The knock sounds again. “Misty? It’s me, Lindon. Let me in, quick.”
I yawn and get off the bed to stumble toward the door. When I reach it, I wonder how Fifi walked out of here and did the lock without me noticing. I undo the deadbolt and open the door to see Lindon, looking disheveled, standing impatiently with his hands in his pockets.
He doesn’t wait for me to invite him in, just pushes past me and shuts the door behind him. More male voices sound in the background.
“They’re having dinner,” he says.
“Sorry, I fell asleep, I don’t know how…”
He passes me and walks in toward the bed, then flops face down on it, long form spread across the whole bed. His blond hair is mussed, and his scent is faint but delicious as always. My body seems to feel more awake when he’s around. It doesn’t seem to care that we can’t have him.
“Lay off the pheromones,” he grumbles. “I’m not in the mood.”
I scoff. “Well, I’m sorry, I don’t have your ability to control my own scent that way yet. My bad.”
He shakes his head and rolls onto his back, and I notice he’s a little flushed.
I walk over to the bed, sit on the side next to him and put a hand to his forehead. A light flush covers his perfect cheekbones and his golden eyes flare and then flick my way. Then he pulls away from my hand.
“I’m fine,” he grumbles.
“Sure,” I say. “You feel warm though.”
“That’s because it’s damn warm in a house with a bunch of horny males,” he says. “But we got them into rooms and they’ll hopefully be busy with food for a bit. Freaking exhausting.”
“Shouldn’t you get something? So you can keep your strength up?”
He shakes his head. “I need to stay clear headed, not full.”
I reach for him again, and brush his hair back, ignoring his attempt to pull away. “Thanks, Lindon. I’m finally understanding what a sacrifice you’re making here,” I say. “And I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” he says quietly.
“And thanks for um…that thing with Asher,” I mumble.
He shrugs. “No problem, that’s my job.”
“Right.”
“Now do you believe I can protect you?” he asks. “Still, that shouldn’t happen again. After all, none of them will want to give up the chance of gaining you as a mate for a few minutes of aggression. That’s my hope, anyway.”
“Do you know any of them?” I ask.
“Here and there. From shifter meetings and stuff. And overhearing stuff from Rafe and Rowan over the years. More like, I know of them. Well, we know Fifi pretty well, his mom is a friend of Rowan’s.”
“He’s weird.”
Lindon chuckles. “That he is. But I’m glad he’s here. You sleeping before? That’s him. His alpha power. He probably saved my life. I was trying to hold the guys off from following you upstairs, and when you fell asleep your scent disappeared long enough for me to tell them the rules and calm them down.”
“They didn’t look like they were planning to jump me,” I say.
“That’s what makes them dangerous predators,” he says.
“Ah. That seems like a little bit severe,” I say. “Predators?”
“Men are wolves,” he says, flashing me a weary grin. “Ah, maybe I should call Fifi up here so I can take a nap. He’s the only one I can trust you with.”
“You could probably trust Matthew, too,” I say. “I don’t feel anything sexual from him.”
Lindon’s eyes snap open. “No. Don’t underestimate any of them, Misty. Not one. And Matthew especially is not to be trusted.”
“Why?”
“He’s with the tribunal. Enough said.”
“Ah.” I fold my arms in my lap. “I don’t know where to go from here.”
“I guess we let them take the lead. See how they want to court you. Most of them are probably a little unfamiliar with human courtship rituals so it might be a little awkward. Either that or you could think of ways for them to please you.”
I blush at that. I can think of quite a few ways to…
“Not like that, you perv,” Lindon scoffs. “No, I don’t know. Whatever you use to determine a good mate.”
“I guess I just need time to talk to them.”
“Talk? That sounds downright torturous with some of them. Thor in particular.”
I laugh. “I don’t know. I’m curious to see what he’s like in private.”
“In private he’d probably have your back to the wall in about five seconds,” Lindon mutters. “Bad idea. I’d talk to them in groups.”
