Page 44 of How to Lose a Pack in 10 Dates

“Oh, I’m not done.” I lean in, dropping my voice. “I’m going to give it a few more days; and then, once I know I’ve got Cam and Jace completely whipped—like, fully smitten, unable to function without me—I’m going to take them up on their offer.”

The girls blink at me expectantly, waiting for the punchline.

“I’m moving in.”

Zara chokes. “You’re what?!”

“I’m going to infiltrate the pack house. From theinside.”

Lex is already roaring with laughter. “You’re a menace.”

“No. I’m aredecorator,” I grin. “One pink pillow at a time. I'm talking fairy lights, fluffy throws, pastel mugs that say things like ‘Live Laugh Knot.’ I’m going full sugar-scented domestic warfare.”

“Oh mygod,” Lex says, wiping her eyes.

“I want to see how far I can push Wes before he loses it,” I say dreamily. “How much he’ll tolerate for the sake of ‘pack harmony.’ Like, will he let me hang framed chinchilla art? Will he endure glitter-covered Post-its on his protein powder? Or will he finally snap and throw a scented candle at the wall?”

“Does it matter?” Lex grins. “Either way, you win.”

“Exactly,” I say. “He gets humiliated in his own kitchen, and I get revenge.”

Zara sighs, trying not to smile. “This is a terrible idea.”

“And yet,” I say, stabbing my salad triumphantly, “it feels so right.”

Zara sighs and leans her elbow on the table. “Just… be careful, okay? It’s easy to say you won’t catch feelings, but if you’re going to be moving in, then you’re going to be spending alotof time with them.”

I glance down at my napkin, twisting it between my fingers until the fabric starts to fray.

“Real talk,” she says, reaching over to grab my hand. “Are yousurethis is just revenge? Because, Aims… you have a tendency to get attached. And this isn’t exactly low-impact exposure therapy.”

“I know what I’m doing,” I say automatically, straightening my spine.

“Do you?” she presses, softer now. “Because Wes is one thing, but this pack? These guys clearly like each other. They trust each other. You’re not just playing with him—you’re stepping into the middle of something much bigger.”

How can I be so sure I won’t catch feelings? I don’t know.

Maybe because I’ve spent the past four years actively trying not to feel anything at all. Maybe because I’ve trained myself to turn attraction into performance and connection into control.

Maybe because the only bond that ever meant something to me—the only one that ever threatened to break me—already did.

I look up and force a smile that feels a little too bright. “Yep. Operation How to Lose a Pack in 10 Dates is fully operational. And I mean it: I know what I’m doing. I’m not going to fall for them.”

Lex watches me, mouth twitching. “Sure. And I’mdefinitelynot going to text my ex tonight just because he posted a thirst trap at one of Jace’s gyms.”

“You better not,” I practically growl. “Ian Walmsley is a loser, and you know it. I thought you had him blocked.”

“This isn’t about me!” Lex quickly announces. “Forget I mentioned him.”

Zara leans closer, her eyes narrowed at me. “Be honest, Aimee. Are you…excited?”

I pause, thinking on it for a beat, andgod: I hate that I am.

This is supposed to be a game.Payback. The strategic dismantling of the man who walked away from me like I was nothing. But every time I make Wes suffer through my scent—every time Cam gets flustered or Jace voice notes me somethingfilthy while pretending it’s about protein intake; every time I feel wanted, seen,chosen—it feels like a flex.

Still, I’m not going to lower the tone and go into all of that. So, I shrug my shoulders and throw them both a grin that feels just a little too sharp.

“It’s just a fun way to spend my free time,” I say. “I’m not planning a wedding, or anything.”

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