Then, as if Zeke’s words had conjured the fourth alpha up, a knock came at the door.
“Come in,” the three guys said in relieved unison as they hopped up.
Brooks swaddled me up in a blanket and I watched them leave my nest with a sense of unease.
I hadn’t seen Dallas since my first look at this room when he’d left them to comfort me and I still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was going to reject me again even though he had clearly stayed in the house during my heat.
The door to the nest room opened and Dallas stepped in, looking as nervous as I felt.
He was dressed like he’d just come in from a run, a pair of shorts and a tank top clinging to his lithe figure. It was more skin than I’d ever seen from the alpha before and my eyes were instantly drawn to his tanned skin and the tattoos that seemed to cover every inch of his arms and chest.
I hadn’t realized he had so many tattoos before.
His suit hid most of them normally except for a peek here and there.
My insides heated at the realization that Ilikedthe way they looked and I wanted to get a better view of them.
The guys spoke with him quietly and I leaned forward, trying to listen without any luck, sending my displeasure at being kept out of the loop down the bonds I shared with Maverick, Zeke, and Brooks.
“It’s nothing crazy, Len,” Maverick said over his shoulder, shooting me an affectionate smile. “We’re just telling him not to panic if you try to bite… or scratch… or mount him at a moment’s notice.”
My face warmed.
“That was when I was in the middle of my heat!” I protested, embarrassed by their words. “And I only bit you and Zeke because you were teasing me too much.”
The now bruising bite marks all over their arms were a testament to the rigorous playtime they had put me through when I was in the throes of my heat and the displeasure it had brought me when all I wanted to do was to come.
I watched as the three men gave Dallas reassuring pats on the back and then they were gone and we were left to stare at each other.
Dallas was the first to speak as he toed at the thick pile of discarded nesting materials on the floor in front of him with his sneakers and pushed his glasses up his nose.
“Hi.”
He looked nervous and unsure of himself—something I wasn’t used to seeing from the alpha who was usually the man with the plan.
The logistician as he and the rest of the team had called him.
Now he looked like he didn’t know where to start.
“Hi,” I repeated, wishing this would be easy between us and wondering what I could do to make it that way. “Come here…”
He looked up at me and our eyes met.
“Please?” I asked, holding my hand out to him as I scooted over to the edge of the nest.
Dallas hurried to kneel down on the outside of the nest, bringing his scent with him.
Hehadbeen running, I realized as I saw the light sheen of sweat on his skin and tasted his apple whiskey scent as itzingedacross my tongue.
“Why did you go running?” I asked, curious as I tried to control the sudden urge to drag him into my nest, communication be damned.
“I couldn’t be inside anymore,” he answered in a mumble, watching as my fingers slid up his arms and started to trace the colorful plants and flowers that had insects hidden behind their vibrant petals.
I tilted my head, my expression asking another question wordlessly.
Dallas sighed, leaning against the padded edge of the nest and letting his arms hang over so that I could continue to explore.
“The scent of you all was driving me crazy. I could only pace so much, Lennon, so I thought a run would help.”
