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“Then, when?”

“The night before we left Revelry.”

All the air leaves Nate’s lungs. “Wait, are you saying you haven’t knotted Daphne since the heat?”

Dez looks away, shame curling his shoulders. “We had a…situation.”

Embarrassment floods through me, if only because I didn’t realize he was still upset. I assumed he didn’t knot me because we didn’t have time with Mama B interrupting. I didn’t realize he was still struggling.

Nate takes one look at my grimace and laughs his ass off. “Did someone get too impatient?”

“Shut up. I was in heat.” I palm his face, even though I have to lean over the bed to do it.

“Yes, you were.” He nuzzles into my touch before turning to his packmate. “You know she can take it, right?”

“I don’t want to hurt her again.”

Fuck me sideways. The ache in his voice, the anguish. It killed him to hurt me the first time, and he’d rather go without than ever do it again.

Sweet, foolish alpha.

Nate shoots me the most serious look I’ve ever seen him wear. “Tell me what happened.”

Shrinking under their gaze, I mumble, “I may or may not have shoved myself onto his knot.”

“Without coming or letting me prep her,” Dez interjects.

Nate hisses through his teeth. “No wonder you’re traumatized, D. That thing is huge.”

Dez gives me a pointed look like,see? I told you soand I shrink a little more.“I would’ve adjusted!”

“You were in pain.”

It did hurt a little at first, so I don’t refute that. Instead, I reach for his hand. “I made a mistake, but I want to try again.”

“Daph.” I hate the stark way Dez says my name. Hate that he’s been harboring these feelings for weeks without telling me. His eyes plead for anything else, but I’m worried that if we don’t cross this hurdle now, he’ll keep putting it off until it’s too late to fix.

“Do you want to knot me?” I ask.

“Of course I do.”

“Then do it. I promise, I can take you.”

“Jesus,” Nate mutters, shoving Dez off him and climbing back to his place on the bed.

Meanwhile, Dez stays kneeling on the floor, warring with himself and not budging an inch. He finally looks away, agonized. “I can’t.”

Before I can whine, Nate steps in. “Okay, you both want the knotting to happen, so how about Daphne promises not to force itandto come as much as you think she needs before you give it to her. Does that sound fair to everyone?”

“Yes.” Dez sighs with relief and damn it, how can I say no?

“For the record, I don’t like you ganging up on me,” I say petulantly.

“Tough.” Nate grabs my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “This is about your safety and Dez being comfortable giving you something your system needs. You either take it the way he’s willing to give it or you don’t get it at all. Which will it be?”

Ugh, why does he have to sound so sensible? “I said yes, didn’t I?”

“Don’t mind her,” Nate tells Dez. “She’s just being a brat because she isn’t getting what she wants. Fuck her stupid, and she’ll forget all about how annoyed she is.”