Page 98 of Rut Bar

“Good,” I say, giving him a small smile.

“I like having you in my arms. It feels right. Like I could get used to this.”

He’s right, and I sense it too. I always thought thatwhen you find them, you’ll knowstuff was nonsense, but there might be something to all those movies and romance novels after all. It’s cheesy to put it down to fate, but chemistry… Scent matches. Opposites attract. Those things I understand.

Brendan’s energy is quiet and calm. Like the heavy comforter you wrap yourself in when there’s a nip in the air and you’re comfy on your sofa. He’s not loud, vibrant parties or ocean dips at six in the morning. He’s coming home to your own bed after traveling. A cozy nest. Home.

Despite his calm vibes and soothing scent, nerves make my pulse jump. I’m not good at being vulnerable, and I’ve stripped myself raw tonight. All I can do is hope that letting them in won’t be a mistake. I’ve been burned before. “I think I could get used to it too.”

But I’m not ready to tie myself to a relative stranger. We have a lot of getting to know one another to do. Anthony and Jamie have an advantage. I’ve known them for years. Brendan is the wild card I never could have seen coming.

And packs are a whole different ball game. One that I don’t think any of us are truly prepared for. Unless…“I don’t really know much about packing up. Have you ever been involved with one before?” I ask him.

“No. I didn’t think one would ever want me, to be honest. Not after I injured my knee. Some days are worse than others, and I can always tell when it’s going to rain. Maybe if I had a more attractive scent…”

He sighs and his arms tighten around me. “I fooled around in college, but nothing that stuck. Most people don’t want to settle down into partnerships or packs until they’re in their mid or late twenties at the earliest. They want rut bars and Heat Buddy matches, not matings. So I focused on work. Then when I hit thirty and I was still mostly single, I did the usual rounds that single alphas do. Matching centers, heat clinics, and all the dating apps. I tried a few scent bars too. I had one long-term relationship over the years. She was a beta and we had a scent match. Or at least I did. Her name was Jenna.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“She was a beta working as an admin assistant for a tech startup and she thought her boss was a better match for her. I’d known things were off and not great for a while. A year in, I bought a ring, but I could never seem to find the perfect time to give it to her. She started working late. Going on business trips with him. She got weird about her phone, never leaving it anywhere, not even when she was showering and it needed to charge.”

Oh, no.I know where this is going.

“I found out about their affair one night,” he says. “She forgot to lock her computer. All of their messages were in the texting app linked to her phone.”

“Fuck, that’s awful.” I set my hand on his chest. I’ve never been cheated on. I’ve never been with someone long enough to get to where exclusivity is expected. I can’t imagine how that sort of betrayal hits. “I’m sorry.”

“She was right,” he says, surprising me. “He was a better match for her than I was. They’ve been married for years and they have two kids now. She was probably always going to be better off with another beta, anyway. A lot of betas like the fantasy of dating an alpha better than the reality of it. Ruts are all fun and games until the chafing starts.”

My laugh turns into a snort. He’s right. I can’t imagine dealing with an alpha in rut without the benefit of slick and heat delirium. “Well, her loss is my gain.”

“And mine.” He grins, the movement making a dimple appear in his cheek. It makes him look younger than he is. He’s late thirties or early forties, I’d guess. There’s a bit of gray at his temples. I slide my hand up to his face and let my thumb dip into that dimple. Rough beard stubble scratches my hand. No wonder my inner thighs are chafed red.

“I’d like to court you, Veronica,” Brendan says.

I arch one brow. “I thought that’s what we were already doing.”

“That was a start, but I want to do things properly. I want to do this right. I’m going to get you a courting gift that’s perfect. Something you need. Something nobody’s ever given you before. A present you don’t know you want yet.”

“That’s a tall order.” Especially considering that he doesn’t know me that well yet. “What’s the timeline of this mysterious perfect courting gift?”

“Oh, don’t worry.” He grins, and another dimple forms on the other side of his smile. I get a glimpse of the heartbreaker he was when he was a young alpha coming out of his first rut. “I already have an idea or two. I’ll deliver it by your next heat. It’ll be perfect, or you can send me packing.”

His confidence is attractive, and I have to remind my pussy that we’ve hit our sex quota for the month. What the fuck are these three men doing to me? And why the hell do I like it so damn much?

ChapterTwenty-Seven

BRENDAN

“Got everything?”Anthony asks the next morning while he tosses my duffel bag into the back of the van.

“I think so.” Mentally, I run through a list of everything I brought. I’ve got my dirty laundry in a plastic bag. I only brought one pair of shoes. I barely had time to unpack my toiletries, so all of that’s still in its special bag. But something is nagging at me. I’ve definitely forgotten something, but I don’t remember what it is.

Well, whatever it is, they can always bring it to me at Rut tomorrow.

“Okay, let’s go,” Anthony orders. He backs the van out of the garage and puts sunglasses on.

“Wait!” I yell, finally remembering what’s been bothering me.

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