Unless he’s suddenly psychic, there’s no way he could have known all this.
“Kady may have given me a few pointers,” Jagger shrugs.
“You spoke to Kady?” I arch an eyebrow.
“She wasn’t exactly happy to hear from me, as you’d expect.” He slumps down into a seat, picking a muffin apart on his plate. “But she was happy to help. She’s a good friend.”
Once upon a time, this would have been my dream morning—three gorgeous men, surrounded by all of my favorite foods,after a wild night of passion. Instead, I feel like I’m a contestant on a game show where I’m being shown all the prizes that I could have won but didn’t.
“What’s wrong?” Jagger frowns as I push my smoothie away from me. “I can make you something else if you’d prefer?”
“The smoothie is fine.” I stand up. “But I should get going.”
Nash’s head pops up, spine straightening as he clutches the iron mid-air. He holds it in place for so long that Tae has to intervene.
“There’s something I have to say before you go,” Jagger calls out. “While we’re all together.”
“I think we already covered everything yesterday.” I brush myself down. “Thank you for your help. I’m sorry to have been an inconvenience.”
“You could never be an inconvenience,” Tae rebukes firmly.
It’s hard not to succumb to his endearing words and expression, but I shouldn’t be here.
“It won’t take long.” Jagger exudes desperation. “Yesterday changed things, so I want you all to hear this.”
I hold up one finger. “Five minutes.” I sit down again. “That’s it.”
“You’re our scent match, Delilah.” Jagger’s tone is matter-of-fact, like he’s stating that the sky is blue. “Not just mine but Nash’s too. And you’re perfect for Tae.”
“I told you yesterday that being drawn to someone’s scent doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be together,” I remind him, ignoring my base instincts and remembering how much he hurt me.
Nash winces, making me feel like an asshole. It’s not his fault that Jagger fucked everything up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh...” I soften my voice. “It’s just… This whole situation is...”
“Complicated?” Tae squeezes my knee in encouragement. “We get it. You and Jagger have history.”
That’s one way to put it.
I fixate on the stack of golden muffins to avoid looking at the guys. “If last year had never happened, things would be different.”
“Exactly,” Jagger sighs. “I know I fucked up, and I’ll never be able to apologize enough for what I did. It’s the biggest regret of my life, but I’m not going to let you and my pack suffer because of my mistakes.” He takes a deep breath. “I’ve decided to leave the Ward Pack. I saw how happy you looked last night without me, and I won’t stand in your way.”
All the blood seems to drain from my body. “W-what?”
“I’ve already packed my bags.” Jagger’s chair scrapes across the floor. “You don’t have to say anything else.”
“Dude, you’ve got to be kidding!” Tae grabs his arm. “A pack is for life. We’re family!”
“I’ve made my decision.” Jaggers pulls away from Tae’s hold. “I’ve already caused you enough pain, Delilah.” His sad gaze meets mine, and everything else seems to fall away. “When I’m gone, you’ll be free to get to know Nash and Tae without any complications. They’re great guys—the very best. They’ll make you happy.”
“But…” I croak. “W-what about you?”
“People like me don’t get happy endings. And quite frankly, I don’t deserve one.” He shrugs. “You were the only bright spark in my life, and I snuffed that out.”
“You’d seriously leave your pack?” I ogle him. “For me?”
He smiles wryly. “I’d do anything for you, rainbow.”
