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He scoffed.

I shut the fridge, turning toward him. “Sienna isn’t Love. She doesn’t show it often, but she’s scared. I have to let her realize on her own that we’re mates. If I tell her, she’ll shut me down.”

“Secrets are the wrong way to start a relationship,” Madd warned. “The woman will castrate you when she realizes you didn’t tell her.”

“Or she’ll be too attached to me to push me away for long,” I countered.

“You’re a damn moron, Bauther.”

“I said the same thing when you threw your mate in prison.”

The judgment on his face eased. “That was a misunderstanding.”

“And this is my best attempt at making her comfortable.”

His judgment eased further. “I want it in the records that I disagreed with this.”

“Fine. Make sure Love doesn’t tell her anything.”

He grunted. “I don’t control my female.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Then don’t tell her what you know.”

“Fine. If I tell her, I’ll make sure she knows she has to keep the secret.”

“Good.”

Madd crossed the space between us and slapped me on the back. “I’m happy for you, man.”

“Thanks.”

With that, he strode out of the kitchen. As he walked out through the front door, he called out, “Good luck. You might want to ask Belle to keep her mouth shut if you’re really wanting it quiet. The women’s group chats were pretty active last night.”

Shit.

He shut the door behind himself, but I had it open again and was jogging down the street in the opposite direction thirty seconds later.

My fist pounded on the door to Belle’s house. We weren’t close, but we’d known each other since we were pups, and she was one of my enforcers.

I waited impatiently, but she finally pulled it open, rubbing her eyes. She was still in her pajamas, but we were close enough that neither of us gave a damn. “What the hell, Bauther? It’s not even seven yet.”

“What did you say in the women’s group chats?” I growled.

She blinked.

I held my hand out. “Give me your phone.”

She sighed, but handed it over.

She gave me the passcode and watched as I pulled up the Wildwood Bitches group chat. I neither came up with the name nor supported it, though it made me snort the first time I heard about it. It was the pack women’s favorite way of keeping in contact.

I scrolled up until I found a picture Belle had sent of me leading Sienna away from the bar.

Both of us were smiling.

I grimaced, scrolling through the messages.

Wendy