73. Chapter Seventy-Three

Chapter Seventy-Three

Enzo

I turn the bedside lamp back on a few minutes after Jack stops tossing and turning and apparently gives up on getting any sleep. He slips out of the room quietly, closing the door behind him.

Nothing could make him feel better when he got back to the apartment this afternoon. Not even Arrow's touch, and that's the one thing that always helps.

I get up and go into the main room of the apartment where I find him standing behind the kitchen counter, a glass in one hand and the other ready to turn the faucet.

He looks up and sighs wearily. "I thought you were sleeping. I was trying not to wake you."

"It's hard to sleep when I know one of my mates is in pain."

"My face doesn't hurt that much," he tells me, as he fills his glass with water.

"I wasn't talking about your face."

"I know," he admits, grimacing.

He moves to the end of the counter and sits on one of the bar stools.

I stand beside him and take his free hand in mine.

"She's our fated mate, Jack. She'll get past this."

He nods. "I keep telling myself that same thing. I still feel bad. The look on her face … It was like I'd just scammed her, or something. I can't get past that."

"Well, you're going to have to try. There's only so much sleep I can lose before I start to feel like a brainless zombie."

He laughs. "I should take the couch tonight. You need your rest."

"It doesn't matter where you go. I'll know you're awake and you're hurting. I won't sleep until I can find a way to fix that."

"Well, the usual way won't work," he says. "This is the least horny I've ever felt."

"Oh, I know," I tell him. "You've never once turned me down. Tonight was the only exception."

It's not a big deal. The mood wasn't right. But that usually doesn't matter with Jack.

He can be aroused in seconds and become ready for anything at the drop of a hat.

This isn't like him, and that's what worries me.

"You're going to have to keep me away from her."

"What?" I ask, not understanding.

"I don't want to make things worse," he explains.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'll say it until it sinks in. It's not your fault."

He doesn't believe me. I can see it in his expression. I don't need to be an Omega to tell he's full of guilt over this.

"I wanted to tell her, remember?" he asks.

I smile. "So did Arrow, and he's an empath. Anyone can make an error in judgement."

"I'm also the one who actually told her."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"She worked out Arrow was my mate from my tattoo," he adds, lifting his arm. "This tattoo."

He takes a drink of water and slumps in the stool.

"Any one of us could have been there when she was connecting the dots. I'm sure it was more than just the tattoo that gave her a hint. She knows we're a pack. She's too smart not to question what that means. You're just the one who was there when she asked the question."

He frowns. "I don't get why she was so mad. I don't know enough about what she's been through to figure out why it was so explosive to tell her she was fated to be with us. She likes us. I know she does. It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't make sense right now. All we know is she has a violent ex …"

He sucks in a breath, and his eyes widen when he looks at me. "Oh my God. She has a violent ex. That guy, he told me to get away from his true mate. He said those words, Enzo. Those exact words!"

I blink at him. "He did?"

"I told him she wasn't his because she was ours." He puts his glass on the counter and runs a hand through his bright hair. "This is insane. He was her boyfriend, and he was calling her his mate. Holy hell. No wonder she doesn't like that term. He must have lied to her when they met."

I don't need to ask why a guy might do that. It's pretty obvious.

Especially if the guy is manipulative and wants to exert some control over his woman.

There's only one thing about it that I don't understand.

"Why would she believe another Beta who tells her she's his mate?"

She seems smart enough to know better, not that a person can't be blinded by love.

He frowns at me. "Her ex wasn't a Beta. Did I say he was?"

"If you did, I don't remember. He was an Alpha?"

He nods. "What difference does that make?"

I wait for my instincts to kick in. When they do, I get a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.

That's not a good sign, but I won't let it get to me. Not right now.

We have enough to deal with without adding to our troubles.

"I'm just surprised, that's all," I lie.

Talking seems to have helped take his attention off the guilt he's been feeling and that's a good start. I don't want to ruin it with a problem that may or may not exist.

I think about what Arrow said earlier, about us having a fifth mate.

One who was standing around outside until he suddenly wasn't.

I don't want to think about what that means.

"You okay, Enzo?" Jack asks.

"I'm just tired. We should try to get some sleep."

"I know. We need to impress this friend Beth's bringing over, I guess."

"Don't worry, I have that part covered with the lunch I'll be making. Just try to avoid swearing at the table, please."

"When do I ever … Okay. Sure. Good point. Best behavior. Good plan." He smiles, and I feel a burst of relief. "I don't think there's anyone you couldn't win over with your food."

"That's what I'm thinking."

He follows me back to bed, and the moment we get under the covers I can tell we're not going to sleep. Jack's usual hair-trigger arousal is back, and the relief I'm feeling only grows as we start to touch each other.

There's nothing we can't get through together.

Tomorrow we'll start to prove that.