“Ryan doesn’t have to do that.If anything, his beast is so strong, it’s like an entity on its own.He has to fight the beast for control at all times.”
“That’s a bad thing?”
“Not necessarily.It’s a sign of his strength that he can do that.”
“So, wait a minute.The longer he goes without shifting, the more of a sign of strength it is?”
“Yeah.But equally, the longer he goes, the more the Pride worries.”
“Why?”
Trip shrugs.“He still has to reconnect with his beast from time to time.”
“How do they know?”
“His scent grows weak around the perimeter.It’s strong with him today.He must have shifted before he headed for the lodge.Which means Adam got to him and persuaded him to shift.When his scent grows weak, the Pride doesn’t like it.It makes them uneasy.They’ll be more at ease now.His scent acts as a barrier to other paranormals.Another reason why Adam will have persuaded him.”
Shawn frowned.“I think I understand so far.”
Trip shrugged.“Not much to understand about that.But, our role as his Triad brothers is a little more complex because of who he is.Like the brothers joining tonight, they’re not just each other’s strengths and weaknesses that will unite them and perfect them for one woman.We’re also his counsel, his judges.”
“That makes sense.”
“We spoke with him earlier about this.Before you came in after arranging for the DNA test.His beast is very possessive of El.He doesn’t want to share her with the masses, but he’ll have to.She’s theirs too.”
Shawn pulled a face.“If you phrased it that way, no wonder he didn’t listen.”
Trip snorted.“Shut up.”
“You shut up.”
“Children,” Marc intoned, breaking into their argument with a stealthy appearance that had Shawn blinking in surprise.
“Where did you come from?”
“I was talking to our mother-in-law when I noticed Ryan had guided El to the dais without introducing her to anyone.”He flared his nostrils.“She scents of him.”
“That’s why he’s feeling possessive.”Trip grunted.“Makes sense I guess.”
“Guys, what are you talking about?”Shawn asked, utterly in the dark when it came down to this scenting shit.
“They fucked,” Marc said bluntly, making Shawn wince.
“Oh.”
Trip sighed.“You have to get over it.”
“Get over what?”
“The fact that you fucked her mom.It was over a long time ago.”
“If she could get over it, then I would too.Plus, that wasn’t why I winced.It’s just…”
“Hard to share.”Marc cast him a sympathetic look.“You’ll get used to it.Especially when you watch El blossom in all our care.”
“I can see that already.”And he could.That was no BS.She fucking glowed up on that dais.Radiating a kind of inner peace that made him feel unworthy of kissing her goddamn feet.
She’d always been beautiful.It was why he’d always wanted to brain her mother because she persisted in shaming her daughter for not being as skeletal as Annabel was.
