Even though he was her temporary boyfriend in name, Erin Xavier knew the reality was different.

It was a subtle distinction, but one they were all keenly aware of.

"Miles, so are you going to tell Zoe you don’t want to be with her?" Erin Xavier had never tried to manipulate Miles Sherman before, but he was now.

’Miles’s idea was dangerous.’

"You’ve already had your turn, Miles. Are you going to play innocent now?"

"You were the first to mark her. You were the first to hold her when she was heartbroken."

"Miles, you’ve gotten all the perks. Am I supposed to just stand by and watch?"

Erin Xavier pressed his lips together. "You don’t have to do anything."

"But don’t go and tell her." He lowered his head. "I’m begging you."

Erin Xavier never begged. He would sooner have his bones broken and his teeth shattered, sooner endure the pain and the blood, than ask anyone for anything.

Miles Sherman was left speechless.

*

Resting Cabin.

Zoe Pierce took a shower, dried herself with the nanotech system, and sat on the edge of her bed.

She didn’t have to wait long before she heard a knock on the door.

Her eyes fell on the door. After a few seconds, Zoe Pierce rose and opened it.

Nathan Lockwood had also changed his clothes. He now stood in the doorway, looking at her. "May I come in?"

Zoe Pierce stepped aside, and Nathan Lockwood entered.

The door shut, and the room fell quiet.

Nathan Lockwood sat down on the sofa in Zoe’s room and leaned his head back. "Zoe, I don’t think we’ve ever talked alone like this."

Whenever they were together, there were always other people around.

Or in the forest, or inside a Mecha.

Never just the two of them, staying quietly in a room, just talking.

She moved closer, about to sit beside Nathan.

But Nathan suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled. Her hips were lifted, and before she realized what was happening, she was kneeling on the sofa.

’...If one could ignore the pair of a man’s legs in the space between her knees.’

"Nathan Lockwood, are you insane?" Zoe Pierce looked down, but Nathan kept his head tilted back. When he heard her, the smile on his face didn’t falter.

He let go of her wrist.

"Almost," Nathan replied, as if joking.

Zoe choked on her words.

"I’ve never been in a relationship, Zoe Pierce," he continued. "So I have no reference for what a normal relationship is supposed to be."

’Of course, he knew a situation like theirs had no precedent either.’

"I’ve been thinking I need to give you a rude awakening, to make you understand that a lover is different from a teammate." Nathan’s hand slowly wrapped around her waist. "I wouldn’t let a teammate sit on my lap, nor would I do this with a teammate."

It was an even more intimate gesture than anything they had done before.

And they were both completely clear-headed.

"You resent me." It was a statement, not a question.

Ever since she made the decision, she had spoken even less than usual. Though she had agreed, she was like a puppet at his mercy, just going through the motions.

Zoe Pierce stared into his eyes. "Does this make all of you happy?"

Nathan abruptly pulled Zoe Pierce down onto his lap, the distance between them vanishing in an instant.

Zoe placed her hands on his shoulders, her breath hitching for a moment.

"Yes."

But Nathan Lockwood looked into her eyes. "Zoe."

He took Zoe’s hand and brought it to his own face. "But you can vent your dissatisfaction on me."

Nathan Lockwood’s eyes told Zoe Pierce he wasn’t kidding.

Zoe’s lips twitched into a smirk. "Nathan Lockwood, you’re acting like you have some kind of special fetish."

’Some kind of niche scene.’

’She had no interest in that.’

Nathan Lockwood didn’t expand on the topic. He had come here today with a clear purpose.

"We want you to be happy, too."

"If this is only bringing you pain," Nathan said, "you can call it off. Right now."

Zoe’s resolve wavered, but in the end, she reached out to stroke Nathan’s face, her fingers tracing his well-defined jaw. "Nathan Lockwood, you know I can’t choose."

’If she could truly choose, she wouldn’t have had to go through all this pain.’

"Then don’t choose," Nathan said, lowering his head and taking her finger between his lips.

She couldn’t make a choice, and neither could they.

In a way, it was a mutual decision.

Her finger was wet. Zoe couldn’t take it anymore. "You’re insane."

’He’s a complete madman.’

’From the very beginning, it was a proposal only a madman could have suggested.’

But Nathan Lockwood just smiled. "Zoe, you’re the one who made me a madman."

Six months ago, he never would have imagined he could like someone this much.

Nor could he have imagined willingly stepping aside to let others take their turn with her.

"Nathan Lockwood, you’re not playing fair." Zoe felt like she was going crazy, too, sitting so calmly on his lap and engaging in this meaningless banter.

Her finger was caught again, but this time, Zoe felt the pad of her finger brush against a sharp tooth.

"I took a shot of an inhibitor right before coming to your room," Nathan said.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to control his excited pheromones.

’The best way for an Alpha to possess an Omega was to drench her in his pheromones, wasn’t it?’

’They were beasts, after all.’

’And she was the one holding the reins, the one who could grant them sanity or drive them to madness.’

"I was afraid of what I might actually do to you."

’There were so many things he wanted to do, but doing them all at once would scare her.’

’He wasn’t in a rush. He still had a month.’ 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

’So this counted as doing nothing?’ The thought made Zoe want to laugh in frustration.

She glanced at the time. It was already late.

"You should go."

He’d been here long enough.

It felt like they had only exchanged a few words, but nearly two hours had slipped by.

Nathan’s eyes lingered on her lips as she spoke. "Alright," he replied, his voice hoarse.

She braced herself on the sofa to get up, but the man’s movement was unexpected. He suddenly controlled her neck, pulling her down.

His tongue was scalding.

It easily explored every surface of her mouth, tangling desperately with hers.

His arm tightened around her waist, and she fell back onto his lap.

Adam’s apples bobbed, fingers interlocked.

The stark white light shone down on them, and a faint scent of green leaves enveloped them both.

Breathing grew heavy, punctuated only by the occasional short whimper through the nose.

Zoe Pierce pushed Nathan Lockwood away.

The taut line of sound between them snapped.

"Zoe, I really should go now." This time he was serious. He swiftly lifted Zoe, placed her on the bed, and said, "Rest well. See you tomorrow."

The door closed. Zoe Pierce lay back and covered her eyes again.

She had felt it—the part of him that had gone from placid to scorching hot, pressed tightly against her.

Nathan Lockwood had succeeded. He had successfully shown her the difference between a teammate and a lover.