Uh oh. Mags has a death grip on my arm. I can’t move.
Oh, my God, what if Nik thinks I’m butting in? I’m pretty big for a beta, but he’s even bigger for an alpha. He could probably crush my windpipe with one hand and not even break a sweat.
“Tell him, Mags.”
I look back at Nik. “Tell me what?”
He stops purring long enough to sigh with exasperation. “You should hear it from her, I think. It’s kind of important.”
I don’t think my heart can take another hit today. “Sh-she doesn’t have to. Really.”
“Yes, she does.”
With Nik’s help, Mags sits up straighter. He wipes her tears for her and smooths her flyaway hair. It’s a new side to Nik as well, just like Mags’s honesty and vulnerability. When he’s done, he rests his chin on top of her head and strokes her cheek. “It’s okay, Mags. Just say it. You’ll feel better if you do.”
Mags stares at my arm in her hand. “If I say it, things will never be the same.”
“No, they won’t. But maybe they’ll be better.”
Fear grips me tighter than Mags’s hand, putting my heart in a chokehold. What could she have to say to me that could change things between us that much? I love Mags. Sure, I got upset and stormed out, but that wasn’t enough to change how I feel. What big, terrible secret could she be hiding from us?
She closes her eyes, sets her jaw, and holds her other hand out to Kaden. “Fine. Let’s get this over with:
“I love you guys.”
I sit there, stiff as a board, waiting for the rest. Next to Mags, I sense Kaden’s similar dread. If she’s got to lead off withthis, her secret must be truly awful.
We wait.
And we wait.
And we wait.
What’s going on?
Finally, I can’t take the suspense anymore. “Mags, if you’re going for drama, you’ve hit the mark. Now, just drop the mic and let us have it.”
She opens her eyes. Blinks. Looks up at Nik. “Now what?”
Was that it?
Kaden pats Mags’s hand. “Okay, so you love us. We kind of knew that, Mags. We’ve always known that. Best friends and all that.”
“Yeah, that’s not exactly a revelation.”
For the first time since we met him, Nik facepalms. “You guys are idiots.” He looks up at the ceiling as if he’s seeking divine guidance. “Do I have to explain everything? Mags loves you. Both of you. And since Mags loves you, I love you morons, too, thanks to the mate bond. So—”
“It’s okay, Nik.” Mags stands up, releasing my arm and Kaden’s hand. “They kind of answered my question before I could ask it.”
“Question?” I scramble to my feet as Mags begins to move, to leave. “Mags, what’s going on?”
She whirls around, pink hair flying, and faces me with her hands clenched into fists at her side. “Kaden said it best, Kip. ‘Best friends and all that.’”
By the time I understand, she’s already in her room with the door locked behind her.
Chapter 17
Mags
