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Dez going nuts? Not even remotely.

His scent swells around us, thick and dangerous. This is alpha rage in a way I’ve never seen, especially from my most balanced packmate. “We’re not fucking doing this. Not to her.”

He snatches the paper off the table, ripping it with a snarl. It’s a copy, so I’m not concerned about having Daph re-sign, but I’m still thrown.

Shit, Daph.

His instincts are on eliminating the threat to his omega, but she’s right next door. While I know Dez would rather chew his arm off than hurt her, I don’t want this performance to scare her, either.

My voice stays low and steady as I inch closer. “This isn’t a bad thing, Dez. It’s protecting all of us.”

“I don’t need to know everything Daph’s been through to know too many people have dicked her around. We can’t do that too. God, what did she even say when you asked? She must’ve been heartbroken.”

“She brought it up first.”

That stuns them both. Stunned me, too. After Daphne agreed to courting, I was trying to figure out how I’d bring up the pre-bond when she did it herself.

“I don’t want you to be upset, but I’d like to file some paperwork before we go any further.” Daphne wrings her fingers, anxiety bleeding out of her.

“If this is about Shelby?—”

“It’s not.” She sighs. “I know I mentioned my court case before, but it’s really bad. At this point, I’m not sure I’ll even be able to keep Nymph and once my exes have that, there’s no telling what they’ll come for next. I don’t want you caught in the crossfire of my mess.”

She looks so small, huddled into herself inside this home she rented to escape her past. Guiding her face to my neck is second nature. She hums, wiggling until we’re pressed as tight as possible, soaking in each other’s scent and touch. It’s not sexual having her against me, it’s instinct.

“Thank you for telling me. Winter set up a pre-bond for us in case we courted anyone again. I haven’t looked at it in years, but we can use it as a blueprint. Give me your lawyer’s contact info and I’ll send it. You can make whatever adjustments we need for you to be comfortable.”

“I’ll try not to do much. I want this done sooner rather than later,” Tension bleeds out of Daph and my chest puffs. I did that. I soothed my omega.

“Take whatever time you need. There’s no rush.”

She glances at me, then away almost as fast. “Yes, there is.”

The way Daphne looked haunted and terrifiedformy pack stuck with me. It got worse when I got the papers back.

“Just read it.” Pulling up the contract on my phone, I hand it over and my brothers hunch together.

The pre-bond was fairly standard, but Daphne added a few clauses throughout that made my brow raise.Physical maintenance would be decided by all partiesandpermission to enter the omega’s nest would be up to her discretion alonewere two of the strangest, but definitely not the worst.

No, that came at the end.

Daphne Barnes reserves the right to leave the courtship/bonding process without incurring any fees or payments to do so. All her bank accounts will remain separate from Pack Morgan regardless of bonding status and any businesses created by her within the courtship and/or bonding period will remain solely in her name.

“What the fuck did they do to her?” Dez whispers, rubbing a hand over his face. The feral edge of energy eeks away. At his side, Nate looks fucking devastated.

“I don’t know, but this is what she needs from us. Are you okay to sign?” I don’t want to push my brothers into something they aren’t interested in, but this is a requirement for Daph. Without the paperwork, she’s not comfortable courting at all.

“If it gets us our omega, I’ll sign anything.” Nate pulls the phone over and does it before holding it out to Dez. “You in?”

“Obviously.”

I signed earlier, so as soon as Dez scrawls his name, it’s official. “Congratulations. We’re courting Daphne Barnes.”

“Holy shit,” Nate breathes, eyes light in a way they haven’t been in years. “This feels unreal.”

It really does. I hope it never fades.

“Few more things.”