Page 133 of Mark & Don't Tell

“No.”

She does a little dance on the desk. “I knew it. I knew you’d go for those silver foxes.”

“They don’t even have gray hair yet.”

“Give it a few years,” she says with a wink. “So, is this serious? Did they mark you?” Her gaze drops to my makeup-covered neck, and she presses her lips together, her focus zooming back to my face and eyebrows arching in question.

Right. I haven’t told anyone I’ve moved in with them and how serious this all is. I should probably come clean with my friends. I should tell Jane now. We’re officially a pack. I know they’re happy to display my marks. But we haven’t told anyone about our relationship.

Like the mark, formally announcing it is something we should decide together. So, while I want to tell Jane every dirty detail, I give her most of the truth instead, hoping she won’t hate me for omitting crucial facts when it all comes out.

Sighing, I finish logging in. “We didn’t talk about marking before my heat hit, and they were adamant that I consent to something like that.”

“Consent Kings, love it. Like them, continue.” Jane makes a hurry up gesture.

I giggle. “Right. Uh, so I had my heat, and they were there, and I don’t remember much of it.” That’s the truth. Most of it is flashes of them surrounding me, giving me copious amounts of pleasure to help me ride it out.

“So, you’re dating?”

It’s probably okay to admit to that. “They’re courting me.”

“That’s amazing, Daria. Just think, one day you’ll be living your best pack life,” she says with a dreamy sigh.

I can’t wait to tell her that I already am. Deciding to distract her, so she doesn’t ask more questions, I turn the conversation around. “Enough about me, tell me about your date.”

Jane tells me all about a new pack she met at a coffee shop, and with every detail she feeds me, the more guilt slithers through my veins. I don’t like keeping things from my friends.

Tonight, when I get home, the guys and I need to talk about how and when we’ll announce our relationship.

Thirty minutes before Kai is meant to pick me up from work, I get a text from Marco. A smile breaks across my face until I see the message.

Marco

Can you come get me?

I frown at the screen.

What’s going on, bub?

Please come get me.

Okay. I’ll be there soon. Are you okay? Safe?

No.

My stomach drops. I don’t know what Mom’s done, but I do know how volatile she is, and Marco has never asked me to come get him before. Whatever is going on is serious.

I’m on the way.

Pulling up my contacts list, I find Kai’s name and call him. It only takes two rings for him to answer.

“Hey, babe.” His voice is warm and carefree, the exact opposite of how I feel.

Dread coils around my throat. “When will you be here?”

“I got off early, so I’m two minutes away.”

I spin and lock my computer. “I’m going to meet you out front.”

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