“Great idea,” I say. “I have an idea. I think I’d like to put some questions together for them to answer. If we could split them into groups so it’s a little less confusing.”
“Okay, I can think of something for the others to do. Maybe I’ll put on a movie in the theater.”
“There’s a theater?” I ask. “How come no one showed me this?”
“Shifters aren’t always that up for TV,” he says. “We’d rather be doing something. But a bunch of sexually suppressed alpha males may be grateful for a calmer distraction. We have to get them out of the way somehow.”
“Right,” I say. “Great, I’ll make my list, and you go talk to them and work things out. Fifi would help, I bet.”
Maybe I’m imagining it, but Lindon flushes slightly at that, then shakes his head to snap out of it. “Yes, I bet he would. I’ll ask him. He hands me a box. “Here, something for you.”
I take it. It’s wrapped. “What is it?”
“A present from Rowan.”
I open the paper and see a plain white box, and a small card falls out. “My son will protect you with his life, and my pack will support you if anything goes wrong. Best wishes picking a mate,” it says. It’s signed with Rowan’s name.
I open the box and see a watch inside. It has a thin rubber strap and is a smooth, golden box with a small screen, and a button on the side. Lindon reaches across me, causing me to tense and blush at his proximity.
“Um, just press that, if you’re ever in trouble…” he pushes the button and a loud beep and a buzz sound. He pulls his phone from his pocket. “And I’ll come. Okay? Say one of them slips away while I’m trying to get things started.”
“Ah,” I say, touched by the gesture. “Thank you.” I want to tell him it means a lot that he’s doing this for me, but he’s probably just doing it for his dad, just being a good son. “And Lindon, thanks for being a good friend.”
He blinks at that, then grins. “Of course. I told you we’d make good friends.” He frowns. “If you just listen to me.”
“Um, after seeing what you did to Asher, I’m way more likely to listen.”
“Good,” he says. “See you in a little bit.” He walks to the door, then stops and turns. “Do you want me to send up some dinner with Fifi?”
My stomach growls in response, but I can’t imagine eating right now. “No, I’ll be working on my questions first.”
“Great,” he says. He seems almost hesitant to leave, his hand lingering on the door handle. “You know, I think I liked it better when I had you to myself,” he says cryptically.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he says, leaving and closing the door behind him, leaving me alone in the big, empty room.
This is the life I’m used to.
Now, what should I ask the men downstairs?
* * *
I’m only on the first question with the first group, and mayhem has already broken loose.
It started when I asked them what books they liked to read, and Thor said that reading was for fools, and Matthew said Thor was probably illiterate, and the sharing brothers said some gross book they had on them, and then Thor and Matthew were wrestling on the floor. And then Lock was between them, trying to break them up, and Lindon was face-palming, and the brothers came over to show me a pocket-sized copy of the gross book…
&nbs
p; “Alright everyone!” I yell, standing up. “Stop right this instant!”
Everyone stops. The brothers looking like they don’t know what they’ve done wrong, Thor reluctantly gets off of Matthew, who is thoroughly winded, and Lock stands up and brushes sweaty hair off his forehead. He meets my eyes and his are sparkling with mirth, a honey wine color that takes my breath away and seems so much warmer than Thor’s despite them being identical.
Lindon waits with his face in his palm while the men take their seats again. Thor adjusts his tee shirt, not before I catch a glimpse of tanned, rippling abs and cut ken doll lines. Tim and Tom sit back on one of the couches, taking the whole thing up between them. They’re wearing matching pullover sweaters that set off their deep skin tone nicely.
Matthew gets up sulkily and then brushes himself off and gives me a look of pure hatred, like I’m the cause of all of his problems, rather than his big mouth and its ability to upset Thor.
“Okay, has everyone calmed down?” I ask. “Good.”
“Tell us why we should be answering these questions again?” Tom asks. Tom’s long lashes give his gray eyes a sultry, sleepy look, and his dark curls are black as sin. “Because I’m thinking an afternoon nap would be more productive.”
