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An alpha’s pride.
But I was trapped, and it would be an offer I had to take.
Love was staring at me, eyes wide with shock. “Vex. No.”
“B-but… you’re an elite pack. You can’t…” The grip I had on the collar was painful now as I tried to shove the tremble from my voice, a thousand taunts from Zeus crowding my mind. “You can’t have me around now that everyone knows the truth.”
Finally, the tears broke free again, spilling from my eyes in a flood.
He reached up, as if he wanted to cup my cheek, but hesitated. I clutched his hand in an instant, and then without really knowing if it was me or him, I was sinking down into his arms and he was holding me close.
“Fuck. Vex, not a single alpha in this pack cares what colour your eyes are.”
I shook, holding him for a long time, not sure if it was because I wanted his embrace or because I needed to hide the tears.
Finally, I leaned back, and Love cupped my cheek, sweeping the remnants of my tears away.
“W-what about Rook?” I asked. I’d been most afraid about him, and during the interview… he had looked upset, even when saying the words Zeus had demanded he say.
“He hasn’t mentioned it. If he ever does, I’ll break his jaw.”
My smile was weak.
But somehow, he just looked more upset, expression crumpling again. “I’m so sorry. I fucked up so badly.” Suddenly, he couldn’t meet my eyes. “When we got home and we saw the article about you, I still didn’t know you were a scent match until Ebony… Ebony wanted to claim you. I told him we couldn’t because I couldn’t… couldn’t let someone like you get caught in the crosshairs of this pack. And knowing you were our scent match, it terrified me even more. He… challenged me to claim pack lead for you. We were fighting when Drake realised you were gone.”
I stared at him.
Ebony had fought to keep me?
I wasn’t sure what to do with that information.
“If I’d known you were dark bonded, I’d never have hesitated,” he looked so desperate, as if he needed me to understand. “It was never because I didn’t want you, it’s because I wanted you safe.”
I nodded, throat still thick. “Well…” I said weakly. “Now you’re kind of… stuck with me.”
His smile was soft, eyes finally filled with something other than worry.
“I…alwayswanted an omega,” he said quietly.
My chest loosened at those words, and I couldn’t take my eyes from him.
“Always,”he said, again, brow creasing. “But a scent match? That was a dream so far out of reach that I couldn’t even conceive of it. Not with Ebony. We’re notstuckwith you, Vex. We want you here—all of us want you here.”
Slowly, I nodded, letting those words sink in. Those were words I’d once been so desperate to hear.
I wanted to feel…somethingnow.
But the day was choked with terror and relief, and a million fears crowded my mind. So instead, I curled back against him, sinking into his touch and willing that to be enough for now.
“I have a lot to make up for,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around me. One hand gently resting on the back of my head. “But I’m going to prove to you I’m worth your love,” he whispered. “Let me find a way to earn your forgiveness.”
There was a long silence, and my breathing eased as I inhaled vanilla winter.
His apology settled slowly across my mind like a light blanket, smothering cracks and open wounds that would one day still need healing.
I thought this might be enough, just for today.
“You’re here with us now,” Love said. “The negotiations, they’ll just be one day and then it’ll all be over. You’ll never see that pack again.”
