Page 44 of Pack’s Pledge

He’d told me what he wanted.

Me.

And his pack.

Separate.

And I’d thought that that was fine. Better, maybe, because after all—

All I’d ever wanted was to be his.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I thought I could do it.”

And then I’d met them.

He laughed once, a bitter, sad laugh, and nodded. “Yeah.”

“I should go,” I said. “Before Beau wakes up.” Conall was his alpha. It would be better to hear from him, not me, a... a stranger. A hook-up.Beau would be fine without me,I reminded myself. He was strong, and not just for an omega. He would find someone else to help him through the next one.

He nodded again, without looking at me.

Twelve years ago, he’d left, and I’d been left behind, wondering why we couldn’t be together.

This time, it was me who had to leave, and I knew exactly why: I wanted more than Conall was willing to give. I always had.

The knowing didn’t make it hurt less.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR

Conall

I couldn’t sleep.

I was exhausted, sure.

Iached, tiredness leaching into every inch of me, down to my bones.

Not the ache of muscles well-used, but the heartache of knowing I had ruined everything. That it was all my fault.

That I had been right.

Britt wasn’t supposed to be there,I thought again, for the thousandth time. She wasn’t supposed to see that.

Beau’s submission.

Adrian’s strength.

And me.

The real me, the alpha, not the man I hid behind.

My loss of control.

My recklessness.

My shame.

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