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24

NOLAN

My skin was still wet after I shifted back into my human form, despite having shaken all the snow off my fur.

I had taken it upon myself to keep an eye on her as much as possible before the Rite. Not that I didn’t trust Linda and the others to protect her, especially with Megan riling up the town on her behalf. I just didn’t trust the Conclave.

I was covered in Marlowe’s scent, and as much as I wanted to revel in it, if the rest of the pack smelled her on me, they’d likely kill me for threatening her safety again.

I really shouldn’t have done that, but I just couldn’t help myself.

I took a thorough shower, pulled on a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, and then headed into the kitchen to get something to eat. Shifting used up more energy than I had thought it would, and I was often starving once I came back from my wolf form.

After eating some leftovers, I sat at the table, staring as a wilted petal floated down from the flowers Cam had bought for Marlowe.

This isn’t your fault, she’d said.

Well then, whose fault was it? I’d done things by the book with the Conclave, but off the book with Seth, and both had come to bite me in the ass in the worst way possible.

Shifters were communal, we regarded pack bonds as sacred in many ways.

But we also respected hierarchies and dominance, believing that was how our society best flourished. I’d been so pre-occupied withprotecting Marlowe from vampyrs, I didn’t stop to think of how news of the first omega in a hundred years would affect a pack of alphas who were at the top. It should have been obvious that once those fuckers got a whiff of her, they’d do whatever it took to claim her for their own.

Because hadn’t we done the same? She’d been in a relationship when we’d pursued her, putting it all on the line, strategizing behind her back so she’d dump the fiancé and bond with us instead.

Sure, her ex was actually a shitty vamp who’d been cheating on her, but we hadn’t known that at first.

I could try to justify our behavior by saying she actually liked us, and we liked her for more than her designation, but many shifters would view the Conclave’s “redistribution” of Marlowe in the same light as us taking her from the vamp.

Dammit, why was I always fucking things up? From scaring her at the liquor store to this shit show, it was like I’d been cursed into always messing up my relationship with Marlowe.

I grabbed one of the petals, rubbing it between my fingers. Marlowe may have forgiven me, but Cam might hold this against me forever.

I mean, I wasn’t ever going to let myself off the hook, either. So could I blame him? Or any other pack mate for never trusting me again with her safety?

Considering what I’d just done tonight outside the bar, probably not.

From here on out, I would spend the rest of my life dedicated to not screwing up. I didn’t even care about my career anymore. I had at one time hoped to rise the ranks like Senator Hartwell, one of the few shifters to make it as an elected official in the federal government.

But now? Fuck that guy, fuck the Conclave, and fuck doing anything other than just being by Marlowe’s side until the day I died.

“How is she?” Julian asked, coming inside and dropping his gym bag by the door.

I forced a smile, trying to keep him in good spirits for the next day, when our entire future hinged on his ability to repeatedly knock out alpha competitors. Not that my news was bad, but every moment she was forced to be away from us felt like hell.

“Getting spoiled by those females,” I chuckled. “Braiding hair, baking cookies, and apparently lots of girl talk.”

The one bright spot of this whole experience was watching Marlowe make some new female friends here.

Julian nodded, trying not to let me know how much he was feeling the pressure. “Good. I’m glad she’s safe and having fun. When she comes home, we should invite them all over for dinner or something to thank them.”

Whenshe comes home, he said. Yes, this was the vibe we needed going into tomorrow. I couldn’t have any doubts. Julian was going to kick everyone’s asses and then this whole bullshit Rite would be over.

I got up and slapped him on the shoulder. “What did you eat today? Is there anything I can get or make for you?”

Julian laughed. “I’m starting to feel like the omega here with how much you guys are trying to feed me. Don’t worry, I know how to eat before a match, so I’m good. But thanks.”

I snorted. For all intents and purposes, Julianhadbecome a substitute omega for Cam, at least. The alpha needed someone to hang out with, and with Marlowe gone, Julian was the next best thing.