Thane had met up with his brothers, all three of them fluffy, about a block away from the house. With everything that happened, I couldn't even think about calling the house mine. As it was, the grief and shock had taken over my entire being and I was too busy ugly crying to think of anything.

The ride home was a blur of tears, snot and furry snuggles in the back seat. Just when I thought the waterfall of facial bodily fluids was over, Ava's face would appear in my head and it would start all over again.

She had betrayed me. And I had hated her for it. Did I still hate her? I couldn't answer that. Honestly I probably wouldn't be able to answer that for a very long time.

Arms scooped me up from the backseat, sending warmth through my back and thighs as a blanket I hadn't noticed gets pulled tighter around me. It felt like the only warmth I could get was from pressing close to the Clone holding me, so I curled into his chest. It didn't even matter to me who's chest I was curling into. I knew it was one of my guys.

Yes, I did say mine. Ever since I sprouted fur in unmentionable places there have been some developments. You know, the developments you read about in all of the fantasy wolf books. The first thing that I noticed was the smell in the cage got one- hundred- times more disgusting. The aches and bruises all but disappeared. And even among the snot, tears and my own stench…I could tell without a doubt that T4 were mine. I couldn't explain it if you asked me, it was just a bone- deep certainty.

A certainty that I would unpack later. I didn't have the mental or emotional capacity for it at present.

"Give her to me. I'll take her to the living room." Apparently Tripp was back on two legs.

"I am capable of-"

"I know what you're capable of, Thane. Doesn't change what I said."

"Why? You're not the only one who was terrified. And you're not the only one that needs her near."

Tripp let out a long, exasperated huff. "I need something to keep me here right now, otherwise I'm getting back in the car and heading to rip some throats out. Now if you don't mind…" He didn't even seem to try to conceal the fury from his voice.

I felt myself get passed gently from one embrace to the next. My hands grabbed on to the first fabric it found, Tripp's shirt I would assume, and I pulled myself as close to him as I could. From the slight tightening of his arms he didn't mind.

I should mind. If my brain was actually functioning I would remember that Tripp was a grade F wankstain and I wanted nothing to do with him. But my new fluffy brain wanted to be as close as I could.

They made me feel safe. Something I really needed.

So I held on with white knuckles to Tripp's red Henley and refused to think about why it was a bad idea. I deserved comfort where I could find it.

Tripp carefully took a seat on the couch and set me sideways on his lap. His arms stayed around me, thankfully. They helped keep the broken pieces of me together.

"I'm so sorry, Harper." He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "We tried to find you sooner. Ava was the only reason we found you at all. I can't even think about what might've happened…" I could feel his muscles tense.

"Why would you want to? You hate me." My voice sounded lifeless even to me.

A hand pressed under my chin, lifting my face. I refused to look at him. If I saw the disappointed judgy face even once I would lose it.

"Harper. Please look at me."

The tenderness in his voice took me by surprise enough that my eyes opened on their own and sought him out. His expression held none of his usual stony condescension. Just concern, anger…and a bit of determination. The change was such a shock that I couldn't look away.

"My brothers and I lived with this large pack in Washington state growing up. Just my father, mother, sister Athena… we were all very close. As packs tend to be.

"I was a naive kid. My brothers and I were fucking around in the woods bordering our land, when an injured man came up to us asking for help. Said he had been attacked by a wild animal and just needed somewhere to bandage up. I knew my parents were home, and my father was a nurse so I pointed him in the direction of our house.

"I smelled the smoke first. Scanned the forest and saw black smoke billowing up from the direction of our house. We tried to get them…" Tripp swallowed audibly. "The man I had sent to my parents was a collector. Someone who traps and sells us for profit to the highest bidder. From what I was told my mother was cooking dinner, and when the man came in they fought. Which spilled the oil onto the hot stove. It ignited immediately.

"My brothers and I have been a pack of four since then. And I vowed to never make that mistake again. And then you pop up and everything goes to shit." The corner of his mouth lifts slightly, taking the sting out of his words.

"I haven't let anyone in since. And you…you scared the hell out of me. Still do. It's my responsibility to protect my family." Tripp captured my gaze with his. "I was an asshole. I pushed you away because I was afraid. But these last few days have put a lot into perspective. And I'm done pushing."

All I could do was stare as his words bounced around in my head.

"You're still a grade F wankstain…" I whispered softly.

His answering bark of actual laughter was music to my ears. "And you're still a pain in the ass. But you're OUR pain in the ass. If you'll have us."

The answer wasn't as simple as a yes or no. There was so much mental and emotional luggage rolling around in my head that I haven't unpacked yet, I couldn't give him an honest, thought-out answer. Was I attracted to them? Anyone with ovaries would be. And I knew we were connected somehow. But my brain was short-circuiting and I couldn't think.

Apparently he had a hidden talent for mind reading. "I don't expect an answer anytime soon. I'm just letting you know that I'm all in. No more fighting."

"That's too bad. I kind of enjoyed the fighting."

Tripp snickered and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Oh, I'm sure those will stick around."

"Okay. Your time is up. Stop hogging Harper and do something useful." Theo marched into the living room and, without any warning whatsoever, scooped me up and plopped down with me onto the couch.

"Careful, idiot. She could still have injuries." There was a loud thwack, followed by some colorful cursing from Theo.

Some things never change.