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“Well, his parents moved to Barcelona, sold their house, and now he has a small historic row house in the Gold Coast area that he’s renovated. It’s really nice. Linny says it’s charming, and he would know, but mostly my husband covets his street, with its ancient oaks and his backyard with the, and this is a Linny quote, the glorious hydrangeas. It’s apparently the epitome of cottagecore, whatever that means.”

“You’ve been to his home?” I asked, I couldn’t help myself.

“Yeah. I’ve had to pick things up from him, and he insists on feeding us whenever we’re there. Linny was absolutely floored that Sasha is such a good cook.”

“So am I,” Gigi said with an exhale. “He’s a born and raised omega of the jarl. Whyever would he cook?”

“Apparently his mother, a beta, is a gourmet, and raised her son to be able to take care of his children and his mate.”

“She sounds like my mother.” Avery sighed. “I’m an omega raised as an alpha, and this Sasha is an omega raised to be a beta. I love this.”

Wade shrugged.

“And he’s not bonded?” Graeme sounded surprised. “Really? No one scooped him up? He sounds like a gem.”

“No.”

“How old is he?”

I didn’t answer, even though I knew.

“He’s young—midtwenties. He was younger when I first met him.”

“Is he unattractive?” Avery asked his partner. “Could that be the reason for him not having any suitors?”

I bristled over the very insinuation that Sasha with his creamy skin and blue-black eyes was not the ideal of beauty.

“No. He’s got black hair and eyes, really beautiful.”

“Then I wonder what’s going on with him?”

Wade chuckled. “Maybe he doesn’t wanna be bonded. You weren’t all that excited to settle down either.”

“I had a true mate. I couldn’t settle for less.”

Graeme smiled, and his eyes warmed as Avery spoke. He was very clearly smitten with his mate.

From her furrowed brows and crossed arms, I could tell Gigi was searching her memory for Sasha even as I brought him immediately to mind. There was no way I would ever not be able to. He was my mate, after all. Though Wade was wrong; his eyes were a glorious midnight blue, not black at all.

“I can’t picture his face.”

“Again, he’s an omega,” Avery said, “and he was at the last gathering that Deacon was, over a year ago now. I remember that night you told me you had the most wonderful discussion with a young man who sat and talked about art and soccer with you and⁠—”

“Ohmygod,” she gasped, nearly jolting. “Sasha Norwood. He told me he works as a cataloger, and we—Avery, I adored him. I was so sad we didn’t reconnect and—oh!”

“Oh?” Avery asked her.

“I saw him, that first night, morning, whatever it was.” She turned to me. “He was leaving this room, and the nurses said he saved your life, because there were men who tried to kill you and—dear God, Avery, how many people tried to kill Deacon?”

“There were two separate attacks on his life that night, and by all accounts, Sasha saved your cousin both times.”

Of course he had. Fuck my life. “Please tell me.”

“He saw Theo’s men dump you.” Wade took over the recounting. “He called 911, gave one of the best reports I’ve ever heard with how succinct and thorough it was, and if the SUV wasn’t stolen, would have led us to Rossellini even quicker, because he had the presence of mind to pull his phone out and snap a picture of the vehicle and plate. Then when you almost died in the street, he kept you warm⁠—”

“And must have absolutely drowned you in his pheromones,” Avery chimed in, “to keep your heart rate steady for the ride here.”

“Again, the EMTs said you were having some kind of seizure.” Wade crossed his arms. “But Avery explained to me that your body was trying to shift but wasn’t strong enough to do so.”