“Didn’t anyone announce that there would be a prize in each group?” Fifi says, popping in and interrupting. He puts two long fingers to his lips and blows a kiss to the room, which everyone dodges. “A kiss from Misty.”
My mouth drops, but Fifi just winks and disappears back to where he came from in a flash of blond ponytail. I turn to the men.
Thor sits up a little straighter. Lock leans forward intently. Matthew pouts. The brothers high five and get determined looks on their faces. I glance at Lindon, who throws up his hands.
“Um, would you guys actually want that?” I ask.
Thor’s eyes flash to mine, and he runs a pink tongue slowly between his lips. “You bet, sweetheart.”
That’s it, I’m sure I’m bright red. His gaze sweeps to my chest and I pull my shirt up.
“Do we get to choose the location of the kiss?” he asks suggestively.
“Mouth, you perv,” Lindon mutters. “Only on the mouth.”
“Why would they be interested in just a mouth kiss?” I mutter to Lindon, hoping the others don’t hear.
Lock laughs. “You’d be surprised what an alpha can do with just your mouth.” He winks and I squirm, a little turned on by the thought of Lock’s sculpted lips on mine.
“Next question,” Tom says, one arm over the couch while Tim lazes under it, long legs over Tom’s as if there was nothing odd about that at all. I get the image of two gray wolves flopped together in the forest in my head as I look at them, and it brings a small smile to my face.
“What do you think is your best asset?” I read off my paper, proud of the questions I’ve come up with. They should help me find out at least something about the men I’m dating.
Men I’m dating. That sounds so weird.
Thor stands and lifts his tee shirt, revealing a perfect, impossibly defined six pack. He stands at about 6’4” so it’s a nice long one, one I could run my hands down for about ten seconds. “My abs,” he says with a grin.
An orange hits his head and his angry gaze snaps to Lindon. “What the hell?”
“Lock, control your twin.”
“No, that really is his best quality,” Lock jokes.
“Okay, okay, I can see that, I guess,” I say, fanning my face and then turning to Lock as Thor lowers his shirt and sits down with a satisfied grin. “Lock? Your best quality?”
“Hm,” he says. “How to not come off as braggy…”
“His hair,” Thor blurts out.
“She wants to hear from Lock,” Lindon cuts in, but Lock shrugs.
“Sure, my hair,” he says, not looking like he cares much about his answer.
“Alright,” I say, moving on down the sheet, thinking Lock probably isn’t going to be winning the kiss today with that kind of passivity. Bummer.
“Tim?” I ask the bigger brother. “How about you?”
Tim shrugs. “I’m good at sharing.” He nudges his brother and leers at me, and Tom just rolls his eyes.
“Tom, same question?”
Tom thinks for a moment. He really does have gorgeous features, and I can tell there’s a lot of intelligence behind those bewitching gray eyes. “I’m a good listener,” he says simply.
Tim looks at him in surprise, a flash of insecurity that’s gone in a second. I can definitely tell who is more the dependent one in this relationship.
“All right, Matthew?” I know he’s not interested but I want to give him the same chance as anyone else.
“Pass.”
Or not. “Alright then.”
“Did I win?” Thor asks, never the brightest apple in the barrel.
“No,” I say. “The game’s not over.”
“Talking is boring,” he says, before being nudged by Lock.
“I don’t mind it,” Tom says, locking eyes with me. Something definitely puts me off balance with Tom, but I’m also attracted to him. Like I am to all of the guys. After all, they’re born to be attractive and continue the packs, attract women.
I eye Thor carefully. Short tempered, blunt, not fun to talk to. But what would it be like to kiss him?
Thor swears and Lock puts a hand on his collar. “Hold it, big guy,” Lock says. Thor shrugs away.
“Next question,” Thor says, averting his eyes from mine, a slight blush on his cheeks.
I look around the room and notice both the brothers and the twins are averting their eyes from me.
“Am I smelling good again?” I ask.
