Heat rushes to my face, even though he’s only kidding.
“Shut it, Rowan,” I snap, standing so quickly my chair scrapes harshly against the floor. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation about our pack’s future.”
“Okay, calm down,” he says, holding his arms up in mock surrender.
I growl low in my throat, my wolf rising to the challenge. At twenty-eight, Rowan is only two years younger than me, but sometimes those two years feel like decades. My brothers are terrified of anything serious.
And he doesn’t understand the bone-deep need I feel to build something lasting.
“Not everyone wants to die alone, surrounded by their weapons collection,” I retort.
Rowan’s eyes narrow dangerously, but Elias steps between us, always the peacemaker.
“Alright, alright,” he says smoothly, adjusting his glasses. “Let’s not kill each other before dinner, shall we?”
I shake my head, disgusted with all of them. With Kieran’s dismissal, Rowan’s mockery, and even Elias’s calm neutrality, my brothers don’t understand.
“I’m out,” I mutter, stalking toward the door and needing space.
“Drake,” Kieran calls after me, but I ignore him, grabbing my hoodie from the coat rack and yanking it over my head.
Outside, the snow falls in thick, lazy flakes, already coating the driveway in a white blanket. The cold air burns my lungs, but it doesn’t cool the anger simmering in my blood. My wolf paces restlessly. I need her to calm my agitation.
Only her.
I stride toward the black limousine parked at the edge of the circular driveway. Mason, our driver, spots me immediately and steps out of the car to open the door.
“Where to, sir?” he asks, his face professionally blank.
My mind races.
I need to see her again. Need to make sure she’s okay. The sadness I saw in her eyes haunts me almost as much as her scent.
“There’s an apartment I need to go to,” I tell Mason, but before he can close the door, a large hand catches it. Rowan stands there, snowflakes already collecting in his dark hair, his expression unreadable.
“You okay?” he asks, voice low enough that only I can hear.
The simple question deflates some of my anger. Despite his teasing, Rowan has always been the most emotionally intuitive of us all, even though he blocks his own emotions, especially after the death of our parents.
“I’m fine,” I say, not meeting his eyes. “Just got some pressing business to attend to.”
He nods slowly, accepting the lie because he knows pushing would only make things worse.
“Don’t do anything crazy,” he says simply, before stepping back and letting Mason close the door.
Through the tinted windows, I watch Rowan return to the house, shoulders hunched against the snow. A twinge of guilt nips at me. Rowan is the sensitive alpha brother, the one who actually cares beneath all the gruffness and sarcasm. But right now, I can’t deal with him or any of them.
As the limo pulls away from the house, I lean my head back against the leather seat, closing my eyes. I wonder if Kieran will ever be serious about taking an omega into our pack.
I’ve found her. I’ve found the heart of our pack. Now I just need to convince my stubborn brothers that she belongs with us.
Four
DRAKE
I feelrestless during the entire ride to her apartment.
“Stop here, Grayson,” I command, my eyes fixed on the dilapidated structure ahead. “I’ll call you when I need you.”
