This is the right thing to do. The only thing to do.
I repeat the words to myself like a mantra, a shield against the memory of the last few weeks. Against the memory of Dane’s quiet coffee offerings, of Diego’s gentle concern, of Tristan’s unexpected sincerity. Against the memory of Rett’s raw, possessive kiss in the parking lot.
They are not my pack. This is not my home.
I am a beta. A temporary solution to a permanent alpha problem.I learned that lesson once, the hard way. I will not make the same mistake again.
By the time the first, pale light of dawn begins to creep over the city skyline, my small suitcase is packed and zipped, sitting by the door.
I take one last look around the room that was never really mine. Then, before I can lose my nerve, I open the door and step out into the quiet hallway to face them one last time.
I’m not prepared for what I find.
All four of them. Waiting. They’re arranged around the living room like men at a wake. Rett stands by the windows, hands clasped behind his back, his shoulders rigid with tension. Diego sits on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly. Tristan leans against the wall, arms crossed. And Dane is by the door, as if he’s been standing guard all night.
They all look up when I enter, and the raw, naked pain in their eyes nearly stops me in my tracks.
“Morning,” I say, my voice coming out smaller than I hoped it would.
No one replies. The silence stretches like a thick, suffocating thing.
I clear my throat, forcing myself to continue. “It’s all done now,” I say, forcing a smile. “My apartment’s safe to return to. Thank you for…your protection. I’ll be going now.”
“Don’t.”
The single word is torn from Rett’s throat, a raw, guttural alpha command that sends a visible shiver through the room.
“Why?” I ask, hating how my voice wavers. “What reason is there for me to stay? The arrangement is over.”
Tristan pushes off the wall, taking a step toward me. His dimple makes a brief, valiant appearance as he tries for his usual charm. “Because we like having you here! The place is less... sterile with you around.”
The words land like a slap. Is that what I am to them? A decorative touch? A plant to liven up their bachelor pad?
“So I’m a roommate you don’t want to lose?” I ask, unable to keep the hurt from my voice. “Or is it because your headaches will come back?”
The question hangs in the air between us. None of them speaks. The silence is answer enough.
“That’s what I thought,” I say quietly.
Diego stands, taking a step toward me, his hand outstretched. “Zoe, it’s not like that?—”
“Isn’t it?” I cut him off. “What else could it be? Rudy’s been caught. I’m safe. The only reason for me to stay is the static.”
Rett’s jaw clenches, a muscle jumping beneath his skin. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“Then explain it to me,” I challenge, looking from one to the other. “Give me one reason to stay that isn’t about the noise in your head.”
Silence again. Rett’s eyes are dark with frustration, his hands now fisted at his sides. Tristan looks like he’s searching for words, which is probably a first for him. Diego’s expression is pained, almost desperate. Dane just watches, his pale eyes unreadable.
“I can’t,” I say finally, my voice shaking with a mixture of hurt and resolve. “My life isn’t a prescription you can fill. I’m not a... a utility. I need to go.”
I reach for the handle of my suitcase, gripping it like a lifeline. The claiming marks on my neck decide to throb in this moment, a steady, insistent pulse. I can feel tears building behind my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of them.
“Where will you go?” Diego asks quietly.
“Home,” I say, though the word feels hollow now. “My apartment. It’s been sitting empty all this time.”
“Don’t leave. It’s not safe,” Rett says immediately, another alpha command slipping through.
