Page 80 of Why Cruise

What was I doing?Kissing a billionaire like I was the bandaid for his soul. Ren inside me, likethatwas what I was meant for. I had never feltthatbefore, not during heat, not on Daryl’s knot.No. It was just sex and the dumb pillow. It was just sex. Just sex. A fling. The fling.

I shook myself and pushed all the hair off my face. I couldn’t think when it was messy. I’d had my fling. Jillian would be proud. Now I could focus on Theo and get back to real life, the real world… where I was alone, living in Jillian’s spare bedroom. Alone.

Everything would be fine. The cruise was almost halfway over. Theo would find his pack. I’d had the perfect fling. It would all work out. For Theo, at least.

“Boo Bear!”

The voice hit me like needles all over the body. Before I could turn, strong arms spun me and wrapped around my waist, lifting me off my feet. The world spun as Daryl twirled me around, his familiar wood shaving scent making my head spin even faster.

“Oh my god, oh my god, it’s really you!” He set me down but didn’t let go, pressing his forehead to mine. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

My hands gripped his biceps, trying to steady myself. He looked exactly the same. Pressed khakis. Polo shirt with the collar just slightly crooked. That one cowlick that never stayed down, no matter how much product he used.

Then he dropped to his knees right there on the deck.

“Daryl, what are you…” I went beet red.

“Please, please just listen.” He grabbed my hands, pressing them to his chest. “I’ve been dying without you. We all have.” He tilted his head, showing off the fresh pack bite on his neck, still pink and healing. “Look, look what we did. We made it official, just like you always wanted.”

The auracle.You already have your pack.The bite was raw and fresh. It would fade over time, not like an omega bite. His pack.

“This has to be fate.” His voice cracked with emotion. “All of us on the same cruise? It’s a sign, Boo Bear. The universe is giving us another chance.”

“Stand up, please,” I whispered, mortified by the growing crowd of onlookers.

“Not until you agree to hear me out.” He pressed his face against our joined hands. “I’ll beg if I have to. I’ll stay on my knees all night.”

“Daryl, don’t.” Alphas should never be on their knees.

“I sat outside Jillian’s building every single day.” His voice cracked. “In the rain. Remember that storm last week? Justhoping to catch a glimpse of you. The doorman felt so bad he started bringing me coffee.”

“You did?” My throat tightened.

“I called until your voicemail was full. I left you messages. God, that one at three in the morning…” He laughed hoarsely. “Don’t listen to that one. I was crying so hard you probably couldn’t even understand me. But I meant every word.”

Daryl? Crying?

“I sent flowers. To Jillian’s. Even tried having your favorite coffee delivered. But Jillian refused it all.” His thumbs traced circles on my palms. “I wrote you letters. Actual letters, with stamps and everything. Remember how you said no one writes letters anymore?”

I pulled in a shaky breath.

“Really?”

“But Jillian wouldn’t let me see you. She said I didn’t deserve you.” His shoulders shook. “And she was right. I didn’t deserve you. I still don’t. But I can’t live without you.”

“Let me get you a drink.” A smooth voice cut through my panic. Brock, Daryl’s new pack lead, appeared beside us with a fruity drink and held it out to me, but I didn’t take it. He ran his knuckles down my cheek in a gesture that was both intimate and possessive. “You should see how he’s been suffering without you. Barely eating. Can’t sleep. We thought the pack bonds would help, but honestly, it’s making us all miserable. I’m not sure he can live without you.”

“We bought a house. You’re going to love it. I know you hated our old place. It has a pool.”

“Just come have drinks with us. Let me prove how different things can be.”

“Come on, Kenzie, don’t let him suffer like this,” Brock said. He motioned to the rest of his pack. Leaf, Sam and Chaz. “Look at his pack, your pack too. They’re suffering too.”

“Please.” Daryl’s voice broke on the word. “Just drinks. That’s all I’m asking for. Give us one chance to show you how much we want you.”

The fresh bite mark seemed to pulse on his neck.

“Let him make this right.” Brock whispered low just for me to hear. “Let us all make this right. Daryl might have found you first, but you belong to us.”

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