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Pan pulled away with a frustrated growl. “You have no idea how much I want to say yes.” He opened the door for me. “But my pretty omega deserves to be shown off. Let’s find our pack, shall we?”

Pretty omega.

The words pricked until the rest of his sentence sank in.

Our pack.

I felt like I was walking on clouds, not ideal in the tall heels I tottered on, but Pan was there to catch my arm and steady me. His screaming red jacket was paired with a sheer black top embroidered with intricate roses. Smokey, dark liner smeared his gaze and his fingers were crowded with chunky silver rings. There was a wildness about him, like a bottled storm. It made me shiver, the way he always did.

Ajax waited in the lounge for us, wringing his hands. The second he saw me, the worry disappeared, and a wide smile split his face, like sunshine through clouds. Dressed in a midnight blue tailored suit, his pants hugged his round ass like a dream.

“You look so beautiful,” he breathed and wrapped his arms around me.

He eyed my cheek, thinking better of planting his lips on it, though I would have welcomed the touch. Anything to stem the live wire of nerves underneath my skin. I latched our hands together, wanting to be close to my tender-hearted alpha. He squeezed three times.

Pan waved an impatient hand, smothering an impish smile.

“The sooner we go, the sooner we can leave. I want to be the one to unwrap our delectable omega, but you can mess up her make-up.”

My core clenched at the possibilities. Each day, Baylark Pack crammed enough depravity to make the most seasoned omega blush. We taught each other our bodies, and I was an eagerstudent. The shell of the past was broken, and I was finally free, in a way I’d never known before.

Ajax nuzzled my neck with a soft, disappointed sigh. “I know removing scents is a requirement for tonight, but having you smell like nothing is driving me crazy.” He helped me into the car and slid in after.

Their scents had become mine, and I rubbed my wrist over Ajax’s, out of habit. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer. Pan pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

“Smile, Lloyd and Walden want to know how you’re doing. Shall I tell them we stayed home to fuck instead?” Pan winked.

His teasing unraveled the tension inside me, which was his goal. Warmth dripped through my body like honey. I was so grateful for this pack.

“Tell them I can’t wait to see them, and I hope I can make it without vomiting.” I pressed my hand to my stomach to stop the riot of nerves. I could do hard things, and I would.

“You’ve got this, angel.” Pan looped a finger around a dangling tendril of hair.

His eyes danced, wide and manic. He was doing a good job of hiding his own nerves, but I knew he harbored just as much reticence as I did about the gala. This was the first public event he’d been to since the dreaded incident no one would tell me about.

The reason he stopped taking SubduX.

“I know this is a big step for you, Tully, but we’ve got you. No matter what.”

I leaned against Ajax’s bulk, considering turning around. But I couldn’t wait to see Walden and Lloyd, who had been overseeing the set-up for hours. Normally they would all be there, but they’d drawn straws last night to see who would stay and escort me.

“What about you?” I asked Pan, and his lip curled.

He ran an elegant hand across his tight stomach. I had four men scrambling to be my support. I wanted to make sure he knew I was a pillar for him as well. Baylark Pack intimidated me at first, but they were just as flawed and fallible as I was.

“I’m sober. Not even drinking. Do I want to take that bottle on ice right there and drink the entire thing? You bet, but I have a secret weapon tonight. My sweet omega.”

Ajax made a noise and Pan rolled his eyes, waving his hands in a placating manner.

“I used to get obliterated at these things. Having the eyes of the city on you, following your every move and critiquing you is hard enough. Last time it was…”

“Pan, everybody makes mistakes, but you know I always have your back.” Ajax leaned over and squeezed Pan’s knee.

The car filled with heavy energy as we lingered in thick traffic.

“You had to drop that on me when I’m wearing eyeliner?” Pan dabbed his fingers in the corner of his eyes.

But the look they’d shared had weight and texture. A bridge unfurled between them.