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She strokes Rhett’s shirt over her face in delight, calmed by the scent.

I suppose Rhett is her scent match.

I glance down, blanking my expression to hide the hurt.

But then, Paige grabs up my hoodie and slides it over her head. Shocked, I watch as she caresses the too-long cuffs.

Why does imagining her sleeping in my hoodie settle something deep inside me?

I cough to hide my sudden confusion. “I’ll message you every day…every night before you sleep. We all will. I mean, Luca barely messages me, and he may be out in the forests without a signal. But he’ll do his best. You won’t be alone.”

I know too well what it’s like to be lonely without a pack.

When Paige tilts her head, looking at me while dressed in my hoodie, why do I feel like she can see straight through me to my damaged soul?

Like she knows I have experienced the howling loneliness and pain that she has this last year?

If I had my way, she’d never suffer it again.

This week apart from her will be agony.

How much more will it hurt to move into her house for two weeks, however, smelling her scent and spending her heat with her, but afterward leaving?

Was I a fool for thinking that I could handle being a temporary Alpha?

Rhett only agreed to this arrangement because he loves me and knows that I long to experience having an Omega in our pack.

But what will happen if he discovers that I need more than the fantasy?

How much I need Paige?

It must remain my secret.

CHAPTER SIX

Acorn Inn, Oak Hollow

Paige

It’s been three days since that angel of an Alpha flew me to heaven. The doctor hadn’t been lying…he truly did have magic fingers.

Except, as soon as my sister drove me back to Acorn House, I crashed back to earth when I looked around and saw the dirty state of the inn with fresh eyes like I was finally waking up from a coma.

“I can’t have guests here in only a week.” I twirled in a circle in the foyer, and a hurricane of dust swirled around me. “Rhett is the wealthiest man in our town. Descended from the founders. His pack lives in that huge mansion, Cole House.”

“Then staying here can be an adventure for them.” Sophie smirked. “You’d better get cleaning, bitch.”

Now, I am in hell.

I groan.

I wipe my hand over my forehead, smearing dirt over it.

Moonlight shines through the stained-glass window at the front of the foyer, which Beau designed with a pattern of berries, acorns, and butterflies.

My knees ache, where I kneel on the honey-colored wooden floor underneath the antique walnut writing desk with shelves for the brass room keys.

Evan restored the desk because he thought that we could use it as a place to meet guests.