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The tendon in her neck throbbed, and I imagined my teeth sinking into the pale length.

I’d be her curse.

But she could save this pack. I didn’t even need to ask Walden or Lloyd whether they agreed. Want strained their bodies, like tightened coils.

“I have an idea.” I spun one of my bulky rings on my thumb. “There is plenty of room in this house, and privacy. You should live with us.”

“I can’t stay in Starhaven. I won’t.” Her little forehead furrowed with determination, and I flattened my lips at the challenge.

My packmates wanted Tully, and I wasn’t ready to give up this curious, sweet omega either.

“If you want me to put you in a cage and collar you, all you have to do is ask,” I murmured and heat jolted to my cock at the thought.

“Pan.” Lloyd glared at me.

I held my hands up and shrugged as Tully’s gaze met mine. Did the feel of my hard cock torment her like the memory of her heated pussy did to me?

“That’s how they treat omegas in Astaly.”

“You’re exaggerating.” Tully ignored my comment in favor of her breakfast.

Ajax slipped me a plate, and I whispered another apology with my thanks, content to let Tully eat her breakfast in peace. I sliced a peach and drizzled the slivers, granola, and yogurt with some honey. A drop went on my thumb, and I sucked it off.

Tully would taste like this.

I hadn’t felt like this in a long time. The lightness of hope. Gods, it tasted so fresh on my tongue.

There were too many coincidences for her not to be ours. A Hartlock omega?

The tip of her pink tongue slid over the silver spoon and Lloyd’s elbow slipped on the table in response.

“Are you okay?” Tully fussed with him, and I flattened my lips to hide a stupid grin from spreading across my face.

Lloyd pulled his jacket down and showed her a non existent mark on his elbow.

“I think you’ll live.” Tully grinned.

Ajax looked at me again.I’m keeping her, he mouthed at me.

“Do you want anything?” I asked Walden, for once, not teasing. A smile swept away the heaviness of his brow and my heart thumped against my ribcage. He and Tully were much too good for me. But I was a selfish creature at my core, and I wanted them too much.

“I’ll take a coffee if it’s going.” Our eyes clashed and bricks fell from the wall between us.

Eucalyptus trees swayed and a flood of lung-clearing calm filled my chest. A companionable silence filtered into the kitchen as I prepared Walden’s coffee. Light streamed through the windows and cast an otherworldly glow over the pack at the table. I placed the mug in front of Walden just as his phone rang. My stomach sank for a moment, but when he didn’t reach for it, my brows furrowed.

Walden had his phone attached to his ear ninety percent of the day.

“You’re not going to answer?”

“I told Alessandra to cancel all my appointments except Dr. Hanes.”

“Good, that’s great,” I whispered, smiling into my mug. Walden canceled work, which was inconceivable.

He hadn’t given up on us.

The light sank into my marrow, and I breathed fully for the first time in months.

Hope was still fragile, but real.