Ryder’s brows go up. “Yes, top alpha.”
Zach whistles. “Damn. Was that an alpha purr I heard?”
“Yeah, you can practice it in the mirror later,” I shoot back. “Now we have work to do.”
“Are we really doing this?” Zach asks.
Ryder frowns. “Told you, it’s a bad idea. You two go ahead. I’m out.”
“Dammit, Ryder…” I mutter. “You’re a pain in my ass.”
“How about this: I’ll go to her first, talk to her on my own.” Ryder’s gaze jumps from Zach to me and back. “She needs to know who I am before I enter any partnership with you.”
“But not to us? You won’t tell us?”
“She’s our center, the only reason we’re coming together,” he explains. “If she doesn’t want me, if she rightly decides it’s too much, then like I said… I’m out, and you two can try your luck.”
“Fair enough,” Zach says, though he’s giving Ryder an intense look. “It’s your choice.”
“Damn right it is,” Ryder says and nods at me. “Gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure.”
“I hope you’ll join us soon,” I say.
“It depends on her.”
Zach sighs. “He’s right, you know, Ace.”
“Is he? About what?”
“We can’t scare her off. We can start by courting her separately. Talk to her separately at first. Apologize. Tell her why we did what we did and what we would like. And then present the idea of a pack.”
I grunt. “But if she wants a pack?—”
“She likes us, man, or she wouldn’t have gotten tangled up in our lives. She can’t hide it. You and Ryder called it from the start, telling me Coco wants a pack. And what omega wouldn’t? But I need to make sure she still wants to be with all of us. Any of us.”
Ryder is quiet, watching us.
“Let’s say she chooses me,” I say, “then I ask her out? Is that the plan?”
“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” Zach asks.
“No, you’re both right,” I decide after some thinking. “It’s time we opened up, told her everything, and let her decide. I’m serious about her, just so you two know.”
“I’m seriously in love,” Zach says, cheeks flushing.
“She’s the only girl I’ve ever considered staying with,” Ryder admits softly. “So I guess you could say I’m all in. Just… let me go first.”
“So you can ruin all our chances?” Zach growls.
“So that I’m out of the way, you idiot.”
“Have you thought that maybe we don’t want you out of the way?” Zach glares at him.
The stunned look on Ryder’s face is priceless.
I chuckle. “Zach is right, you know.” Before Ryder opens his mouth to object some more, I lift my hands. “Fine. You go first. Let’s do this.”
I won’t deny I’m skeptical it will work. She’s so furious with us, and with good reason. Convincing her to talk to each one of us while we reluctantly organize ourselves as a pack… I’ve never taken on a more ambitious project in my fucking life, but I’m nothing if not driven.
