Page 57 of All In

In no universe did I think I was coming to stay with Ranger and his pack.

I don’t even know why it upsets me so much.

He’s a scent match, but there’s some deeper level of connection beyond just being compatible.

My chest actually aches realizing that we’ll never be able to explore that connection.

It’s my instincts’ fault.

They got obsessed with the idea of an apex alpha who would fully be able to keep me safe.

Why would he even bring me here?

I mistakenly thought he was just a little socially awkward. That maybe he liked me too and was also attracted to my scent.

I thought we had a moment next to those executed corpses.

“If you could stop touching me, that would be great,” Ranger says, prying her hands off his back. “Thank Ramirez. He was there. Show your appreciation to him, and he will verbally pass it on to me.”

“Holy shit! You’re back,” she says, looking over my shoulder.

I am so incredibly confused, but glancing behind me, there’s a man with dark hair and a killer smile. He followed us in, but I forgot about him in the chaos. He steps around me and jogs toward the woman.

Well, that was a roller coaster.

I still have no idea what’s going on or who that woman is to Ranger.

I inch closer to Tanner, whispering, “I’m so freaking confused.”

“Me too, firecracker.”

Ranger comes to my side. “That is Kate. I acquired her?—”

“He married me off to my pack with no prior knowledge or consent,” the woman—Kate—says.

“Speaking of the word pack. Are you packed?” Ranger growls, glancing between Kate and the three men now huddled around her. “Lucien is no longer a threat, meaning you no longer need to reside here.”

“You really are a dick,” Kate says, laughing. “You demanded we live with you, and you’re kicking us out with no notice.”

“Stop, don’t bait him,” Ramirez says, pulling her into his chest with a seductive smile on his face. “Now we can get settled in at my house.”

“I texted you last night, telling you it was done and that you could and should begin packing.” Ranger crosses his arms over his chest. “I hoped you’d be gone by the time we arrived.”

Kate laughs. “All of our shit is already out in the cars. We just wanted to be here to greet Ramirez.” She smiles up at her alpha before disengaging and coming to stand in front of me. “I was Lucien’s prisoner for close to two years. If you need to talk…” She shrugs. “The offer stands.”

My head tilts as I try to comprehend how long two years of captivity would feel like to experience.

I’ve put enough together to determine they had me for five or six days.

I can’t even process what it would be like to experience five or six weeks, let alone years.

It also makes me feel like a righteous asshole for disliking the woman simply for being in Ranger’s home.

They may have had multiple reasons for killing Lucien Andretti, but the bottom line is, they rescued me.

That counts for something.

It’s hard because I’m always more emotional right before my heat is supposed to start. The mood swings are extreme in those few days of breakthrough symptoms, when I start a new pack of suppressants.

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