Page 18 of Pack’s Prize

“But that’s exactly why she needs us.You, Theo.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but just barely. As if Elias was the only alpha in the world who could see that she was hurt–

“She’shurting,Theo–”

“God damn it, Elias, I know!” I scrubbed my hands through my hair and stood. I needed to move or I was going to punch him in the face, and he was much larger than I. I focussed on steadying my breath, on loosening my muscles, on reining in my instincts, but he continued.

“So you’re just going to abandon–”

“No!” I barked, my carefully loosened fists clenching once more.

No. I couldn’t. That was the worst part: I’d only known this woman for a day, but…

A field of grapevines, green leaves dappled by summer sunlight, fruit heavy and ready for picking.

Honey, dripping from the comb.

Her scent had gotten under my skin, between my teeth, down my throat, into my belly.

Her soft skin under my hands, making my cock throb and my teeth hunger to feel her neck between my jaws.

Fucking instincts. I couldn’t leave her–abandonher, as Elias had so charmingly put it–not now.

If she wanted to get over that asshole of an alpha, well, we’d made a deal. Her pleasure was now our responsibility.Myresponsibility.

Shewas my responsibility.

I didn’t want to consider the other problem:

Her dark, dark eyes, burning straight into my soul.

The way those dark depths told me she wasn’t just myresponsibility…

She wasmine.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Ava

I woke up on a cloud.

At least that’s what it felt like. A soft mattress that hugged my body, silky soft sheets that I burrowed my face into. The smell of coffee hanging in the air with a faint, lingering scent of musky alpha that made my body warm, even half asleep.

Then I remembered where I was, and my fluffy white cloud turned to a damp gray one.

I had made such afoolof myself last night. I had a big talk. I’d gone to Ardor by myself, picked up an alpha pack. I’d thought I was ready to move on, but when it had come time to walk the walk…

I hadn’t been able to.

Now I was back to square one. Square zero, maybe.

There was no way they’d want to see me again, that much was certain, not after… I shuddered, remembering how I’d sobbed into Elias’s chest, probably smearing snot all over his perfect stupid body. He wasso hot,I whined internally, kicking the blankets. What waswrongwith me, that I had spent all night crying on his gorgeous pecs as his gorgeous cock went limp and his gorgeous balls went permanently blue?

Elias had reassured me as he tucked me into this, the guest bedroom, that they didn’t expect anything of me, that they never expected anything sexual of their fake courtship in the first place, that it was understandable that I would be reluctant to dive straight into something new so soon after leaving someone I’d spent so long with, but…

I wasn’t stupid. I knew what omegas were for.

Even if this pack didn’t seem to need one for… forthat.

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