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“Bethany.” Cullen’s voice was low and grumbly. “Please.”

The pleading tone in his voice took the wind out of my sails, and I deflated in Jensen’s arms. “Okay,” I agreed.

“Good!” Jensen beamed, kissing the top of my head again. “Now, I should go check on the patient before I drive us all home, because there’s no way in hell Grumpy Bear over there is driving.” He laughed.

“That nickname had better not stick,” Cullen grumbled.

“Oh, I think it will.” Jensen smiled, practically skipping out of the room.

Twenty minutes later, Jensen had loaded a sleepy Joey into the car, as well as a grumpy bear, who was getting rapidly inebriated.

“Dude, it’s just Jack. I didn’t think you were such a lightweight!” Jensen laughed as we loaded them into his Jeep.

Cullen’s car was going to have to stay at my place until they could collect it.

Joey was wrapped up in my favorite baby blue blanket. She had been clinging on to it in her sleep, and I didn’t want to make her part with it, so a blanket and two of my pillows were in the Jeep with her.

“Bethany…” Jensen turned to me with a grin. “Are you able to do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Can you drive Cullen’s car back to our house? We’ll feed you, then drop you back off.”

“You want me to drive that?” I asked, pointing at the stupidly expensive, shiny sports car. “I’m not a wonderful driver…”

Jensen shrugged, a mischievous grin on his face. “Well, if it gets a dent or two, I guess that’s karma for my pack mate behaving like such an ass, isn’t it?”

I looked between the fancy car and Jensen, whose smile never slipped. Could I really do it? I would feel terrible if I damaged the car, but at the same time, I would probably get a little thrill from sticking it to Cullen after he’d behaved like an ass.

“Come on, sweet girl…”

“Give me the keys,” I said, holding out my hands.

I followed Jensen the entire way back to their house. Yes, I drove like a geriatric, but when you’re controlling a vehicle that probably cost as much as a house, it’s rather stressful. Jensen took pity on me and also drove slowly so I could follow him.

Thankfully, most of the roads were wide and open once we got away from the university. I managed to pull up outside the guys’ house with the car entirely intact.

Gideon was waiting on the front porch with his arms crossed.

“Hello, Bethany,” he greeted warmly before glowering at Cullen, who was stumbling out of the Jeep. By Gideon’s expression, Jensen must have let him know everything that had happened.

As Jensen and Cullen took the sleepy Joey inside, Gideon turned to me, his posture relaxed as he took a step forward.

“Thank you so much for helping,” he said. “Jensen filled me in. I see you managed to get the car here in one piece!”

I frowned. “Can we hide it in the garage and tell Cullen I totaled it? Give him a few minutes of panic for being an ass?”

Gideon smirked. “I would pay to see the look on his face. The fucker deserves it. I’m going to give you a lift back. Jensen also instructed me to give you this.” He held up an envelope, and I already could tell it held cash. “And take you through a drive-through on the way home.”

I inhaled the fruity parchment scent of Gideon. It reminded me of an old library, and that always put me at ease. At the same time, it was exciting, and I wanted more of it.

“Jensen was very chatty on the drive home, wasn’t he?” I grumbled. “I don’t need that.”

Gideon shrugged, placing the envelope in my hand. “You’re taking it.”

Growly alphas shouldn’t be so damn sexy.

Chapter 12