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My brother is asleep in bed. There’s a man beside him. I refuse to look.

“David!”

My brother jerks awake, panic-stricken. He’s fully dressed, something I wasn’t expecting, and he scampers out of bed like a fucking rat. I stand at the foot of his bed, my arms crossed over my chest. I’m not angry, but I have every right to be.

“Cassia?” David sounds confused. Alarmed. “What’s going on?”

The body in his bed moves, and the man beside my brother sits up with alarming speed. He’s also fully dressed, another thing I’m not expecting. His eyes dart between me and my brother before he vanishes altogether, probably teleporting back to Wrath like the coward he is.

I refuse to acknowledge it—acknowledgehim.

“Come with me,” I order David. “To Rexton’s.”

I leave before he responds. Teleporting back to Rexton’s living room is painful, my body beyond exhausted, but I’ll be damned if I ask David to bring me there. I’m already annoyed with this situation, but I have nobody else to turn to.

David appears in Rexton’s living room a few seconds after me.

“What’s going on?” He looks around, scanning the silent, dark room. “Is somebody hurt?”

I sigh, gesturing toward Rexton’s bedroom. “No. I need you to—”

I freeze as David scurries forward, inviting himself into my personal space. His nostrils are flaring, and the corners of his lips twitch when he gets close.

“You naughty girl.” He laughs. “Does Mom know you’re fucking her best friend?”

No, and that’s a problem for future me to deal with. I haven’t spoken to Mom about Rexton. I probably should’ve found time to do so before things became serious, but it’s too late for that.

I’ve already bonded with the man.

“Rexton’s injured, and I’m falling asleep,” I say. “I need you to keep watch.”

“Keep watch?” David pauses, cocking his head to the side. “I didn’t realize you were still doing that. Are you feeling—”

“I don’t need your judgment. Can you keep watch or not?”

David lifts his hands in surrender. “Yes. I will keep watch over you and your sleeping lover.”

Good.I point to the couch, showing him where he can wait. I’d typically force him to guard us from the bedroom, but Rexton is shirtless. He wouldn’t want David seeing his back, so David will stay out here. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.

I wait for David to sit before returning to Rexton’s bedroom. My mate hasn’t moved. I want to touch his wound. I want to funnel my power into him until it’s healed, but I don’t have much to spare. I’m exhausted.

I slip into bed beside him, hating how much I enjoy the scent of his sheets.

I don’t smell any other women. It’s entirely Rexton, and I really fucking like that. I’m afraid I can be quite possessive, and I’m unsure how Rexton will take that. Some men appreciate it. Some don’t.

Rexton shifts as I get comfortable, but he doesn’t wake.

It further supports my decision to have David keep watch. Rexton’s a heavy sleeper, and it would be too easy for somebody to murder him. It’s truly a miracle he’s survived this long in the first place.

I have a room at David’s, but he’s promised never to allow another person to enter it. I have a room at Valeria’s, too, butI don’t trust the fates, so I don’t particularly enjoy staying with her.

It’s hard to relax enough to fall asleep, but eventually, I have no choice. Exhaustion wins, and I slip into darkness. I’m not sure how long I’m out for, but the sun is shining through the windows when I come to.

Rexton’s staring at me. He’s rolled onto his side, his black eyes unblinking as he watches me come to consciousness.

“Why is your brother in my living room?”

I rub my eyes. “What?”