"That's fine." Alex's voice softens slightly. "You don't have to know, Vee. Not yet."
The anger surfaces then, sharp and sudden.
I stand up and Malcolm's arms fall away. I start pacing.
"You lied to me." The accusation hangs in the air. "For months. You lived next door and you lied. You lied about who you are to me. Who I am to you."
"Yes," Alex says.
"I must have looked like such a fool." My hands clench. "Baking in your kitchen. Talking to you in the garden. While you knew. You all knew and you just... hid it."
"Yes."
"You manipulated me."
"We did."
"Befriended me."
"Yes."
"You took me without my consent."
"We did."
His agreement makes it worse somehow.
I turn on him. "Then admit it was wrong."
"It was wrong," he says immediately. "You're right to be angry. You're right to feel betrayed."
Finn nods. "We lied to you because we didn't know what else to do. We wanted to help you, Vee."
"Help me?" I laugh. It sounds bitter. "Or take me from Ragon? Were you just trying to get your scent match away from his pack? Being sneaky about it?"
Alex stands. Faces me directly.
"No. That wasn't it."
"Then what was it?"
"I wanted to get you out of Ragon's pack because they werehurtingyou."
The words hit hard.
I shake my head. "They weren't—"
"They were." No hesitation. "They suppressed your scent. Destroyed your nest. Pushed you aside for Marie. That's harm, Vee. That's damage."
My throat pulls tight.
"Do you want me?" The question comes out small. Vulnerable.
Alex doesn’t move.
"Do you want to claim me? Is that what this is?"
"It's... complicated."
