I stepped inside.
My room was darker than the hallway, cool, quiet, the low lamp by the dresser casting soft light over the bed. The gray sheets and heavy blankets felt familiar.
Except now there was an omega in my arms.
An omega I had no business carrying. An omega I couldn’t seem to put down.
I crossed to the bed and lowered him carefully, easing him onto the pillow. His face relaxed immediately.
My chest tightened in a way I didn’t want to examine.
I pulled the blanket up over him, tucking it lightly at his sides so he wouldn’t get cold.
His hair fell across his forehead. I shouldn’t have touched it, but I touched it anyway, just brushed it back once, slowly, carefully, for barely a second.
But it was enough.
I jerked my hand away and stood up too fast.
Behind me, Ember leaned her shoulder against the doorframe, her arms folded, one brow raised.
“Well,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “This is either the smartest or the dumbest thing you’ve done all year.”
Wraith stepped in behind her, his eyes flicking from the bed to my face.
“So… you planning to call Rowan before he burns the state down, or are you too… preoccupied?”
My jaw clenched. “I’m calling him now.”
Ember tilted her head, studying me with that knowing look I hated.
“Lock…”
“What.”
The corner of her mouth lifted. “You’re in trouble.”
I didn’t respond.
I couldn’t.
Because when I turned toward the door, I made the mistake of looking back one more time.
Seeing Kellan lying in my bed… small, soft, completely unaware that the night outside was ready to tear itself apart for him.
I watched his chest rise and fall. His lips parted slightly. His scent lingered in the air like he belonged here.
My chest tightened again… this time fucking harder.
Leverage, I reminded myself.
Just leverage.
But every deep primal instinct in me called that a lie.
Every single one.
I left the room because I had to, and because Wraith was looking at me.
