August blurted out the question at the same time as he realized what must have happened. Ryker would never look past Steve’s attempted incursions and transgressions unless he’d firmly established his dominance, and the only way to do that was to fight him.
Ryker shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it a fight. He tried to punch me and I put him on his knees. After that we came to an understanding.”
August needed to nip this in the bud. “We are not adding that yuppy little shit to our relationship.”
Ryker froze, giving him a look like he’d just asked him to take a bath in strawberry jelly.
“What?”
“I know you,” August said, crossing his arms. “And while I admit that Steve is a very attractive man, there’s no way Dylan – or anyone – could handle all three of us. It wouldn’t work.”
Ryker kept looking at him like he was crazy. “I said we should be friends with him, not that we shoulddatehim. Where are you getting that idea?”
August narrowed his eyes. He knew Ryker, and he knew that look on his face when he’d talked about Steve.
“Just don’t get any ideas. You’re mine, and I’m not sharing you with another alpha.”
Ryker laughed, walking over to him and taking his face in his hands. He leaned down for a kiss.
“Deal. No other alphas.” He let go of August’s face and stepped back, giving him a fond look. “You’re so jealous. I love it.”
August blushed, but he knew he wasn’t wrong. Ryker was trying to brush him off, but he knew his mate. For some inexplicable reason, he found Steve’s whole schtick to be charming.
But now August had said his part and they could move on. If Ryker wanted to invite the puppy to play with them on the next full moon, that was fine. As long as the rules were clear, August would be polite and friendly.
It might be kind of fun, chasing the energetic alpha around the woods.
“Are you ready to go?” August asked, standing up. He walked over to the mirror and checked his hair, fussing over a few stray strands and tucking them back behind his ears. He was determined to put the embarrassing conversation about Steve behind them.
“Yeah, let me just put some product in my hair.” Ryker walked back into the bathroom. He rubbed some molding clay between his hands and ran his fingers through his hair, his short mane making it easy to style. He rinsed his hands and turned around. “Ready. How do I look?”
August swallowed. Ryker’s cock was clearly visible against his thigh, bulging and indecent, but other than that he looked perfectly put together.
“Fucking hot,” August said, turned on. He was so lucky that Ryker was his, and it was moments like this that made him wonder what he’d done to deserve such an amazing life.
Ryker looked delighted. He preened, brushing his hands down the front of his suit jacket and walking forward to give August a lingering kiss.
“Thank you. Now let’s go. The sooner we wine and dine our boy, the sooner we can bring him back here and have our way with him.”
August couldn’t agree more.
8
DYLAN
Dylan sat on his bed, dressed in his nicest black pants and blue button-down shirt, waiting for the minutes to tick by and for seven o’clock to arrive. He’d showered, douched, and changed his clothes three times, and he still had more than half an hour until August and Ryker were picking him up.
Maybe he should change again?
Dylan jumped to his feet and went to his dresser, but rummaging around inside he couldn’t find anything that was nicer than what he was wearing.
He should ask Annie what she thought. Grabbing his phone and his keys, he walked out of his apartment, making his way to the stairway and going up to Annie’s apartment.
He knocked on her door and waited. Annie lived in a two-bedroom apartment that she shared with a couple named Ryan and Melissa, who were also students. Annie hated Melissa, but as long as Ryan cleaned up after her, Annie kept her feelings bottled up inside.
Melissa came to the door, her expression turning sour at the sight of Dylan standing in the doorway.
“Oh, it’s you.” She walked away, leaving the door open.
