I keep thinking about how Skyla looked at dinner. Even though she smiled and laughed, it felt…forced. Every one of us felt it, the way she kept trying to act fine. Knox’s jaw was tight all night. Tadeo tried to keep the mood light. Dakota overcompensated, as usual. And me? I kept watching her, hoping I’d catch the moment she started to really breathe again.
The clock ticks. I rub the back of my neck, glance toward the hallway as a fresh wave of nerves slices through me.
What if she’s depressed because I haven’t rutted her?
What if she feels like I’ve already rejected her?
Have I waited too long?
The sound of water circling a drain snaps me out of it. My pulse kicks up immediately, stupid and fast.
I don’t even think before I’m moving, pacing halfway down the hall, then stopping myself at the end like some kind of caged animal. The light from the bathroom spills under the door, flickering across the worn floor.
I tell myself to stay put. Don’t knock. Don’t loom. Don’t scare her.
Fuck, I’m being ridiculous.
I’ve already eaten her sweet pussy and swallowed her soft moans. It shouldn’t be this hard to take that last step.
But the seconds stretch. Every little sound—the movement of feet on tile and the soft scrape of the tub stopper—makes my chest tighter. I shove my hands into my pockets to keep from pounding on the door like an idiot.
She doesn’t need me acting all crazy.
She needs quiet. Space. Safety.
And yet—every cell in me is straining toward that door.
I hear my packmates moving—bare feet, the whisper of fabric against damp skin. Then the faint click of the bathroom light switching off.
The bathroom door opens, steam curling out in soft waves that catch the light from the hall. I straighten instinctively, pulse still hammering, trying not to look like I’ve been standing here like some creep.
Dakota steps out first, towel slung over his bare chest in only a pair of shorts. Skyla follows a beat later, and the air around me settles.
The omega is wearing one of her new nightgowns—long and soft, made from that fancy omega-approved material that catches the light when she moves. It’s pale blue, almost silvery, the kind of color that looks like moonlight on her skin. Her cheeks are flushed pink from the bath, hair damp and clinging to her collarbone.
For a heartbeat, all that restless noise in my head… stops. My chest loosens for the first time all day.
I swear omegas are fucking magical.
Dakota notices me first, eyebrows lifting as that familiar wicked grin spreads across his face. “What are you doing, man?”
“Waiting for Skyla,” I say simply, still staring at her beautiful face.
Finally, her eyes meet mine, and her face lights up. She’s still guarded, still carrying that worry behind her smile—but she does look happy to see me.
“Waiting forme?” she asks all bashful.Fuck, she’s so pretty.
“Yeah. I thought it might be nice to watch the sunset together,” I tell her. “There’s a great view in the backyard.”
Her brows lift slightly, surprised, but her lips curve. “I actually haven’t been in the backyard yet,” she says.
I glance at Dakota as he moves toward me, towel still looped around his neck. “You mean to tell me you didn’t think to show her the best part of the house during your grand tour?”
Dakota gives me a slow grin, brushing past close enough to bump my shoulder. “Hey, I was saving something for you to impress her with,” he says, tone smooth as honey.
I snort, shaking my head. “Yeah, I’m sure that was your plan.”
“Damn right,” he says over his shoulder, heading for the hallway. “Just remember, the neighbors live close. Don’t be too loud.”
