her. Ben kisses her all the damn time, and all I got to do was give her a hug.” He sighs dramatically as he lies on the couch with his head in my lap, staring at the ceiling. “My balls are going to explode.”

“I’m right here,” I remind him, stroking his soft, inky black hair. “You have plenty of opportunities to work out your frustrations.”

But I’m not one to talk. I bit his sweatshirt like a rabid animal, and ever since we left the arcade the other night, I’ve been half-hard justthinkingabout Devyn.

It’s like I’ve regressed to my baser form, my primal inner Alpha ready to take his mate.

Ace’s energy doesn’t help either. When we’re not cuddling, we’re devouring each other, our pheromones making us do wild things to each other.

We both have the bite marks on our neck to prove it.

“I feelsick,” Ace continues, taking my free hand and intertwining our fingers. “Being away from her is torture. I keep checking my phone like a psychopath just to see if she’s texted me.”

I nod. I’m doing the same thing.

But it’s my job to keep Ace in line. If he had it his way, he would sleep outside Ben and Devyn’s apartment and sit at the café all day to make sure she’s okay.

I have to rein his obsessive side in, or it’s going to scare Devyn away.

At first, I was worried that he and Ben wouldn’t get along, but after our truce outside the arcade, things changed. Ben and Ace ended up discussing sports by the end of the night, and both of them were exchanging friendly banter by the time we said goodbye at the arcade.

The three of us concluded that Devyn’s happiness is more important than anything else.

Ben was willing to put aside his preconceived notions of Ace after that, and I didn’t have to punch him in the face.

It’s a delicate balance.

“I can’t wait another week to see her,” he groans. “I fucking can’t, Con. I’m going to die.”

I sigh. We’re planning on visiting Isleton again next week to hang out at Ben and Devyn’s apartment. “We shouldn’t push?—”

“Let’s invite her over,” he interrupts. “Tonight. For dinner.”

I raise an eyebrow. “What about Ben?”