Page 154 of Ashley & the A-Listers

Dylan trailed down to the opposite hall, dipping into his bedroom so he could talk to Ashley privately.

“Do you want to?” he asked.

He heard a shuffle over the phone, as if Ashley was sitting up or adjusting her hair.

“I do. A lot, actually,” she said, and her excitement was a gentle burst in the bond. Followed by the rattle of nerves. “But I don’t think I can… be impartial about it.”

“You like him,” Dylan guessed.

“I… yeah. Yeah,” she finally said.

“He’s not your client anymore,” Dylan reminded her. Ashley’s resolve had lasted through the training, longer than he’d expected. But now there was no more excuse, no more boundaries to fear crossing.

Dylan could’ve heard a pin drop before she finally released a shuddered, “No, he’s not.”

“You want a pack,” Dylan confirmed.

“Yeah. With you,” she said softly. Love shone through their connection, and it made Dylan’s heart seize.

“I think seeing Cam through his heat isn’t a terrible place to start,” Dylan mused. “He clearly wants you, as an omega who wants an alpha. I don’t think that’s very far off from Cameron wanting Ashley, you know what I mean? If it wasjustan alpha he wanted, he’d settle for me, wouldn’t he?”

He practically felt the light bulb go off in her head, even all these miles apart.

“You’re okay with this?” she asked.

Dylan rolled his eyes. “Yes. Now will you get over here already? River looks like he’s been eaten alive.”

On the phone, he heard a door shut, and his lips curled. “Are you already on your way?”

A pause. “Yeah. I’ll be there.”

Dylan grinned, hung up, and made his way back out to the bar. River’s water bottle was empty, and he was eying the snacks but refraining.

“She’s on her way.”

Tension fled River’s shoulders, and he nodded before grabbing the box of pastries and a snack bento. “Good. Just send her in when she gets here.”

“Hey,” he said, catching River’s attention before he could disappear. “You okay with this?”

River sucked in a breath, then managed to meet his eyes. “It stings a little, not gonna lie. But it’ll be good for them,” he admitted.

Dylan placed a hand on River’s shoulder and gave him a supportive squeeze. “You’re good for him, too.”

River’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, and Dylan released him so he could return to where he so clearly wanted to be. “Thanks for the pastries. I’ll be sure to tell Cameron who got them.”

Dylan tossed him a water bottle to take along, and then he retreated back down the hallway to the nest.

Where Ashley would be soon!

Dylan eyed the door, and smiled at the anticipation in the bond.

The stars were aligning. This pack washappening.

34. ALPHA

ASHLEY

Bits of information about omegas filtered down from alphas around her were not nearly the same as stepping through the apartment door and into a mist of honey and vanilla. It was stronger thaneverbefore.

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