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For a few wonderful moments, I was simply happy to be home.

Then Merry arrived. She stood with her arms crossed, looking thoroughly unimpressed, which was how Merry generally expressed affection.

"Ten days," she said.

"Eleven."

"I know how many days it's been, Robin. I counted every bloody one."

She stepped closer, studying my face. Then her gaze dropped to my throat. I saw the exact moment she noticed. I'd kept my collar turned up for four days, taking care to conceal the mating mark Guy had left on my neck.

Apparently, I should've been more careful around Merry.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is."

I tugged my collar higher. "Depends on what you think it is."

"Robin,” she hissed.

"What?"

"You're mated."

"Very observant."

"To whom?"

I sighed. There was no point lying to her, and she'd certainly earned the truth after spending eleven days wondering whether I was alive.

"Guy Bisbane."

For a moment, nobody spoke. Then one of the Miller brothers burst out laughing. It was a loud, hearty laugh, the sort a man gave when he'd just heard the funniest joke of his life.

I stared at him.

His laughter gradually faded.

"Oh," he said. "You're serious."

"Unfortunately for all of you, yes."

Alana went pale. Tuck stopped halfway through crossing himself, and Little John stood behind the others with his axe resting on his shoulder.

He didn't say a word. That worried me considerably more than anything he might've shouted.

"Did he force you?" Alana demanded. Her hand moved toward the knife at her waist. "Robin, tell me he didn't force you."

"No."

"Because an Alpha with an Omega in heat, alone in a locked cabin…”

"Alana." I caught both her wrists before she could work herself into a proper rage.

"Look at me. I chose him. I asked him to mate me before my heat started, and he made me ask again when I was thinking clearly because he wanted to be certain it was what I wanted."

Her expression softened, but I continued.

"That man knelt on a cold floor with a knife wound in his side and told me he'd love me for the rest of his life, even if I never agreed to a bond."