Page 122 of The Packaged Deal

Missy laughs. “Good excuse. The sex haze made me do it.”

Kandi, Missy, and I laugh, and the last remains of tension between us disappear.

“You better leave,” Adrian says and stands up. “He’s coming in hot and pissed.”

Seb and Missy wave and quickly get in his car and disappear. Not a moment too soon because Sven screams to a halt in our driveway and throws himself out of the car.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” He roars. Watching a man with those kinds of muscles, that unhinged, tear up the drive to the house howling at you in that tone, should not be sexy.

Adrian folds his arms over his chest and raises an eyebrow. “Don't speak to me like that, Sven.”

I glance at Adrian and mentally promise him a blowjob because, hell, the only thing hotter than Sven right now is Adrian’s cool.

He stabs a finger into Adrian’s chest. “You went snooping.”

“You keep poking me like that, and I’ll put you over the kitchen table and fuck you until you remember who the fuck I am!” Adrian roars, losing his temper.

Oh, I think I just came a little. I fan myself and force myself to focus.

We all go silent. The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife, but Sven’s temper now has a sexual edge to it.

“You betrayed me,” Sven growls viciously.

Ah, no, I have to redirect.

“No!” I say sharply. “I did.”

He snaps his head towards me and glowers. “You busy body, pain in the ass omega.”

I advance on him, ignoring all the awful things he’s saying, and wrap my arms around him. His words still, broken off as he takes in the fact that I’m not fighting.

“I’m so sorry, Sven. I’m so sorry.” Tears fill my eyes, and I snuggle deeper. “I’m sorry this happened to you. And I’m sorry you had to go through all that pain alone. I’m sorry.” My voice trembles.

Sven does nothing but breathe. His scent gets stronger and wraps around me.

“It’s okay, Sven. It will be okay,” Adrian murmurs, and then I feel him join our hug. Cool rivers joining the licorice.

Kandi slams into us from the other side. “You don’t need to keep running anymore. I love you, Sven. You’re going to be fine.”

“But…I’m dangerous.” He sounds so confused. I almost giggle.

“Yeah, to everyone else. Not to us,” I say through a throat full of tears. “Never to us, you big bone-head.” I step back, forcing the others to step back, too.

“Sven, you’re part of this pack, but you don’t have to bond me.” Oh, it hurts to say those words, but I will not cause this alpha more pain. I will not be the thorn that jabs at his open wounds.

I don’t take my eyes off Sven, but I can feel Kandi and Adrian staring at me.

“What?” Adrian whispers. “You’d give up the bond?”

I nod. Because I love him that much. If he needs to not have it to feel safe, then I will live without it.

“You don’t have to bond me. I won’t ask you. It’s not fair. What you went through, it’s awful. I don’t need your bond or commitment. You don’t have to be here with us. We can let you go, if that’s what you need,” I say in a voice that wobbles.

Sven huffs a laugh, but I can tell it’s uncertain.

“You read the report? The whole thing.”

“We did, Sven, but we didn’t need to, you idiot. No one is leaving you. We are a pack, and we’re your pack if you want us, even if you don’t. We’ll be here for you whenever you need us.”

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