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The door is just shy of banging open. Leith barges in. Piers and Beck come in right behind him, unsure of what’s happening. But also irritated because Leith is.

“You’re coming home with us,” Leith practically barks. “Don’t bother arguing.”

I’d already decided on that during my call with Lark, but I still stiffen when he says it. My body immediately reminds me that stiffening is a terrible idea.

“You don’t get to boss me,” I say. “You may be an alpha, but I am still my own person.”

Leith growls. “I’m serious, Cammie. You’re coming to the pack house.”

Finn is on his feet now, hands out. “Calm down, Leith.”

“And watch your tone,” Beck says from behind him.

Leith stretches his neck, like he’s trying to loosen up a Cammie-sized knot. He takes a deep breath. “I just got off the phone with my cousin, Silas,” he growls. “He and his omega went to Cammie’s apartment for clothes and personal items.”

“And?” Piers asks.

“And,” Leith snarls, “they discovered her apartment door had been trashed. Spray paint, gouges in the metal, the works.”

Dammit. While I was talking to Lark, her alpha was talking to Leith. Shit, shit, shit. I hadn’t quite worked out the how, but I was planning on making them think I was going home with them because I needed help, not because I’m in danger. I don’t have to be anything special to Leith to know this will absolutely send him over the deep end with his need to protect me. Not to mention what it will do to my two scent matches.

The sound of growling alphas fills the room. My eyes scan each alpha’s face, Beck looks like he wants to snatch me up and hide me, Piers looks like he wants to order me into a locked room forever, even sweet Finn looks like he’d fight anyone who came near me. But it’s Leith’s face that sends a cold shiver up my spine. He looks like he would kill someone. No, scratch that. He looks like he wants to kill someone. For me.

“You forgot the important part. My assailant spray painted Whore on my door. It wasn’t only graffiti.”

The sound of the alpha growls grows louder and every scent in the room burns.

“Leith’s right. You’re coming home with us. And you’ll stay there until we decide it’s safe for you to leave,” Piers says, like his word is law.

“First of all,” I say, holding up one finger, “I tell you what I’m going to do, not the other way around. Second,” I hold up another finger, “I had already planned to go home with you, so don’t get it twisted. And third,” I flip up another finger, “you need to find me some clothes, because Lark and Silas can’t get into my apartment now. They’re dealing with the police.”

“We have some extra clothes here,” Beck says. “Things people have left behind. Everything’s washed.”

“No,” Finn says, a little more forceful than necessary. “I’ll run out and get her something.” He looks at me. “If it’s okay that I leave.”

It isn’t, actually, but I don’t say that. Having Finn here when I wake up is comforting. And not only because I knew him before I met Beck and Piers. He’s the only part of this that has felt easy. I’m drawn to him in ways that are more than physical attraction or biology. I’ll have that with Piers and Beck soon enough, but I don’t have it yet. And I have no idea where I stand with Leith.

“I’ll be okay while you’re gone,” I finally tell him.

“While he’s gone, I’ll stay with you,” Beck says, a sexy half-smile on his face. “We’ll play doctor and patient for a while.”

“That’s because you are,” Piers grumbles.

I can’t help it, I snort. I immediately regret it. “Shit,” I say, hand to my side.

Beck is immediately by my side. “Is the pain not getting any better?” he asks. All flirtation is gone from his tone.

“It’s better,” I hiss, “just have to be careful.”

“May I?” he asks, gesturing to where my incision is under my gown. “I trust all your doctors and nurses with my life, but I want to see for myself that things are healing properly.”

“I thought you were suspended for a while,” I say, but I pull up the edge of my gown, ensuring my blanket covers the rest of me from all their views.

“Humor me,” he says. He gently pulls back the gown revealing my incision to everyone in the room.

“Shouldn’t that be covered?” Piers’ comment is more an accusation than a question.

Beck doesn’t look up. “They probably removed the bandages a day or two ago. It will heal better when it’s exposed to air.”