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I suck in a deep breath, looking away so I don’t see their destroyed faces, but still needing to get this out. “I’m sorry about the courting thing. I like you so much, but I just got out of a relationship and with everything going on…I can’t get into something new with you.”

Dez crowds me into Nate’s side, kissing me stupid. I’m panting when he pulls away, fingers twisted in his jacket like I can’t stand to part. “Like I said earlier, it’s not a problem. You’re ours. No matter how long it takes.”

“What if I’m never ready for a relationship?”

“Then we’ll call it something else.” Nate pulls my grip off, kissing each fingertip until my hand is back in my lap, and smiling at my dubious expression. “Don’t worry, kitten. You’ll believe what we say soon enough.”

“I can’t guarantee I’ll ever be comfortable packing up or bonding.” It’s a last-ditch effort and I’m practically pleading with them.

Let me go. You don’t want to be dragged down by me and I’m not strong enough to say no forever.

“Then we’ll figure out how the future looks together.” Dez helps me out, holding me to his body for a long moment. “For now, it’s time for you to rest. Say goodbye to Connor.”

“Bye, Connor.” He doesn’t respond. Doesn’t even look my way, but I don’t feel the sting this time. How can I when I’m already hurting?

Even after Dez and Nate carry me and the bags of linens to the door, ravaging my mouth until I’m panting and wet, I’m not sure I believe what they said.

Not when they text they made it home, checking that I locked up.

Or when dinner arrives later with a note that sayswe’ll never let our omega go hungry.

Or when they tell me they wish we were together as I curl into a makeshift nest and cry myself to sleep.

It’s not until the moving truck shows up way too god damn early for a post-heat Sunday that I think they might be serious.

Nate laughs as he treks into the other half of the duplex with boxes in his hands, Dez spots me watching like they’re a hallucination from my porch, and smirks. “Morning, neighbor.”

What the fuck?

“What are you doing here?” I try to sound stern, but it’s hard to be fierce wrapped in a cum-crusted blanket I’m too sad to wash.

His eyes dart to the evidence that I’m very much not okay, nostrils flaring as he scents it. My heat, the pack together. Sex and cum. “Moving in.”

Peering at the bushes, I brace for someone to jump out screaming,gotcha!No such luck. “Wait, here?”

“Seems like it.”

“Why?”

“Decided the pack could use a change of scenery.”

He’s fucking with me. I know he is and I’m just off-balanced enough right now to be pissed about it. “Thought I said no courting.”

Dez scratches at his jaw, the smug dick. “Heard that. Seems to us you could use a few more friends.”

“Friends,” I scoff. “You were inside me two days ago and you think we can just be friends?”

That hothouse scent of his deepens, as Dez licks his lip, slow and way too fucking sensual while we’re in full view of the fucking neighborhood. “You want another round, let me know.”

Are we having the same conversation? “I said no courtship.”

“You said no courtshipright now. Does that mean we can’t get to know each other in the meantime?”

I should say no. We both know it. Yet I can’t. Just like I can’t stop myself from leaning in when he stalks across the shared deck and crowds me against my door. It feels like he traps me in his bubble with nothing but a thought. I can’t move and I don’t want to. He moves closer, body brushing mine and his scent nearly drowns me.

Relief floods his face the second we touch, echoing through my limbs. “Tell us to go, and I’ll wrangle my brothers into the car myself. But if you missed us for even a second, we’re staying. However long it takes.” Dez closes in, brushing his lips against mine. “C’mon, Daph. Tell me to leave.”

My chest caves at the thought, mouth glued shut.