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“Okay,” I say as he sets me down on my bed.

I was right. My room still smells like her. There’s the hint of bitterness, a reminder of her fear, but her sweet soothing peppermint perfume is still strong.

“She’s doing fine, but I told her she could lock her door and she didn’t,” Chase says, excitedly running a hand through his hair.

“Why is that special?” I ask, leaning back against my headboard, my eyes closing.

“I’d like to think it means she at least feels a bit safe here,” Chase says.

“Really?” I say, opening my eyes to look at him hopefully.

“Yeah, man.”

“I didn’t scare her off?” I ask him, not feeling the same sort of pressure I felt with the other guys with Chase.

I trust Chase. Chase trusts me.

Chase was the first one of the pack that I met. He was seventeen and going a bit crazy with the shit he was doing. He got wrapped up in some nasty stuff with some drug dealers. They basically kidnapped him to hold him for ransom because he comes from a pretty loaded family.

Those drug dealers just happened to be my family, or at least the gang my dad and older brother were a part of.

I was only a year older than him. He was a bit scrawny then, most alphas don’t get as big as they usually will until they come of age.

Long story short, I’d done a lot of shit for my family, but kidnapping and holding an innocent kid ransom was where I drew the line. I helped him escape. Nearly died for my betrayal, but right before they were going to put a bullet in my skull, the police came knocking down the doors of the warehouse we were in.

Chase got me a scholarship that got me out of the Southside and that’s when he introduced me to the others.

I owe my life to Chase.

He always says he’s the one with the debt since I saved him, but I don’t believe him. He’s the reason I don’t have to go hungry anymore. That I don’t have to hurt people for a living. He’s given me a pack, a family. He’s more of a brother than my own flesh and blood.

“Nah, man,” he says. “You didn’t scare her off. She’s just a bit scared in general. This is a big change for her, kinda like how it was a big change for you.”

I nod in understanding.

When you go from hiding food behind the electrical outlet in your room so your brother doesn’t steal it from you to having access to an all-you-can-eat buffet whenever you want, it takes a bit of time to adjust.

“I think if anything, you’re the best one out of all of us to help her get used to this,” Chase says. “You’ll have a good idea what things she may need that she won’t be willing to ask for.”

I wince, remembering how I still hid food in our dorm room during college. “Yeah,” I say. “Okay, I can do that.”

“Considering how much you probably drank to get you like this, seems like you were really worried,” Chase laughs.

I nod. “She’s—she’s perfect. And look at me.”

Chase rolls his eyes. “You’ve gotta cut yourself some slack. Sure you don’t look like the rest of us but that doesn’t mean she’s not gonna find you hot.”

“You really think she’ll like me?”

“Totally, man, she’s our scent match. Even if she can’t really tell that, there’s something there,” he says. “I think you should sleep this off, that way you can do something to make her more comfortable tomorrow. It seems like actions are gonna be better than words for her.”

I nod, pressing the palms of my hands against my eyes again. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it.”

“Of course, big guy,” Chase says, squeezing my shoulder. “We’ve all got our issues, but we’re a pack. We stick together. Everything will be fine.”

Chase leaves, closing the door behind him. After a few minutes of motivating myself to get up and out of bed, I make my way to the bathroom. As tired as I am, I’m not gonna be able to pass out before I take a piss.

The moment I step into the bathroom, I let out a groan. My cock stirs in my pants.