Page 70 of Power Shift

“I never went into the car,” she whispers.

“Did you touch him? Or touch each other? If you had even the slightest scent spike, it could have clung onto his clothes and onto the car seats,” Jasper says.

“Yes. I . . . I tried to clean him off before he left.”

Dash runs a hand through his hair, tussling it. “This could all explain his current state. The pains, inability to sleep, and lack of hunger. His body is rejecting him rejecting her.”

“It’s my fault he’s not feeling well?” Briar’s face crumbles. “I didn’t mean?—”

I cut her off with a firm shake of my head. “No. This is not your fault. He’s the one who left you.”

“I’ve never known an alpha who has experienced bond rejection sickness without a mating mark already in place,” Jasper mentions, face scrunched in thought.

“It’s most likely not to the full extent of most casesbecauseof the lack of a mark. Landon isn’t a regular alpha, Jas. He’s a pack leader with the most sensitive senses I’ve ever seen in another alpha. We’ve witnessed it his entire life. He can’t stand being in the dressing room with the rest of the team and couldn’t even handle the mild scent of Briar in the SUV to the point he had to get it removed. Look at how strongly you and Ronan felt the pull. Landon’s definitely feeling it even stronger.”

“Why is he fighting me so badly, then?” Briar asks softly.

There’s a gnawing in my gut that I can’t shake.

“He doesn’t trust omegas, Petal.”

“How do I make him trust me, then?”

I reach for her hand on the table and cup it between mine. She releases a breath at the contact while I hook a foot around the leg of her chair and pull her closer. When her head rests against my shoulder, I turn languid.

Jasper watches with a soft expression. “Are you saying you still want to try?”

“If I’m ever going to be a member of this pack, I don’t want it to be broken. Landon doesn’t scare me, and neither does hard work. I’m willing to give it a chance. Give it all a chance. And if he doesn’t let me in after I try . . . then at least I’ll have known that I didn’t walk away too early.”

“Thank fuck,” I declare, nuzzling my face in her hair.

Jasper extends a hand over the table, palm up, and waits. “You have no idea what you’re offering all of us, Briar.”

Briar gently pulls her hand free from between mine and rests it over Jasper’s. Dash eyes us with caution from beside Jasper, and Briar meets his stare head-on.

“I’m not giving up on you, either, Dash,” she declares.

I hold my breath, watching them.

His throat bobs with a swallow. “You’ll be pack, Briar. No matter what.”

It’s the closest thing to acceptance as I know to expect just yet. And it’s more than enough.

“I don’t needan escort home, Ronan,” Briar teases, lingering at the side of her car.

The entire vehicle is a danger, and I’m one more creak from the breeze from hauling it to a junkyard. It’s so tiny I doubt I’d fit properly, let alone Landon or Jasper. I’ll be listening to the engine to tell just how much work I’ll need to get ordered on it this week.

My bike is already on the driveway behind us ready to go. “It’ll settle me.”

“I suppose I’ll have to get used to these sorts of offers, right?”

“Would that be hard for you to do?”

Her lips lift into a teasing smile. “I think I could suffer with them.”

“Suffer,” I echo, drawn closer to her.

She tips her head back, resting it against the door as our gazes lock. I press a hand to the body of the car, the tip of my thumb grazing her ear.

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