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Shit, they know about all of it.

I tilt up my chin. “You’ve been investigating me. Now you know what a disaster my life is, you can get the fuck out.”

“If that’s what you want.” Angel hugs his arms around himself. “But why do you reckon we’d love you less because you have issues in your life? Don’t you reckon I did? What about Rhett’s past? Luca’s? That’s when people who care about you stand by your side. You’re not alone, remember?”

Luca slowly stands. “We didn’t investigate you. We didn’t lie or hide anything. Devlin told Rhett what was going on and what he was doing.”

I rush to Luca, suddenly terrified. “Did he hurt Rhett?”

Luca’s eyes flash with something devilish. “Rhett wasn’t the one who was hurt.”

Something connects in my mind.

I take a step back. “That’s why he went to that thing last night.”

Luca nods, looking uncertain. “Devlin is the Director.”

“Let us support you through the auction,” Angel says, quietly. “No way in hell is that dick touching you, even if he gets his hands on this inn. Cole House can be your home as long as you want it to be. We’ll figure this out.”

My bottom lip trembles. “We’re not bonded.”

“You said that you were my friend.” Luca looks through his ice-white hair at me. “Aren’t friends meant to help each other?”

I hold out my hand to him, and he doesn’t hesitate to grab it.

With Luca, it means a lot that he is touching me like this outside his rut.

“Friends,” I repeat.

I won’t be homeless or friendless. I can stay at Cole House until I work things out.

The offer is generous and kind.

Then why does it hurt?

“When I was in my heat…” I squeeze Luca’s fingers, glancing back at Angel. “Both of you used the word love.”

Angel avoids my gaze, shoving himself to the edge of the bed. His legs hang off the end, and he swings them.

Finally, he replies, “But you didn’t say it back.”

I open my mouth and then close it with a snap.

Didn’t I?

I felt it.

I thought it inside my mind.

I’ve been falling for them…I don’t even know when it started, at different times for each.

Now, the fear of losing them has brought my love into painful, sharp relief.

I am dying inside simply because Rhett has been missing for one night, and at the thought that he doesn’t want to say goodbye.

I can’t deny it to myself or anyone else.

I love this pack. Not in the same way that I loved Beau and Evan. It couldn’t be the same. I don’t feel guilt over it anymore because I sense that Beau planned for this all along with his urging for me to find another pack, while he also paid for the Heat Wave plan.