“If I have to guess, I’ll say Malek was listening in—I’ll take a bet and say Axel made him do it—and he heard that you wanted me to shift, so your brother probably asked him to get Mason on the off chance you fainted so that you didn’t drop him or something.”
Alfie was quiet for a second, then nodded thoughtfully, and added, “I can see that.” He looked Malachi in the eye. “Well, do your Jacob thing then.”
“Shifters everywhere loathe that movie,” Malachi told his mate as he began taking his clothes off. He dropped his shirt to the floor and reached for the button of his trousers.
Alfie’s gasp had him looking up.
His mate’s eyes were wide in surprise. “Are you… you… naked?”
Malachi barely swallowed his snort at the look on his mate’s face, not to mention the babbling.
“You wanted me to shift. The clothes have to come off.” Well, he could have ripped them during the shift, but he was feeling very strip show-ish. Since his mate admitted to liking, he figured, why not give him more to like?
A pair of eyes were firmly gazing at Malachi’s hands still on the button of his trousers, and he couldn’t help smiling. His mate’s scent had changed; apparently, the man liked what he was seeing. Maybe he should have told Alfie he could scent arousal too.
Nahhh… he’d do that later.
“Should I continue?” Malachi asked.
Alfie swallowed and looked him in the eye for a second, then his eyes travelled all the way down Malachi’s chest until they landed back on the button.
“Yes, please.” Alfie’s voice came out all husky, and it shot straight to Malachi’s cock.
It was his turn to swallow.
Malachi undid his button and pushed his chinos and boxers down at the same time. When they were off, he made sure to watch his mate, taking in everything from his flushed cheeks to his elevated heart rate, to the musky undertones of his peach-and-vanilla scent.
Alfie’s hands reached out and he held his breath. Malachi’s whole body was on edge, dying to feel his mate’s fingers on his skin. Alfie lightly traced the skin above his heart until his fingers finally landed on the tattoo there.
It was their family crest—a wolf withWhitfellunderneath andLupos et Familia Primumacross the top.
“What does it say?” Alfie asked, tracing the words.
Malachi had to swallow his groan. Alfie didn’t understand what his fingers on Chi’s body were doing to him. Even so innocent a touch.
His voice came out husky, even to his ears. “Lupos et Familia Primum.”
Alfie looked up at him. “What does that mean?”
“Family and Pack First,” Chi said, his heart pounding.
Their gazes held, neither of them breathing. Alfie finally took a step back and cleared his throat.
“So, uhh,” Chi cleared his throat, “I was going to show you my wolf, and trust me, the impatient bugger is dying to meet you.”
“He is?” Alfie asked, his voice coming out all squeaky. His eyes stayed on Chi’s face… mostly. Malachi tried to hide his smile, as his mate seemed to be unable to stop glancing down at his very hard cock.
“He definitely is. It’s a blessing to find your mate.”
Alfie’s arousal was messing with his barely-leashed control.
“Mmm.” Alfie groaned and licked his lips, his eyes trailing down Chi’s body. “Could… could you, uhhh… clothes, or… you know, wolf…” Alfie stammered the words out while gesturing at Malachi’s nude body.
Even with his words, Alfie’s eyes couldn’t seem to stop trailing up and down Malachi’s body.
And Chi wasn’t unaffected. “Ready?” he croaked out, his whole body lit up like the fifth of November.
“Huh?” Alfie’s eyes that kept going back to inspect Malachi’s groin shot up to his eyes, and when their gazes locked, his mate’s cheeks tinted. “What did you say?” Alfie asked, his voice coming out all high and squeaky.
