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“You said you wanted to talk to all of us earlier,” Milo says softly. “We wanted to make sure you got the space to do that.”

I nod slowly as I sink into my seat between Stone and Milo. I’m seated at the head of the table, which, for whatever reason, directs all of their energy towards me. Maybe a Feng Shui expert could tell me why, but I can feel the intensity of their presence.

“I got some big news from the doctor today,” I say, my gaze darting between the four of them.

Killian stiffens, his brows drawing down.

“Is everything alright? Did the suppressants you were taking do something to you?”

I bite my lower lip nervously, tapping my fingers along the edge of the table.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I say. I glance up to see a mix of their horrified and concerned expressions. “It’s—it’s not bad. Well, maybe not bad, I actually don’t completely know, it depends on how you look at it, but I’m not going to die.”

Stone breathes out an audible sigh of relief.

“Thank god,” he says softly.

“You were really that worried?” My voice is soft when I ask the question. Small. Like I didn’t believe they’d actually be worried about something like that. I guess the thought never occurred to me that they’d be that worried. Is that why Killian was so insistent about me seeing the doctor?

“I mean, yeah, we all were,” Stone says. “Things that mess with your hormones are scary as hell, especially if they’re being made from questionable sources, you know?”

“Oh, well, um…” I squeeze my eyes shut as my head falls back. “Fuck, I don’t know how to say this.”

I’ve run through what to say over and over and over again, in my head, but nothing has felt right. I kind of thought something would come to me in the moment, but I’m so terrified that I’m going to fuck things up.

“Are you in any trouble?” Killian asks, his voice low. “We can help you, Princess, you don’t have to go through things alone anymore.”

My throat closes with a storm of emotions when I hear the conviction in his voice. Killian is a man of sheer will and determination. If he sets his mind to something, it’ll happen. And he’s offering to use that power for me.

“The—the suppressants I was taking, they did affect my body. They apparently changed my scent and ability to process scents. One of the—one of the biggest things this affects is my scent matches.”

As I glance at the four of them, they’re all wearing the same wide-eyed expressions.

“Holy shit,” Stone breathes out. “No wonder I was drawn to you since the get go.”

“Oh my god! You’re our scent match! Spitfire, this is amazing news!” Theo jumps out from his chair, making it screech against the hardwood as he makes his way past Milo and towards me.

I flinch backward, both at the sound and away from him.

He freezes. They all do.

Fuck.

Theo’s expression falls. He looks like I just slapped him. “What—what’s wrong? Do you—do you not want us?”

Tears fill my eyes as I see the changes in all their expressions. Stone looks utterly confused, like he’s reeling from the whiplash of winning the lottery and then getting it all taken away.

Killian’s expression shutters, locking away all his emotions, but not before I can see an expression that tells me he’s blaming himself right now. That’s the last thing I want.

I’m the problem, not him.

A whimper leaves my throat and I have to cover my mouth with a hand when I turn to Milo. He looks heartbroken. He’s bracing himself so hard against the chair, his entire body is rigid. God, knowing the bullshit he’s been through in the past, he also probably thinks this is his fault.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,fuck!

“N—no,” I say, my voice shaky as I try and squeeze the word past my tight throat and dry mouth. “It’s—it’s not you. I—I want you. The four of you. More than I’ve ever,everwanted anything.”

“Then why?” Stone asks, softly, his deep blue eyes so incredibly sad.