“I want to bite you, too.So bad.”
Alec had to get them out of there. “Your wolf is reacting to mine, making everything harder to control. Trust me, Mark, we need to get out of here.”
He stared at Alec’s throat for another second, then snapped his gaze away. “Yeah, okay. Go wait downstairs, and I’ll get my things.”
“I’m not going without you.”
Mark snorted. “I can’t function with you so close and smelling likethat. If you don’t go down near the door, we’ll never get out of here.”
Reluctantly Alec stomped down the stairs and waited by the door. Mark joined him five minutes later, a pair of trousers slung over his arm. At Alec’s raised eyebrow, he said. “I’m in the coffee shop tomorrow.” He plucked at his T-shirt. “Wes ruined my other one.” Ignoring Alec’s low growl, he added. “This is my spare shirt, so remind me to take it off when we get to your flat. I’m assuming that’s where we’re headed.”
Alec nodded. Thank fuck none of the others needed it tonight. “I’m sure I can help you with that.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mark spent the whole car ride to Alec’s flat with one hand gripping the grab-handle above his window and the other clinging to the seat. Tension filled the car, so thick Mark could taste it.
But neither of them spoke.
Judging by the way Alec slammed through the gears, he felt much the same.
What happened at the flat felt surreal. Mark could kick himself for not realising Alec would react that way. His need to stick it to Wes and Newell had clouded his judgement and almost—
Fuck. He closed his eyes at the memory.
I want to bite you.Alec’s voice, low and rough, had almost tempted Mark to bare his throat and beg him to just do it. He didn’t think he’d ever been so turned on in his life before that moment.
Of course Alec’s instincts would kick in. He might fool himself that they were just fucking around, but Mark had known where they’d been heading. It didn’t matter that he’d only seen Alec a handful of times—shifters didn’t need time, they needed a connection. And theirs was off the charts.
He should have known better.
But I wanted it.
A small part of him wondered if he’d done it on purpose, however subconsciously. Not that any of it made a difference now.
Alec parked the car and Mark followed him to the door and inside.
As soon as the door shut behind them, Alec relaxed.
When Mark inhaled too, he immediately realised why.
None of the other R-pack betas had been there in the last few days because the flat smelled like Alec.
And Mark.
It was faint, but under everything else, the scent of sex lingered, and Mark wanted to follow it to the bedroom where it was bound to be stronger. He started towards it, but Alec’s hand on his arm stopped him.
“We should talk.”
“Talk?” Mark stared at him open-mouthed. “You never usually want to.” At Alec’s raised eyebrows, he conceded. “Well, not until after.” Because last time Alec had talked for hours. Mark was just used to getting naked first. And right then he needed it. “Can’t it wait?” He started to lift his T-shirt.
Alec didn’t make a move to stop him, so Mark carried on, finally slipping it off and hanging it over the back of a chair. He squared his shoulders, knowing Alec would notice where else Wes had hurt him. The wounds had long healed, but with shifter senses, a few hours weren’t enough to remove all traces.
It took two long strides for Alec to be in front of him. Slowly and carefully he traced the pads of his fingers over Mark’s skin, spreading them wide and setting them in the exact spots Wes’s claws had sunk in. “Why did he attack you?” The words were slightly slurred, and it was no surprise to see his teeth slide out.
Mark shivered. Alec’s possessiveness set his nerves on edge, made him want to push him into the bedroom and bite.
“Mark?”
