Tori peeled off her gloves. “Where do you want him?”
Silence.
I went through my options.
Guest rooms? Too many people.
Bunkhouse? Absolutely not.
Office? He’d be freezing on that damn couch within an hour.
My room?—
A terrible idea. Dangerous. Stupid.
But when I looked down at him…
Kellan was still curled slightly on his side, his breath soft. His hand was still half-curled like it had been gripping my shirt before he’d passed out.
His scent lingered in the air… warm, clean, sweet in a way that hit straight beneath my ribs. Omegas weren’t supposed to smell like that unless they trusted you.
My throat tightened.
“Put him in my room,” I said.
Ember’s brows shot up. Wraith didn’t even bother hiding the smirk pulling at his mouth.
Tori just nodded once. “Fine. But let me be on record saying?—”
I raised a brow and she glanced at Wraith, then Ember before shrugging. “Don’t drop him.”
I knew that wasn’t what she wanted to say, but I ignored her and slid my arms under Kellan again.
He was warm against me… warmer than he’d felt in the van. His cheek brushed my shoulder as I lifted him. And his scent hit me harder this time, curling low and sharp in my chest.
His fingers caught lightly in my shirt again.
And I almost stopped breathing.
“Let’s go,” I said, my voice low and rough.
Wraith held the door open. He didn’t offer help. But I could feel those assessing eyes on me…
Ember followed behind us, quiet but observant, like she was already cataloging every detail of the situation for later teasing ammunition.
I moved through the back hallway, avoiding the common room entirely. Kellan’s weight shifted slightly in my arms. His breath brushed my neck in slow, steady waves.
Every instinct I had sharpened.
Mine.
The word wasn’t conscious. It wasn’t welcome. But it curled through my chest with claws.
I shoved the thought away. Too dangerous. Too wrong. Too soon.
We reached my door. Ember slipped ahead of me and turned the handle.
“Go,” she murmured.
