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The question is, do I want to give him a chance to work through it? Both of us, together. I’m not convinced the answer’s yes yet.

Mulling it over for a few more steps, I consider how to broach my question before realizing blunt is better. “Do you still want her?”

“Fuck no.” Connor pulls me to a stop right there on the sidewalk beneath the autumn drizzle. “What I said at Revelry is true. I wouldn’t go back even if she promised everything I ever wanted. Shelby nearly broke us. And you—I think you could be the one who connects us the way we’re supposed to be.”

“That’s a lot of pressure for one person.”

“I don’t mean for it to be. I just want you to know where I stand.”

“And where is that, Connor?”

He steps closer; the rain mixing with his scent perfectly. “Right here. Asking you to give me one more chance to prove I’m worth your time.”

I peer up at him, wishing I could look away, but knowing I have to see his reaction. “Are you saying this because you want to be here or because you’re at risk of losing your pack?”

“Nate told you.” He doesn’t seem surprised. In fact, a crooked grin takes over, lighting up Connor’s entire face. “He’s neverbeen this way with anyone else. Never even looked at someone twice. Then you walk in and he’s ready to burn our pack to the ground to keep you.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“Truthfully, it’s both. I want my pack together, but I also don’t want to lose you. You fit in a way I never expected.”

Connor’s eyes are so light blue they’re almost like crystal. Easy to peer into, but hard to quantify. Yet, I can see everything he’s hiding in there. Worry, fear, and the tiniest bit of hope that looks so promising.

“You hurt me.”

“I know.” That hope dies and I mourn it immediately. “You deserve so much better than how I treated you, and I understand if you want me to walk away.”

There’s no doubt he’d do it, too. Connor Morgan is a little aloof and a lot broken, but he loves his packmates. It’s so obvious he’d do anything for them, even step aside for their happiness.

“People aren’t perfect,”I say quietly, tugging him to walk again. I can’t be still and talk about this. “I used to repeat that when my alphas told me to be their perfect omega. Humans are messy and flawed. Sometimes we lash out and hurt each other. That doesn’t mean I forgive you or that I deserved it. It just means I understand why it happened.”

Air whooshes from Connor’s mouth, and his head bows so he can kiss my fingertips. Each press of his lips feels like a balm across the cold skin.

“I can’t promise it won’t happen again because I don’t want to break my word to you. We’ll fight, we’ll argue, we’ll hurt each other unintentionally, but the one thing I’ve learned from Dez’s family is that relationships are built in the repair.” Connor’s voice drops, thumb sweeping over my hand. “I want to learnwhat it means to fix things with you, Daph. To heal with you andforyou.”

This is it. The moment I’ve been dreading. Do I give this a real shot or am I too broken to try? But then, it’s not really a choice, is it? I want Nate and Dez. As for Connor, I’m willing to see if this alpha can redeem himself.

“That’s going to depend on you. You took one look at that text and flew off the handle. You were hurtful with no fucking reason to be, and I won’t allow you to treat me like that again.”

“Good. The fact that I spoke to you like that—” he cuts off, remorse pouring out of him. “I regret it, Daph. If you ever want to tell me, I’ll be here. Until then, I’m going to earn your trust.”

I guess we’ll see about that. “You know, my former alphas are a lot like your ex-wife.”

Connor laughs again, the sound hollow. “I know.”

My heart thumps hard and my feet still. “You read the court case.”

“No.” He squeezes my hand, begging me to listen. “A friend pointed it out. He clarified a lot of things for me.”

Thank fuck. I think it would’ve broken me a little more if Connor had read it when I clearly didn’t want him to.

“My exes were excellent liars too. They constantly put me last, promising they’d make it up to me later. Or blaming me when they were cruel.”

“Daphne.” My name is pained on Connor’s lips.

“I’m not saying you’re like them; I just think you should know that you’re not the only one with baggage. The difference is, mine’s a hell of a lot fresher and my backbone’s a little stiffer. So, let me be clear. If you ever speak to me that way again, ever call me a liar or insinuate that I’m a cheater, I will walk away from this relationship no matter what stage we’re in.” My hands nearly shake, but it feels good to put the boundary down. “I don’t deserve your accusations, and I won’t be cannon fodder for youremotional damage. Disrespect me like that again and it’ll be the last time you speak to me, Connor Morgan.”

I’ve never seen relief like this. It flows from his body, lightening the stress he’s been carrying. “I understand, and I promise, it won’t happen again. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”