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Luca’s expression clouds like he knows what this is about.

“That son of a bitch.” Rhett plucks the phone out of Paige’s hand.

“I don’t know what you said to her, asshole, but don’t call Paige and upset her again, or I’ll tear off your knot. Paige is under the protection of the Cole pack. You understand me?”

He slams the phone down onto the nightstand.

Paige is still breathing too fast. I slip my thumb over her wrist, counting the too-fast thump of her pulse.

“Look at me, beautiful.” I cup Paige’s cheeks. Her skin is too cold. Her pupils are wide with panic. “You’re safe here with us. We ain’t going anywhere.”

To my surprise, Luca stands off the bed. “May I touch your butterfly?”

Paige nods.

Luca pushes her hair to the side at the base of her neck, and I glimpse a beautiful inked butterfly. He traces it with his long fingers, before he bends to kiss it, softer than I’ve seen him treat anything apart from the animals he rescues out in the wild.

Rhett stands still, watching in equal surprise.

Caught safely between Luca and me, Paige’s breathing slows.

I release her.

“Want to tell us why the worst Alpha in this town was calling you at night?” Rhett’s voice is flat and careful in the way it is when he’s raging inside.

He’s most dangerous like this.

Paige simply shakes her head.

It’s hard to remember that she’s our Heat Wave Omega and not our bonded Omega. She may be temporarily under our protection. But we have no right to her secrets.

What is she hiding?

If Devlin is interested in her, however, then she is in danger.

“Dr. Lawson has advised sleeping skin-to-skin on the first night.” Rhett is still studying Paige closely. “Do you want that, darlin’?”

When Paige dives into my arms, nuzzling against my neck, I melt.

“Is that a yes?” I wrap my arms around her neck.

“If I can sleep with you on one side,” Paige whispers.

I glow.

She wants me close to her.

Instantly, Rhett whips off his towel, swaggering to the bed. I am sure that he does it to show off his frankly devastating ass.

Showoff.

His act works, however, because Paige pulls back from my arms to watch Rhett’s ass from underneath her eyelashes like the rest of us don’t know what she’s doing.

Rhett sprawls in the center of the nest, before patting next to him. “Room for one Omega. Come into the middle. Our Angel can go on the other side.”

Merrily, I slip out of my pajama top, taking my time because if Rhett can put on a show, then so can I.

Paige’s cheeks redden, as I turn away from her and bend over to sensually work down my pajama shorts.