I swallowed, trying to breathe evenly when the same impulse to force my nose into his neck was slowly taking over.

“Sure thing.” Rylan gestured to me, and I made my way over to him, immediately warmed by the smile on his face and his scent. Summertime. A mix of fresh-cut grass and lemonade. Sweeter notes of fruit and jam. Beta.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rylan said, pushing through a heavy door into a spacious room I hadn’t expected.

There were a few desks and drafting tables, a kitchenette, and another set of huge windows looking onto the other side of the block, where there was a park across the street, and a door to a small parking lot.

The same color scheme ruled here, cool and comfortable. A big couch sat near the windows, and I knew that was where I’d end up.

“Why do all of you smell so good?” I blurted out, looking up at him. He was as tall as Bennett was, dimples in his cheeks showing when he grinned.

“I don’t know, but I think it’s a good sign, right?”

“Yeah.”

He walked with me over to the couch. “We’re going to try to not totally overwhelm you,” he said. “That’s why I’m in here with you and not one of the others. But you should know we’re all excited to meet you. Ben’s shirt has taken up permanent residence in the kitchen.”

I blinked and sat down on the couch. “His shirt?”

“The one he wore to the party,” he clarified. “The one with your scent all over it.”

My entire face turned bright red, and I was suddenly sweating in my hoodie. “He showed you that?”

“He did.” Rylan now looked a little sheepish. “Not in a creepy way. In a ‘my whole life is changed and I think it’s going to be the same for all of us’ way.”

“Oh.” The single word felt more than inadequate in comparison to his description, but it was all I had. I was so used to being on the defensive when it came to me and packs, and I had nothing here. Everything they said—every scent—so far had laid me open.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I told him. “And I’m… really fucking nervous.”

Rylan sat down on the arm of the couch, close enough to lend me his comforting scent, but not close enough to crowd me. “It’s okay. None of us have a clue what we’re doing either. But we’re going to try. Do you want something to drink?”

I shook my head. “I’m okay, thanks.”