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A beautiful blush spread across her face at his words, and she gazed up at him adoringly.

I wanted her to look at me like that.

Did I love her?

Simply imagining not having her around made my chest clench in an almost painful way. Any day I didn’t see her felt like a loss. Stupidly intelligent and fiercely loyal and protective, Bethany was everything I wanted in a mate.

She was mine.

There was no way I could let her go. She was my first thought in the morning and last at night—with the exception of when Joey woke me up by jumping on my bed, and then my first thought was usually a little grumpier.

I had been playing it cool for weeks, but I knew I was obsessed with her. The last thing I wanted to do was push her deeper into a relationship before she was ready just because we had some emotional hang-ups, thanks to our ex.

But if she tried to leave, I wouldn’t hesitate to track her down and drag her back home, because she belonged here, with us.

“You?” she asked, turning to me, speaking with a soft, hushed voice.

“It doesn’t feel as impactful being the third one in a row to say it, but I do. You’re ours, Bethany. Nothing is going to change that fact. We are just as much yours. I may not be the best at words, but you’re it for me. You’re a pain in my ass, yet every goddamn time you sass me, I love it. You’ve ruined me in the best way.”

Her grin widened. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Deep down, I thought I knew that, but there was still that small part of me that felt like I couldn’t put Joey in that situation again.

Cullen sighed. “But given Joey’s mother…”

Bethany huffed. “Okay, so you guys love me, but you’re scared I’ll turn tail and run like your ex, so you’re nervous about how much I insert myself into Joey’s life. Is that right?”

I nodded stiffly. I felt like a monster admitting it, but I couldn’t help my worry. Bethany leaving didn’t feel like a possibility, but there was that teeny, tiny chance.

And that chance was enough to make me pause.

“I’m not worried about that.” Jensen shrugged. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re part of this pack, and you already have a significant role in Joey’s life. At this point, I think it would be pretty hard for you to overstep.”

She met my eye, a serious expression clouding her features, like she was deep in thought. “Okay, then…how can I make it obvious that I’m not going anywhere?”

“That’s not on you,” Jensen said, shaking his head, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“If you want me to be part of this pack one day, then does that mean I’ll be a mother figure to Joey?”

“If you want to be,” I whispered. “I want you to be.”

Bethany snorted. “I loved that little girl before I loved any of you idiots.” She looked between us, brow furrowed. “Okay, let me get this straight. With enough time and trust, you would be happy for me to be a mother figure to her, just as I am the mother to her sibling. But you are still nervous that I might leave and break her heart. Is that right?”

I nodded. “I know it’s not fair to you…”

“But you’re not going anywhere,” Cullen growled.

“Ours.” Jensen smirked, kissing the top of her head.

She shrugged, biting back a grin as her face flushed. “It’s understandable, but I think we are all dismissing a perfectly easy solution here.”

“If you’ve got an answer, let us know,” I said.

She smiled at me. “Bite me.”

I sat up straighter. “Excuse me?”

“I’m down!” Jensen cackled, twirling Bethany around playfully until she batted at him to put her down.