Page 118 of This Pack of Ours

“Youfuckhead,” he finally said, and pulled me down into a kiss. My shock quickly melted into a relieved, blossoming joy as I felt my love echoed back at me. His lips on mine were hungry and exploring, his good hand tangling in my hair. He tasted of frost and rain with a faint tang of blood, but that didn’t stop me from wanting more.

I blinked down at him, my head spinning.

“You can’t call me a fuckhead and then kiss me,” I said, with a half-hearted frown. He grinned and gave a shrug.

“Just did,” he said cheerily. “Might do it again.”

“You willnot,” I said, indignant. “It’s a gross violation of my wishes.”

“So?” he said. I could feel something through the bond, something mischievous and with a tinge of… lust? Maybe I was just not used to reading this stuff.

“Vander,” I said. “Stop being such a?—”

“I think the word you’re looking for is‘brat,’’” he said, patting my cheek.

That wasdefinitelylust. I opened my mouth to reply, but then Adrian came over, carrying an unconscious Ez in his arms. He looked panicked.

“Is Kit okay? I looked up, and he was gone. I’m so sorry?—”

“I think they’re alright,” said Vander, looking over at them right as Kit vomited.

I stood up, taking Ez’s unconscious body from Adrian.

“Go get the van,” I instructed, starting toward our omegas.

JUNIPER

I helped Kit back to his feet after he was done heaving and looked around. Adrian was passing Ez’s limp form to Jhin. Vander was alive, thank god, looking at us as he got up.

“You came for me,” I said, and Kit slipped his hand into mine. My brain was whirring, because now the danger had passed—but where did that leave us, trying to catch up with what had just happened?

Kit… he’d just kissed me again. I looked at him, and he gave me his small, shy, smile.

“We didn’t want to lose you, Juni. Any of us,” he told me in a hoarse voice. “I’m in love with you, and Vander said—well—” He cut off with a cough.

“Shhh,” I said, wrapping my arms around him. A pure, bright relief was settling over me. “I love you too, Kit.”

Jhin ushered us over to the sheltered entrance of the mall and sat Ez down between us, instructing us to keep him warm. We managed to prop him up so his head was on Kit’s shoulder. Vander had limped over to sit next to us, too, while Jhin went to check on the bodies of Lewis and Valerie.

I couldn’t stop staring at where Lewis’ body had made a huge round imprint on the side of the wall.

“That’s kind of terrifying,” I muttered to Kit. “Was that Jhin?”

When Adrian parked their white minivan close by, Jhin wrapped me, Kit, and Ez in a thick, flannel blanket and knelt in front of us. He checked Kit’s neck, asked if I was injured, and then gave all three of us a kiss on the head and stood up.

“Shock treatment,” he told Adrian, who nodded and grabbed another blanket. Adrian seemed really worried, and swore when he saw the mess of bruising on Kit’s neck.

“I was supposed to keep you safe,” he said in anguish, his fingers gently brushing the purple skin.

“Iwas the one who left,” Kit argued. He couldn’t speak much above a whisper.

“You’re in so much trouble,” I told him, squeezing his arm. “You could havedied.”

“You would have done it for me, Juniper,” he said hoarsely, his face sullen. “Besides, what about you? Going to get a scent match?”

I felt my face going red.

“Maybe let’s just say no one is in trouble.”

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