Okay, this is fine. I can handle this.
I risk taking my eyes off of Apollo to glance at Hudson over my shoulder. How much of a risk is he? Do I have time to calm Apollo down, or do I need to tie Hudson up first?
When our eyes meet, he’s frowning—nothing new there—but he doesn’t look the way I expect after our interaction in the bed and all his sassy accusations. There’s no conniving glint in his eye, no obvious plan to use this to his advantage, but I do see caution and maybe some confusion. On their own that might be enough to convince me, but the undeniable curiosity is what makes me incredibly suspicious.
I shift my weight slowly, preparing to launch at him. If I can get my hands on his phone, I won’t need to tie him up. Hopefully Apollo doesn’t try to kill him in the process. I’m not confident I can prevent them from killing each other without using lethal force myself.
“Dream?” Beau’s sleepy voice rumbles behind Hudson, and I panic.Shit!“Apollo, what are you…oh fuck…”
Yeah, double fuck. His eyes are wide, and he looks tempted to bolt the hell out of here.
“Hudson, hand me your phone, please.” I aim for sweetness but land closer to threatening.
“It’s in my room." He nods, showing me his empty pockets. Okay, good. I just need to make sure he stays out here then.
Before I can make a move in an attempt to catch him by surprise and tie him up, the entrance door chirps again. That better be Thor, or we’re all triple fucked. I relax about two percent when the mountain of an Alpha barges in.
“No stabbing!” Thor barks as he stomps into the room and heads straight for Apollo, ignoring Hudson completely. He’s in black pajama pants that hang loosely off his hips, and somehow, his disheveled hair, worse than Apollo’s, only makes him look even hotter.
I’ve never seen him shirtless. It’s quite the sight. If only we weren’t in the middle of something, I could look a little longer.
Now is not the time, sadly.
“No stabbing until we hear from the bosses. He knows them, remember? Saved an Omega,” Thor speaks calmly now, still a little breathless. He places himself between Apollo and Hudson, his back pressing into me.
When he tries to tuck me out of sight of the volatile Alpha before him, I swat his hand away. If he thinks he can do this without me, he’s a silly goose. Apollo will stab him just as easily as he’ll stab Hudson.
“He was in her bed.On top of her,”Apollo growls the accusation, and my cheeks heat. Beau’s eyebrows shoot up, but he doesn’t look the least bit upset, just shocked.
“Oh, come on! When you say it like that, it sounds like something it wasn’t.”
The two Alphas behind me rumble when Beau stands next to me, offering a reassuring arm rub.
“It’s okay.”
“I swear, it’s not anything sexy or fun.” I keep my eyes on Hudson, ready to pounce if I need to. I also don’t want Hudson to get the upper hand and do something that will force me to choke him out. I know Thor well enough to know that he can handle the feral pain in the ass that is currently causing trouble at five in the morning.
“Was Dream calling for help? Was she scared? I don’t smell any fear in her scent,” Thor says, still being gentle with Apollo. I bet he’s frowning though, as he thinks about Hudson on top of me and what that means.
“No, I wasn’t scared or calling for help,” I answer, and Hudson lifts a brow at my willingness to defend him. I shrug before whispering, “He’s trying to…” I trail off, making a throat-cutting gesture with my hand and sticking my tongue out the side of my mouth. “You know, permanently put you to sleep.”
“Yes, the knife he tried to stab me with made that clear, but thank you for the detailed description."
“Sarcasm? In a moment like this, when your life's on the line?” I whisper, shaking my head at him, as Beau chuckles unhelpfully.
“My life is often on the line. I try not to take it too personally.”
“Interesting,” I say, tilting my head at him.Why, and how, is his life often on the line?He sounds like Tatum’s mates, my bosses, who put themselves in danger. Is that what Hudson did for Priscilla? Is that what he thinks he’s doing with Beau?
The thought draws my attention away from the Alpha and to the man at my side. Puzzle pieces are starting to click into place, but I can’t see the full picture yet.
“She’s not scared or hurt. She’s safe. You need to get out,” Thor says firmly, leaving no room to argue, but I get the sense Apollo will anyway. He could use his dominance and bark, but we all know that would probably end badly.
How do I get these men to cooperate and do exactly what I want so I can get all the answers I need?
“Him first,” Apollo hisses, arguing just like I knew he would, and I hear Thor sigh in frustration. I need to speed this up, but no one seems willing to flinch first.
I’m planning my next move, eyes glued to Hudson. His body language and facial expressions give nothing away. I breathe in. No Alpha scents. Just Beau and I.Wait, what the hell?There isn’t a single hint of cinnamon apple vanilla in the air, but he was lighting me up with it in my bed. That’s unusual. Rare, even.
