I was quiet for the rest of the walk and Louis let me keep my thoughts. He was strangely relaxing to be around. Despite the immense power vibrating from him, he was still a little less intense than the Compasses. I closed my eyes for the ride up in the box, relieved when I could finally step free from all that metal. The door opened for me, silent, letting me into the cool apartment. Louis peeled off toward the kitchen and I followed my nose and stepped into the living room. Maximus was on the couch, his head buried in his hands. I knew the other quads were in the building, but the vampire was all alone right now.

He shot his face up and I stopped in my tracks. I’d never seen him look so miserable. I wanted to run to his side, throw my arms around him and pull him close. But for the first time I hesitated, he wasn’t mine to comfort now, he had someone for that. Someone who would not appreciate my scent all over him.

The vampire stood, filling the space with his giantness. “Don’t do that, Jess, don’t treat me differently.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying my best to calm myself. “Things are different.” My scratchy voice irritated me.

Maximus crossed the room, crowding right into me, warming my cold limbs with his heat. “You’re my girl, you have been our entire lives.” He lifted his head up to stare at the ceiling, as if trying to find the right words to say next. “I love you. I always have.” Truth. He dropped his face again to meet my gaze. “That love has changed over the years. Sometimes it was platonic, sometimes it was romantic. You have no idea how many times I wished I was Braxton and at least had a shot at being your true mate. But I always knew that you were shifter and I was vampire.”

My mouth must have fallen open at some point during his speech. I flicked out my tongue to moisten my lips. I was processing what he was saying, but I don’t think the true meaning was actually registering.

“What about Mischa?”

His eyes darkened, and I sensed it was guilt which tugged at his features. “She was you … but not, if you know what I mean.”

Ah crap, no wonder my sister was pissed off.

“Cardia doesn’t change anything about us. She knows you are my family, my pack, and that if she makes me choose, I will choose you.”

Truth. An absolutely astonishing truth.

“I have no doubt that the shit will hit the ceiling more than once, but eventually our pack will find its dynamics.”