Despite Laz’s attempts to lighten the mood, I’m wracked with guilt.
“I’m sorry I ran out of the cabin like that.” I tug at my bottom lip. “I should have asked more questions.”
“You were in heat.” Ren tenderly places his hand over mine. “After everything you’ve been through, we don’t blame you for leaving like that. Even though we hate that you had to deal with the rest of your heat alone.”
A tear slides down my cheek.
“Was it bad, honeybee?” Laz bends over the table to wipe my tear away. “We’re so sorry we couldn’t be there.”
“N-no, it’s not that,” I snivel. “Well, the heat wasn’t great, but that’s not why I’m crying.” I use the back of my sleeve to dry my eyes. “Damon.” His shoulders tense when I say his name, and his stormy green stare meets mine. “I’m so sorry, for believing that you could be capable of that.”
His bushy eyebrows momentarily rise in incredulity, but he stays silent. Staring into his dark orbs, I let my own fears cloudmy judgment. How will he ever forgive me for thinking so badly of him? He may act like an ass a lot of the time, but everything he’s done so far has been a misguided attempt to protect me.
To my surprise, Cole bursts out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
“Oh, little omega.” He chuckles fondly. “After everything, the fact that you’re worried about Damon only shows your true nature and how right you are for the Silverwood Pack. That is, if you’ll let us court you?”
The air buzzes with anticipation as the guys wait for my answer. Ren fiddles with the hyacinth petals, trying to act casual but failing, Laz’s knees bounce up and down, bubbling with nervous energy, and Cole remains still, yet his yearning stare hints that he’ll do anything for me.
“What do you want, Damon?” I try to ignore the others. “Courting an omega should be a pack decision.”
“Cole’s our leader,” Damon replies gruffly. “I do what he says.”
I’m scared to ask because I don’t know if I’ll be able to take the answer, but I do it anyway. “But what doyouwant?”
“What I want is for you to be safe, Faye.” His intense gaze makes my skin prickle. “But if you want to court our pack, I won’t stand in your way.”
Maybe there is hope for us after all.
Damon clears his throat abruptly, breaking our gaze and severing the connection fizzing between us. “My shift starts soon. I’ll see you later.”
He stalks out of the tent without saying anything else or looking back.
“Damon wants you just as much as we do, he’s just afraid to admit it,” Cole voices as he watches Damon leave.
“Is that a yes?” Ren asks. “You’ll let us court you?”
Courting a pack is serious. It’s a step up from dating without the permanence of bonding. It’s a commitment to be exclusive, and most of the time, it leads straight to bonding—much like how an engagement ends in marriage, except courting doesn’t come with a diamond ring or a dramatic proposal.
“Um…” I smile shyly. “Yes, I’d like that.”
The past few days have been a whirlwind, but they have shown me how hard life would be without them in it.
“Alright!” Laz fist bumps the air. “We have an omega!”
“She’s not an object,” Ren scolds him, quickly checking to see if I’m offended.
“Shit.” Laz’s fist freezes mid-air. “I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I know you didn’t.”
Laz is just being Laz. My goofy alpha. In fact, his excitement is adorable.
“Since we’re officially courting, I owe you a proper date seeing as Laz and Ren have already had one,” Cole winks at me. “I can send over the details?”
“Sure.” I nod, biting on the inside of my cheek.
