Page 21

F aye

“Hey,” Ezra says, handing me a cool cloth. “Here, put this against your forehead.”

I swallow thickly and accept it, pressing it to my forehead, which actually does feel hot.

The moment Dexter left the ballroom, a wave of exhaustion rolled through me, immediately followed by panic.

My knees crumbled. Xander caught me in his arms, and the next thing I knew, I was on my bed, Ezra and Cayson gazing down at me.

“I’m sorry,” I tell them, feeling weak and silly.

Ezra lifts a brow. “Faye, you’ve been through a lot. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“Besides,” Cayson says, grinning. “I kind of wanted to pass out when I saw that old asshole too.”

I laugh.

They sit down on each side of me on the bed, and I let my head fall onto Cayson’s shoulder. So much has happened these past few days, it’s nice to just have it be the three of us for a minute.

“Where are the others?” I ask.

“They’re getting some things sorted in regards to Dexter and Kurt,” Ezra explains, and I take his hand, holding it on my leg.

My thoughts start churning, thinking about Maverick and I dancing.

He’d talked about our future, a future that included Ezra and Cayson.

The thing is, the three of us haven’t really discussed things since we came up with this whole fake relationship idea.

I feel like something has changed between us, but I’m not sure.

Sitting here with them, I realize that I’m trying to form my own picture for our futures, but I don’t have all the information.

I don’t know one hundred percent for certain that Cayson and Ezra have changed their minds about not wanting an omega, and the idea pains me.

A future without them in it just doesn’t sound complete.

I feel like they care about me, but maybe not enough to give up their omega-free lives.

“Try the back of your neck,” Ezra says, gently taking the cloth and pressing it to my neck.

Already, I’m much calmer than I was before.

Cayson is tracing lazy circles over my thigh, seeming relaxed, his blond hair falling over his forehead just enough that I’m tempted to sweep his hair back.

Ezra sits more rigidly, his bright blue eyes moving over the room slowly, but there’s an air of calm about him that I breathe in like a warm breeze.

“Thank you,” I say, hearing how small my voice is. “I—I want to say something.”

Ezra turns to me, and Cayson lifts his head up, meeting my eyes, something cloudy in his. I lower mine, looking instead at my hand, where I’m holding the cloth. This needs to be said, so why does it feel like I shouldn’t be saying anything at all?

“I wanted to thank the two of you for everything. I mean, it’s a sticky situation we’re in, and I know it’s not going to be easy to back out of it now that there are so many people involved.

Especially Eli. But—I just want you to know that if you want to, I’ll still honor our initial agreement.

We never said, we never agreed, for things to change.

And I can talk to Maverick and Xander, deal with that—I just?—”

“Faye,” Cayson says, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “About that.”

I lift my eyes, finally, my heart thudding too hard in my chest. It feels like it’s rocking my entire body.

Of course, I feel bad for getting them involved in this, but I also feel a sense of loss, looking at the two of them.

I’m sorry that they have to deal with the situation, but I’m also prematurely grieving their loss.

At the thought of us going our separate ways after this, living out the rest of my life without goofy Cayson or intelligent, caring Ezra, my chest twists painfully.

“ Faye ,” Ezra says, squeezing my hand.

Cayson pulls the towel out of my hand and takes the other one. “Faye,” he says, voice serious. “We’ve discussed this in length, and we’re both in agreement. We’re your mates. If you’ll have us.”

Are they just saying that because they feel sorry for me? “No, it’s okay—we don’t have to keep up the act?—”

“It’s not an act,” Ezra says, shaking his head, and when I meet his eyes, I can see that he’s serious.

“It’s—well, not anymore. Not ever actually.

I think Cayson and I were both in denial about it, but you are our mate, Faye.

We felt it the first moment we met you. We’re completely head-over-heels in love with you. ”

I stare at him, my breath caught in my throat. Does he mean that?

When I glance at Cayson, he flashes a smile. “All that talk about not wanting an omega, and we had one the whole time.”

“Oh,” I say, letting out a laugh. When Cayson squeezes my hand, I turn and look at him and see on his face that he’s serious, too. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Ezra laughs.

I shrug, feeling flustered. “Okay.”

Ezra’s eyes sweep over my face. “Does that mean you feel the same? You’ll have us?”

Will I have them? What a silly, insane question.

“Of course,” I say quietly, letting out an embarrassed laugh at the tear that runs down my cheek. “That’s–that’s what I want.”

“Then, it’s settled,” Ezra says, grinning wildly.

Cayson squeezes my hand. “We’re not going anywhere. We’re your mates, and we’re going to have an amazing future together.”

I start to picture my future again, and stop. There’s still so much to figure out. So much I don’t know.

“And the other guys?” I ask, clearing my throat and looking between the two of them. “How do you feel about them?”

They exchange a look, and I hold my breath. If they don’t like them, if they don’t want to share me with them, what will I even do? I can’t give up any of them. They’re like pieces of my heart.

“They all love you,” Ezra says quietly, “which already shows they have good taste.”

“And we all like the same whiskey,” Cayson says, laughing a bit, before saying, “Seriously though, we like them. We’ve already started planning our places in our new family. It seriously feels like we were meant to find each other.”

“That’s—” I say, and when I can’t get the words out, I just tip my chin up to Cayson.

He gets the message immediately, leaning down and giving me a soft kiss that makes me feel incredibly loved. After kissing him, I turn and do the same to Ezra, who leans down, slipping his fingers into my hair and kissing me so tenderly I think I might cry.

There’s a quick knock at the door, and Ezra opens the door. Eli, Maverick, and Xander walk in, and Ezra returns to his place beside me. The three men are the complete antithesis to Cayson, Ezra, and me, looking tense and upset. Eli, in particular, has a look that could kill on his face.

“Dexter and Kurt are meeting with the council right now,” Eli says, gritting his teeth.

Instantly, I feel sick. Why are they meeting with them right now? This can’t be good.

“The official meeting isn’t for days,” Xander grunts.

“So we think they’re doing something shady,” Maverick finishes, grabbing Cayson’s ball from the table and bouncing it a few times. “I thought he was up to something because Dexter also brought a bunch of burly alphas from their pack.”

“He’s basically asking for a fight,” Eli says, his sharp eyes connecting with each of the guys. “But we can handle whatever those assholes have planned for us.”

Without meaning to, I let out a tiny little hiccupping sob, and Ezra pulls me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me.

I hate that this is happening. I hate that these men have to go through this because of the history between Kurt and me. There’s a voice in the back of my head telling me that they would be much better off with a different omega. One without so much baggage.

“I can tell what you’re thinking, Faye,” Eli says, taking my hand as they all crowd around me.

Each of them is touching me in some way, whether with a hand in my hair, on my arm, or in my hand.

“And you’d better stop. Everything that’s happening is on Kurt and Dexter—they’re the ones doing this.

You’ve faced hurt and fear at their hands for too long.

It stops now. Trust us to end this, once and for all. ”

I nod through the tears. I can’t say anything, but it doesn’t matter. My men don’t leave until I can breathe again, peppering me with kisses and kind words. They ensure Eli’s guard is at the door and is aware of the situation, almost making me believe that I might actually be okay.

But the devil and his son have come for me, and I have a feeling they’re not just going to walk away without their pound of flesh.