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Dez speaks first. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Con.”

“Are you doing this for her or for you?” Nate holds me at arm’s length, and I try not to cringe.

“Both. I want to be better for Daph, but you were right. I need to move on.”

“This is a big change,” Dez says carefully. “Are you ready?”

“I have to be.” Otherwise, there’s no way this is going to work. “I’m going to do this right. The therapist will help me work through my issues and if something comes up, I’ll talk about it with the pack in a calm,respectfulmanner so we can work through it together.”

Dez nods, but Nate still looks wary. “I hope this works, but I’m going to reiterate what I said before. I won’t follow a pack lead who treats people like that.”

The stone in my stomach sinks further, remorse threatening to swallow me whole. “I wouldn’t want you to. My goal with therapy is to prove that I won’t hurt any of us. That I can be the pack lead you all need.”

Dez breaks into a small smile and even that feels like a win. “How can we help?”

“Don’t let me fuck this up,” I say hoarsely.

There’s so much I want to do for this pack, for Daphne, but I’m not infallible. Mistakes will happen. I just hope my brothers will be there to pull me back before I make the wrong ones.

Nate claps a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll do our best. For now, let’s eat.”

We dive into the pizza, talking about work. They suggest I hire an assistant for the thirtieth time. I’m not ready for that yet, but I do have a plan to shift some responsibilities off my plate, one the pack agrees with wholeheartedly.

Baby steps.

There’s life stuff to catch up on, with Dez carefully avoiding mentioning our omega and Nate bringing her up every other sentence. It’s cute how enamored he is. Already so devoted.

It’s not until we clear the pizza, and I bring out a massive chocolate chip cookie pie for dessert that they start getting suspicious.

“I wasn’t aware starting therapy required a celebration,” Nate says carefully. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re doing it, but this seems a little much.”

“It’s for all of us.”

“What for?” Dez steals a bite while Nate still looks at the dessert like it’s going to explode.

I smile, broad and brilliant.Thisis what I’ve been waiting to tell them. The real news. “Daphne’s agreed to court us.”

“No. Fucking. Way.” Dez drops his fork, cookie and all, while Nate stares at me, flabbergasted.

“You waitedthis longto tell us?! Dick move, Con.”

“Wait, she’s courtingallof us?” Dez asks.

I hate that he even has to question it, and a surge of protectiveness rushes through me. “Yeah, man. Daphne wants us all.”

I consider telling him that she’d already decided on them without me, but I figure that’s something that should come from her.

“Okay. Good.” Dez looks away. “We have an omega.”

“Hell yeah we do,” Nate crows.

Seeing how happy they are makes me smile. “Now, don’t get mad, but we discussed a pre-bond.”

“What the fuck?!” Nate growls. “She’s not signing that.”

“She already has.”

I pull the papers out of my pocket, slide them over, and wait. Nate losing his shit, I expected. Planned for, even.