Eli shrugged. “I came about a bazillion times, fucked you silly, and shot into your girl’s skilled mouth. Why wouldn’t I be good?”
Alex just looked at him, and Eli felt his face heat.
“Quit it.”
“What?” Alex raised a brow.
“You know. Analyzing me.”
“Huh?”
Eli sneered. “Please. At least when Gideon does it he’s upfront about ‘counseling’ me. You think you can be all silent and I’ll just spill my guts.” The way he had a few times before. Alex was the calm voice in their storm of wildness. The guy had a handle on what made people tick, and he encouraged sharing. That was the real reason Gideon had made him their company front man. Just looking at the guy made you want to trust him.
Eli glanced over at Kennedy, not wanting her to witness their discussion. But she remained asleep. And damn, but she looked cute all huddled under the covers, her dark-red hair curling around her face and shoulders.
Alex remained silent, waiting. Eli shot off the bed, feeling a measure better when he loomed over his packmate. Because yeah, that’s how he thought of the guys anymore, in terms of his beastly connection.
He cleared his throat. “Look, it’s no secret I’m new to dude-on-dude action.” Eli ran a hand through his hair, needing a cut soon. He liked it super short, but since becoming Circ, the stuff grew out fast. “And the whole everybody-together scene took a little getting used to, but I like it.” He grinned, trying to hide how uncomfortable it was to have so little control when that thing inside him wanted sex. How strange to find himself belonging with the others, accepted for himself when he’d always lived on the outside, protected in his isolation.
But not anymore. He had a weird kind of family now.
Alex nodded. His expression soft, compassionate. The bastard.
Eli continued to talk, unable to help himself. “But her… She’s different.” They both looked at Kennedy. “I can’t explain it, but I’m sensing you and she connected on another level. And she did something to me too.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing too freaky other than getting me off.” Yeah, Alex didn’t look too pleased at the mention. Not like he had any room to judge. It wasn’t like the guy and Kennedy were married or anything. Yet Alex seemed a little jealous, and even Gideon didn’t act that way with Bailey.
Eli understood the emotion, though he didn’t feel that way about Kennedy. No, he felt a little possessive himself. About Alex.Shit.
Eli growled. “It’s like we’re all together now. You, me, and her. And she’s not really pack.” Not until Gideon okayed it, which still stuck in his craw.
Eli was his own man, his own boss. But now every damn thing had to go though Gideon first. What made it worse, he kind of liked having the structure of a hierarchy. Gideon led with Bailey beside him, keeping the team at ease by regulating their emotions when they grew too aggressive. And when the other guys felt easier, so did Eli.
He liked that Kennedy felt safe enough to sleep with them in the room. That she’d trusted enough to take Alex and Eli into her body. Oh man. So much for just having an awesome lay. Now he had…feelings.
Alex frowned. “You feel her, don’t you? In here?” He tapped his chest.
Eli gave him a glum, “Yeah.”
“Hmm. I thought that was just me.”
Eli shook his head. “You need to tell Gideon about this. Maybe she’s fuckin’ with us. She’s a telepath, right? She could be feeding you some BS about bonding or making you think you want her.” Eli glanced at her, then away. “Although she is beautiful. Not a hardship to get with her.”
“I know.”
Great, now Alex looked worried.
Tired of it all, Eli settled back on the bed, having passed the torch of anxiety. He hated dealing with this kind of shit. “She’s your problem. You worry about her. I’m catching some z’s.”
“Yeah, yeah. Because it’s not like you slept earlier. What are you, a cat?” Alex glared at him for a moment, then shook his head and moved to Kennedy’s side. He slid into bed with her, their scents mingling, overlapping.A mated pair,Eli’s beast thought with contentment. Another member to strengthen their pack and make more Circs.
Eli rolled his eyes. Oh yeah, he could just see Alex loving that idea. Knocking up the new chick who might or might not be working with the enemy.
Letting his buddy deal with the mess, Eli closed his eyes. Time to conserve his strength for when the shit really hit the fan. Because he had a feeling Lang’s Circs would want their girl back, and Kennedy didn’t seem all that keen on returning.
******
Edwin stared at the B series, minus Caldane, who was still undergoing a new therapy, one that would hopefully bring his more animalistic tendencies under better control.
Myers and Yates sparred with each other while Sheer watched, a smirk on his face. Then again, Sheer always wore that expression, as if he knew a secret no one else did.
