Page 56 of Pack Me Up

Cody says, “We have a mission.”

We round the corner, and I realize we’re heading for the studio. My heart speeds up. Is Brittney in there?

“Colton, I swear to god—”

He cuts me off. “Just walk. It’ll be worth it.”

They stop at the door, which is closed and suspiciously dark on the other side. Colton releases me, then smooths my shirt as if to erase the evidence. Cody goes for the dramatic reveal, swinging the door wide with a flourish.

And holy shit.

The studio is transformed. Someone’s strung fairy lights in a double-helix along the rafters, and the floor is a quilt of plush blankets and faux-fur throws. Unscented candles glow from every surface. There’s music too, something softer, laced with strings. In the center of it all, a single bottle of rosé, sweating beads of condensation, and two glasses.

I stare, stunned. “What’s this?”

“Don’t be dense,” says Colton, gently shoving me inside.

Cody beams. “It’s romantic.”

I spin around, eyes darting from the candles to the wine to the nest of blankets. “For Brittney?”

They both snort, but the punchline is lost in the sudden quiet. Colton is serious now, arms crossed over his chest. He looks older, almost like someone’s fast-forwarded him five years.

He says, “This is for you.”

I laugh, a sharp, brittle sound. “For me?”

Cody nods. “We talked about the Brittney situation.”

My stomach flips. “She’s okay, right? Did I—did something happen?”

Colton steps forward, all bravado gone. “She’s fine. She’s more than fine. But she’s never—” He breaks off, tongue fumbling. “She’s a virgin, Fox. She’s never been with anyone.”

I blink.

“She told us,” says Colton, voice gone soft.

Cody picks up the thread. “We want it to be good for her. The first time, I mean. And with the heat coming, it has to be soon.”

I can’t even process. I have a jealous pang that the twins are planning something with her, but I push it aside.

“Why am I here?” I ask, and it comes out smaller than I intend.

Colton shrugs. “You’re the only one who’d make it nice. The rest of us would just fuck it up.”

It takes me a second to realize what he means.

“No,” I say, holding up both hands. “No way. I’m not— I can’t—”

Cody’s eyes are green fire. “You can. She wants you.”

My mouth goes dry. “She wants—”

“You,” Colton repeats. “You, Fox.”

I’m not stupid. I’ve seen the way Brittney looks at me, the way her scent spikes when I walk in, and she told me not to push her away. But I always assumed it was safe with me because I’m not an alpha. I’m a beta, the designated driver of every hormonal disaster

“Wouldn’t she want, I don’t know, someone who can actually knot her?” I say, voice cracking on the last word.