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“I moved on.”

“No, you threw yourself into work so no one else could break your heart or your trust. Now that fate’s dropped our omega inyour lap, you’re realizing you have no clue what to do, so you’re lashing out.”

“It sounds stupid when you say it like that,” I grumble.

“Actually, it sounds perfectly reasonable, considering your history. Your subconscious is holding onto that old fear as a way to protect you. Instead, it’s ripping the dream right out of your hands. You have to decide if Daphne’s worth the risk of being wrong, Connor. Nate and I already have.”

And they chose her. From the second they met Daphne, my brothers put her first. Meanwhile I hid behind my past and forgot that I’m not the only one with scars.

“I’m going to fix this.”

“For us or for you?” Dez asks.

“For Daphne,” I say, feeling the rightness in my bones. The way I can breathe a little easier.

Because that’s how it should’ve been all along.

I’d rather nurture another heartbreak than miss out on the chance to love Daphne Barnes, even if it terrifies me.

I just have to earn her forgiveness first.

SCARED

DAPHNE

Connor comes the next evening,leaning against my side of the front porch as I walk out for a sunset stroll. I’m almost disappointed. I’ve been looking forward to seeing what sketches Dez has slipped under my welcome mat all day. Instead, I’m dealing withthis.

“Hey, Daph.” Hair a mess, shoulders stooped, dark circles under his eyes. He looks terrible, yet he says my name with such softness. It pisses me off. He doesn’t get to speak to me like I’m something to cherish when he treated me like a fucking criminal.

My walls go up, a near audible click protecting me from whatever he’s going to say. “What do you want?”

“To talk.” Connor’s arms go out to his sides like he’s trying to convince me he means no harm. I was never worried about his fists, only his words. He’s already proven how sharp they can be.

The door opens and Nate pokes his head out, rubbing his chest. “Are you okay? I felt…oh.”

“Nate.” There is so much pain in Connor when he looks at his best friend. His brother. Pain I know Nate shares.

Guilt snakes under my defenses. I’m destroying this pack and we’re not even courting. I sidestep the alphas. “You two should talk.”

Nate reaches for me, growling when I nearly slip away. Those big fingers wrap around mine and the connection settles me again. “This is your home. He should go.”

“Actually, I was hoping we could take a walk. Or a drive. I just want to apologize,” Connor pleads.

His text is sitting unanswered on my phone, along with two more I haven’t opened. Despite my conversation with my friends, knowing what I need to do and getting up the courage to do it are two different things.

Connor hurt me. With things being so new, it feels like a bad omen to have issues so early on.

But you want to court the others, so stop running from the sad alpha and hear him out.

Fuuuuuck. If I could stomp my foot right now, I would.

“Say the word and we’ll make it a party of three” Nate offers, shooting a hard glare at his pack lead.

Connor doesn’t flinch. “If that’s what Daphne wants.”

I almost refuse, too scared of what he might say. He stripped me to the bone once and I’m not interested in round two. But I can feel Nate’s anger. His grief. An emotion I think he’s spent too much time with already. He’s been such a light for me since we met, such a pillar of strength and comfort. I want to give Connor a chance for him, and for Dez.

It doesn’t have to mean forever.