Page 68 of Traded

“Hopefully not.” I can see the worry he’s trying to hide. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I’m breaking. And because I’m breaking, I’m breaking my pack.

Not Lauren. Me.

“I don’t know how to stop fighting.” I slam my palms into my eyes, pressing hard. “I can’t stop my instincts, Liam. This is who I am.”

“And I don’t want you to change.” He turns us until I’m laying back in my blankets, looking up at him. “But we need to handle it for a while.”

“I can do it.” He doesn’t look like he believes me. “Ican.”

I feel sick. I will do it. I have to make this better.

I hurt him.

“You can’t carry this by yourself.” He cradles my face. “I thought about it all night, Ro. I have an idea.”

My brows draw together. “What idea?”

“Something to help you adjust. To get you through this so you don’t have to worry.” He searches my face for an answer I don’t have. “I can take it all away, Ro. The panic, and the fighting. You’re tearing yourself apart, baby.”

“You can’t do this for me.” I force a smile, only for it to waver when he doesn’t smile back. “Spit it out. What are you saying?”

“What if I could?” He glances over his shoulder. Faint echoes of conversation slip below the door. The others must be awake. My pulse spikes, and he turns back to me. “Icancarry this for you. But you have to trust me.”

Tightness spreads across my chest. A growing suspicion.

“Do you mean…” My throat narrows enough that the words are hard to force out. They’re barely audible. “You’re talking about a bark.”

“Think about it.” My pulse spikes. I try to get up, but he nudges me back down into the blankets, his legs covering mine. Liam searches my face desperately. “It would only be temporary.”

“No. How can you even suggest that?” Horror makes me recoil, my head pressing back against my pillow. “They don’t work like that!”

Is that even possible? As far as I know, barks don’t last that long. But long enough and brutal enough that the NOC banned them years ago, somewhere around the time they decided we actually had a functioning brain and could think for ourselves instead of existing purely for an alpha’s knot.

“They can.” Liam blows out a breath. “This is what they’re for. To stop you from hurting yourself, to help you. As soon as things are settled, we’ll stop.”

“They’re illegal,” I hiss. “I can’t believe you’d consider this—”

“They’re permitted for lifesaving measures if an omega is putting themselves at risk.” My pounding heartbeat grows quicker at the look on his face. Liam presses his forehead to mine. “This is me saving us, Ro. You, me. Our pack—ourlife. You would be saving us. You’ll thank me when it’s done.”

He looks so earnest. So certain against my own unraveling panic, and I feel myself waver. “It would be temporary?”

“Of course.” He shakes his head. “They don’t work well long-term, and I’d never do that to you. Like I said. You have to trust me.”

“I…” My eyes slide to the door. “We should all talk about this.”

“You don’t think Carter has enough going on?” I flinch, and he presses his advantage. “All he’s doing is worrying about you right now, and he shouldn’t have to. Think about it, Ro. Everything settles. Today. Nobody has to know.”

Of course they would know. How could they not?

“Look at you,” Liam murmurs. “You’re spiraling again, Ro. This is the right decision.”

I… am. It’s hard to take in enough air. “What about a… a trial? We could try it once?”

Maybe itcouldwork. Maybe it would soften this pain in my heart if I could hand it to him, let him look after it for a while.

“I’m your alpha.” He presses his lips to mine, gentle and reassuring. “Let me do this for you. Please.”