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“Don’t think that you’re stronger than me.” Rhett bared his fangs. “Or more dominant. I reckon that you’re not only in rut, but also feral and mute right now.”

I nodded.

“I know that this is hard for you, sugar, but hold on for just one more question for me. Do you want me to share this rut with you?”

I glared at him.

I would tear him apart.

“Don’t worry about me.” Rhett chuckled. “I’m the one on top, ain’t I? Answer my question.”

I nodded.

Rhett leaned closer, putting even more pressure on my wrists, as I snarled. “Then after I make sure we both survive this, you and I are going to have a long damn talk. And I hope that you’ll take my bonding bite. But if you reckon that I ain’t more dominant than you…?” His eyes gleamed. “You’re about to find out how wrong you are.”

And I did.

I fucking did.

I reckoned that after the fire, Rhett would kick my ass for endangering both our lives, tell on me to my boss and lose me my job, then never want to see me again.

Instead, he took me to the hospital and stayed with me, while I had thirty-six medical tests performed, and a unique rut patch developed for my medical condition that would control my ruts.

Then he asked me out on a date, before offering to bond and claim me into the Cole pack.

He’d meant it about the bond bite.

After that, he kicked the ass of my boss when he tried to take away my career. And he allows me to continue to live as independently as before I joined his pack.

Chief confuses me because he is not like any other Alpha. But he is the family I never thought I would have again.

I kneel next to Paige in front of the boxes. “Are you ready?”

Paige hangs her head, taking a shuddering breath. “I promised to let you meet my pack. I reckon that this is more for me though. Help me?”

I lay my hand over hers on the nearest box.

Then I sneeze, as a cloud of dust rises around us. “There is as much dust here as there are weeds in your garden.”

Paige doesn’t answer.

I bite the inside of my cheek.

I shouldn’t have said anything.

Was it rude? Bad?

But I’m right. It was a fact. Should I have been more precise?

Maybe this Omega isn’t good at noticing details. I’ll help her out.

“There.” I point to a corner of the grimy attic. “There, and there, and⁠—”

“I can see.” Paige looks like she’s about to start laughing or sobbing, I can’t tell. “Are you offering to become my cleaner, as well as my gardener, Alpha?”

I make a face. “I don’t clean, Omega.”

“Why not?”