Page 93 of This Pack of Ours

“No,” I said, not meeting his eyes. He growled, and I tried to tug my hand away, but he held me tighter. Maybe Ihadcaught glimpses of… something while I was with them. But not like he was describing.

After all, Kit was their scent match. He was everything they needed. How could it be the same?

“Bullshit,” he said, shifting forward from where he was sitting, close enough to me that I moved back. He didn’t stop, a glint in his eye. I glared at him and backed up, but he followed me until I bumped against the back of the bed. He crawled over me, trying to cage me in, and I hissed and tried to slide out from under him.

“Leave me alone, you fucking asshole,” I snapped as he grabbed me and pinned me down.

Fuck, he smelled so good, felt so good pressed down on top of me like this, his scent everywhere. I bucked, trying to slip free as he twisted around until he was behind me, his arms trapping me against his chest.

He rested his chin on my shoulder as he pulled me close, and I froze as I heard his purr start up. He was… cuddling me. A lump formed in my throat, and I blinked my eyes as he shifted me into a more comfortable position. All the stress that had been building in me was starting to dissolve as I felt his rumble against my back.

“Have I told you, you’re an unbearable ass?”

My voice shook as I said it, but my traitorous arms were winding through his, pulling him closer. I wanted him to need me.

“You might have mentioned it,” he replied.

I stayed in his arms, and my omega settled down happily, telling me we were safe.

“I’m staying here tonight,” he told me, tugging the blanket over us and resting his head on a pillow. I sniffed again, so fucking relieved that I wasn’t going to be alone.

“Whatever,” I muttered thickly. “If you snore, I’m kicking you.”

“Likewise,” he said, pulling me closer. He was silent for a moment, before he kissed the back of my head.

“Stay with me,” he whispered, and for a moment I wanted to say yes. But then he continued. “I’ll keep you safe, okay?”

Those words should have settled me—should have made my omega happier—safer.

Instead, they sent a whisper of dread down my spine. They paralyzed me—dragged me back to those last moments with dad.

“See you on the other side, Juni-bug… I’ve got you, okay?”

I’d felt safe then, too, right before everything shattered.

As Vander fell asleep beside me, I wrestled with nightmares.

And I knew this wasn’t anything special.

Just stupid broken omega instincts lying again. They’d never done anything good for me. They were the reason my dad was dead—how could I ever think I deserved a pack like this? That I’d be good for them?

No.

They were better off with Kit.

FIFTEEN

JUNIPER

The next morning, I shut myself in the bathroom and packed a to-go bag. I needed to leave now.

Vander was wrong.

I wasn’t better than him.

And, unlike him, I didn’t have a scent match to cure me of my heartache. Whatever I had with them, it wasn’t enough to make me forget.

I returned to my room and kicked Vander out, packing some clothes into a small suitcase.

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