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“The question is, what are you going to do when your mate shows up at my door?” Vex asked, gesturing toward the front of the house.

Tori grimaced. “You think he’ll come here?”

“I think he’ll be here in the next ten minutes,” Vex said bluntly.

Tori’s grimace deepened.

“As far as he knows, he’s keeping up with his façade,” I argued. “Hiding the truth from me. I?—”

“Smith would’ve called him the second you drove away. His wolf won’t let him sleep when he’s apart from you, so he would’ve already been awake. And it wouldn’t take long for him to stop at your house, find the empty blood bag in your sink, and put two and two together. He’s probably on his way here right now,” Vex countered.

Shit.

Vex’s logic was too sound.

I was in way over my head.

And what would I do if Beck really tracked me all the way to Tori’s house? I wouldn’t do what he wanted, of course. I wouldn’t go back to Love’s pack. I wouldn’t act like the bastard hadn’t lied to me from the beginning. I couldn’t trust him.

“I don’t know what I’ll do,” I admitted.

“I’ll kick his ass for you,” Tori said bluntly. “And we’ll figure out what we’re doing about the whole situation while he’s hobbling home, licking his wounds.”

Vex snorted. “Bauther’s playing the long game with his mate. Most male wolves can’t manage it. I sure as fuck couldn’t. He’s not going to walk away from her.”

“But—” Tori began.

A harsh knock on the front door cut her off.

She looked at me.

I looked at her.

We both looked at Vex.

He lifted his hands. “I’m not getting involved. If I keep the Wildwood beta from his mate, the pack legally has the right to rain hell down on us.”

Tori glowered at him. “I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Sounds like fun.”

There was another knock at the door. A louder one.

“Maybe I should escape out the back?” I suggested, easing to my feet.

“No,” Tori and Vex barked at the same time.

My gaze jerked between them.

Tori pointed at the couch. “Stay there.”

Then, she stormed to the door.

I sat back down as she yanked it open.

“Where is she?” Beck’s voice was low and dangerous.

“Safe, with people who haven’t kept very important truths from her while fucking her,” Tori shot back. “Go home.”