Heat partners picked through an app are supposed to leave when the heat is over. Atticus always does. For five heats, Sophia has made the same arrangement with Atticus through the Heat Seekers app. He shows up, takes care of her, gives her exactly what she asks for, and goes home afterward without asking for more. That was the agreement. It worked better before Sophia caught feelings, before she started missing him between heats, before she wanted him to contact her outside of the app and without a heat window. By the time her next heat comes due, Sophia is hurt enough to get petty. She posts a new listing searching for assistance, denies Atticus twice, and accepts another alpha she does not want because what she does want is for Atticus to finally make a move. It works. But Atticus has been holding back more than a friendly text between heats. Since their first meeting, he has known Sophia is his scent match, and he kept that knowledge to himself. For five heats, he let her call him her casual heat partner while he knew there was a reason that it wouldn't stay that way.