She leaned up, and I felt her teeth pierce my neck, blowing our connection open wider than it was in the regular bond.

“What was that for?” I asked, though I wasn’t complaining. I could feel everything from her. Her joy soaring high above, and her insecurities, worry and fear pulling her down. I drew her closer, never wanting her to feel she wasn’t enough.

“You asked if I would claim you as my… my husband,” she whispered. “I did.”

I growled, pulling her into a kiss. When I drew away, her eyes were dancing. “I love you, my perfect wife.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

SHATTER

We were extremely late for class the next morning. My fault, as I went back and forth for ages over whether I should wear my ring. My husbands had sworn they wouldn’t mind if I wanted to keep it on the down low for now—and a part of me wanted to keep it for just… me.

Me and my pack.

I switched between wearing it around my neck on a necklace, to leaving it in my drawer, to slipping it onto my finger.

Finally, I decided to be bold. It wouldn’t ruin any narrative we were trying to spin. Quite the contrary. Just like everything else the Kingsman pack did, it would look, to everyone else, like a bid for control.

I did, however, have to wear the ring upside down because I was prone to bursting into tears every time I saw the cute little hexagons placed haphazardly across the silver.

It almost happened six times in the Neuro and Behavioural Patterns Arkology class, but luckily, that wasn’t the one I cared about right now. I’d made it to lunch, and I’d dared to flip it hexagon-diamond side up for now as I headed to the water fountain with my cup.

I was feeling more hopeful than I had in so long, closing in on what I needed. I’d had Dusk make Decebal get me website after website of all the kinds of studies I needed to scour, to be sure.

The last puzzle piece. And I was getting near the truth I needed for my plan.

Even if it was… well, it was scary. It was all for our future. The future that felt a thousand times more real now there was a ring on my finger.

I turned, a cup of water from the drink fountain in my hand, and almost walked straight into Jasmine Lynn. She sneered at me, taking a step back, but I grit my teeth, side stepping her and reminding myself of the time I’d sunk my teeth into her neck.

I didn’t have to care what she thought. Plus, Roxy said she was an outcast now. Of course, not outside of Omega Studies, since all she’d been doing was tailing the Lincoln pack like a puppy, but it still made me feel a little better.

She had a bitter look on her face as she pushed past, but halted as her eyes found the ring on my finger.

“They did propose then?” Her voice was snide, and a grin was spreading across her face. “Someone said the ring was pathetic, but I had to see for myself.”

I felt the blood drain from my face as I took a step back.

“A pack that rich, and you get a ring that can barely catch the sunlight.”

“I love it,” I said, heat rising in my blood.

“You’re gold pack,” she laughed. “You’d cry with joy if they bought you a ring made of plastic.”

Passersby were staring, but I grit my teeth.

This wasn’t worth my time.

“You’re just jealous because you joined a pack that doesn’t want you.” Roxy was at my side in a moment, and I saw Jasmine’s eyes flash with disgust.

“You’re far from top nowadays, Roxy. A packless fucking loner.”

“Funny, because the alphas who rejected you have been leaving flowers at my doorstep for days now.”

Roxy’s hand was on my arm, already tugging me away.

“Wait—are they?” I asked.