“Give me your fucking ID,” he says, staring at my wallet.
I pull out my license, then hold it up for him to see. “And my flight back?”
“You’re flying commercial.” He snatches the card from my hand and turns away.
I can feel Autry’s eyes on me before I even look over. Turning my head, my eyes lock with hers. Her dark brows drawn tight, lips parted slightly. She looks... worried. Or curious. Maybe both. And fuck, she’s beautiful.
The sudden urge to walk to her, drop to my knees, and lick that pretty mouth hits me like a goddamn truck.
I take a step back, trying to shake the feeling off.
Fuck.
This is going to be a long fucking flight.
In Westbin
Autry
I really wantedto stay awake on the plane, but the second we climbed above the clouds, sleep dragged me under. The gentle rumble of the engines pulled me into darkness so fast it felt like I blinked and we were landing again.
When I wake up, Rhett has his arms around me. My cheek presses against his firm bicep, and his big hand rests on my hip like it belongs there. Like I belong here. It’s…wonderful.
I honestly didn’t know an alpha could feel so warm and safe.
I’m still not sure if I trust the feeling, but I don’t really have any other choice. And I’m determined to make this work.
After we touch down, Rhett carries me through the quiet airport to the parking garage. Charlie follows a few paces behind, his steps heavy with sleep. Oli—the dark-haired alpha—vanishes the moment we disembark. He’dcalled me his mate back at the airport. Is he Rhett’s packmate? If so, why didn’t Rhett tell me about him? And why isn’t he here now?
I stifle a yawn as we step into the elevator of a sleek, modern apartment building. I should be paying attention to my surroundings—this is my new home—but everything feels too loud, too sharp, too bright, despite the hush of the late hour.
The elevator dings, and we step into a pristine white hallway. Only two doors—one at each end. But that’s it. Are there only two apartments on this floor?
“This way, beautiful,” Rhett says softly, his fingers curling around mine. Charlie trails behind us, quiet but present. There’s something proud in the way he moves, like he’s trying to match Rhett’s posture. Like he belongs here too.
You have to find the energy for what’s coming next,I tell myself, but exhaustion still pulls at my eyelids.Wake up!!I force my eyes to open wide.
Rhett will want to rut me as soon as possible, to physically stake his claim until he can mate me. The academy always stressed this point to mentally prepare us for laying with a mate we might not know very well. However, right now, I can fully see that there’s no preparing someone to be intimate with a stranger. And yet, a flush warms my skin. The idea of being under Rhett, of his scent pressed into my skin, of feeling the weight of his attention—it sends a soft ache curling low in my belly.
Rhett reaches into his pocket for his keys—but before he can use them, the door opens.
A tall, sleepy-looking beta blinks at us from the threshold. His blond hair is tousled, and his soft flannel pajamasare wrinkled with sleep. “How was the flight?” he asks, stepping up onto his toes to press a kiss to Rhett’s cheek.
“Long,” Rhett murmurs, then turns to me, smile softening. “Autry, this is our beta, Myrick. Myrick—this is Autry.”
I give Myrick the best smile I can muster. While I want to convey how truly happy I am, it’s also three in the freaking morning. “It’s so good to finally meet you, Myrick.” I fling open my arms and immediately hug him.Hopefully, this makes up for my lack of enthusiasm.
The lanky beta is still at first, but then he melts into me. His arms curl around my back, and his head drops onto my shoulder. He hugs me like he’s waited his whole life for this moment. Turning my head slightly, I sniff the ends of his hair. He smells like fresh air, or like laundry that’s been dried in the summer sun.
“It’s really good to meet you too,” he whispers thickly, voice catching with emotion.
And just like that, something in my chest cracks open.
I spent so many years fighting my desire for a pack. Then I was on the run and desperate to find anyone who could protect me. And now I have a pack. Two betas and an alpha—maybe two? It honestly feels like a dream. What could I have possibly done to deserve something so good?
Nothing, the evil voice in the back of my mind reminds me of every awful thing I’ve done.I don’t deserve any of this.
I’m a horrible person.