They all nod, looking various degrees of embarrassed or aroused, and I sigh. “I’m sorry, nothing I can do about it.”
“Next question!” Thor says, folding his arm. “Then I kiss you.”
My eyes widen at that, looking at the question that comes next.
“Biggest weakness.”
“I’m too strong,” Thor says, straight-faced. “And I always win everything.”
Lock’s face tightens like he’s trying not to laugh, and when he composes himself, he answers. “I can be too much of a pleaser sometimes.”
I nod and wait for Tim and Tom.
Tim goes first. “I can be selfish. And possessive.” He eyes Tom, who goes next.
“I can be obsessive. And I’m not particularly possessive, compared to other wolves.”
Thus the sharing, I think. But an image of gray eyes looming over and around me as they give me pleasure pops into my head and I flush and wish for a better question right now.
I fold the paper and bite my lip, unsure if I even want to keep questioning them right now. Thor’s abs, Lock’s smile, Tom’s eyes, Tim’s hair…
Control yourself, woman. The scents of the males in the room are mingling and irresistible, and even if I’m a little disgusted with myself for thinking of it, I could really see myself kissing any of them.
If I picked Tom, would I get Tim too?
I close my eyes and think, and hear the alphas shift restlessly. I need to remember these are men used to fighting physically for what they want and running wild through forests.
“I choose Lock,” I say, and the brothers exhale in disappointment, Thor’s eyes widen in shock, and Matthew hmphs.
Lock stands with a gracious smile and comes over to offer me a hand. When I take it he pulls me forward and gently cups the back of my head to pull me into a kiss.
His lips fit perfectly over mine. My first kiss.
A low growl from someone in the room, but I don’t care. It feels like heaven as Lock’s tongue slides deftly over mine, his soft hands supporting me as he drinks me in. He brings his other hand up and buries it in my hair, and deepens the kiss as he presses me to his hard body.
For the first time in a long time I feel feminine, petite, up against that hard, tall frame. And his gentle hands make it all the easier to
be aroused by the soft, intense kiss.
Oh gosh, do all alphas kiss that his? What would Lindon’s feel like?
Someone in the room clears their throat and Lock pulls back from me with a low grown. He gives me a smile and threads his fingers through his hair roughly, and when I look into those usually placid amber brown eyes, I can see fire that wasn’t there before. Even he seems taken aback by it. He moves slightly toward me, but Lindon pulls me back against his side possessively.
“That’s it,” he says.
Lock touches his lips with his fingers as if still in shock at the intensity of the connection. I know I am. Then his lips curl in a smile again, nearly making me melt at the knees.
I can’t wait to kiss another of these alphas.
I eye Thor. Kissing him would probably be like kissing a hurricane, where Lock was like kissing a sunrise.
And the brothers? Hm…
Lindon clears his throat again and I look up at the tall blond alpha to see his expression stern and uncharacteristically hard. Like he’s bothered by something.
Hm.
“Next group,” he says. “Call them up.”
* * *
Things seem to be going better with this group. Asher is still here, but even though Lindon forced him to apologize, a scampy wink from him shortly thereafter made me think our resident bad boy isn’t much reformed at all.
“Okay,” I say, “Favorite book.”
“Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” Asher says, surprising me.
“Wow, good pick. Artsy.”
“I just know it has motorcycle in the name.”
“Do you actually have a motorcycle?” Lindon asks.
Asher shakes his head, stretching his muscled arms over the back of the couch he’s on. “Not everyone comes from money like you, dipshit. I’m working on it though.”
“Say that again,” Lindon says, the threat of death plain in his voice.
“Eh, not worth it.” Asher sends me another wink and I’m beginning to think he has a twitch or something. Until he makes a little kissing motion with his full lips.
“Crime and Punishment,” Jack says.
I turn my attention to him in surprise. An educated choice. Jack has been so normal that between Fifi, Asher, and the brothers, I’d nearly forgotten about him and his sleepy, pretty jade green eyes and masculine, striking features.
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