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Her head tilts, neck curving until I have to look away. There’s only so much control in me. “That we’re brothers. Siblings at heart, though not by blood.”

I have two, Dez has four and Nate has three. Daphne stares at the extra on Nate’s arm, but she doesn’t ask. Intuitively knowing it won’t end well. The way she reads my brother makes it hard to stay frustrated at the situation, especially because none of it is her fault.

It’s mine. Always fucking mine.

“Come eat,” Nate says.

Relief swamps me when I drop into the last seat, a plate already waiting for me. It’s in front of Daphne, which means watching her all night, but at least we won’t touch.

Seeing her snuggled between my packmates is hell in all the best ways. They’re so similar. Three hopeful souls existing on the same plane, all a little scared for their own reasons. Daph looks like she belongs there, cradled between their bodies, softened by their big hearts.

You don’t want that, remember?

I shove naan in my mouth and try to pretend that’s the truth.

Dez piled her plate with more than anyone could eat in one sitting, but there’s plenty for me. The energy we burn keeping an omega sated during heats is unreal and usually, there isn’t enough time to fuel up between rounds. This heat was different. Balanced in a way I thought was impossible. While I’m hungry, I don’t feel the stomach twisting ache I’m used to.

Daphne fought us on everything until we figured out that she’d only eat while knotted and even that wasn’t enough to replenish what the heat stole. Yet, she doesn’t touch her fork. Instead, her fingers run over the wood of our dining table, brushing each scratch and knot on the surface. “This is beautiful.”

“Pop made it for my mom when they got married,” Dez says. “Family dinners, birthday parties, weekend brunches. Everything happened at this table. I want all my family’s memories to be here, too.”

Daphne’s practically got heart eyes when she tips her head toward Nate. “That’s so sweet. Are you close to your family?”

Pain slices through me when he doesn’t answer. He shifts, no longer comfortable and Daphne notices. For a nanosecond, she’s all confusion, but I barely have time to blink before it changes. Reaching out, she holds his hand, looking so fucking small comparatively. I don’t know what she whispers to him, leaning against his arm like it’s the easiest thing in the world, but it does the trick. Nate’s grief fades slightly, and he stares at her like she’s his personal angel.

Powerful magic, this omega.

From the comfort of Nate’s embrace, Daph looks at me. I shake my head. “Estranged.”

That’s the nicest way to saymy parents fucking suck.I don’t miss them. The whole family can eat rocks for all I care.

“Obviously, I am.” Dez bumps their shoulders together. “My parents had three kids in three years. Marisol, then me, then Levi as the baby. That’s tough already but add in that we’re all alphas and it was a lot.”

“I bet. Are your siblings packed up?”

“They’re not the pack type. Marisol’s husband, Sam, is a beta. Levi’s bonded to an omega, though. Omar. I think you’ll like him.”

Daphne’s eyebrow quirks. “Because he’s an omega?”

“Because he’s fucking awesome.”

I’m not sure if it’s because we’re scent-sympathetic or just a personality trait, but she has to be the most territorial omega I’ve ever met. Her eyes narrow but she quickly averts them, slowly chewing butter chicken and ignoring the way her scent surges. “Did you two ever…?”

Nate gets downright smug, nuzzling against her temple as Daphne seethes. “No. Omar found Levi freshman year of high school and they bonded before graduation. Besides, he’s not my type.”

“Because he’s a man?”

“Because he’s not you.”

Dez nuzzles into her neck, and I watch, awestruck as Daphne laughs, stretching farther to let him. “Oh, that was smooth.”

“It’s the truth.”

We share a look, and Nate leans in. “We’re all pansexual, so we’ve never cared what gender omega we’d end up with. We want the person.”

We all hold our breath, waiting to see if the admission is an issue. Shelby was less than thrilled, but since we found each other so early, it didn’t really matter. Not like I was going to cheat on my wife.

However, Daphne’s a new entity and this could make or break things for my brothers before they even get started.