Fox lets go of me and starts wandering around. He touches everything: the vase I made for Mum in tenth grade; the drawings framed on the wall. Not report cards, never any trophies. Mum valued my creativity.
He touches the books on needlework, sewing, pottery, quilting, beekeeping, and etching before he moves on to the homemade jars of herbal remedies.
“Do you know how to do all of this?”
I pour homemade lemonade into two glasses. “Yes, Mum always dragged me into all these hobbies.”
“What can’t you do?” Fox murmurs. “Seriously, is there anything?”
I smile, I can’t help it, he’s ridiculous.
“She can’t stay out of other people’s affairs,” a familiar voice snarls.
I gasp, my whole body coming alive like I've been plugged into an electric socket.
“Bas.” I take in his anger and stiffen. “You tattled?” I cast a quick, accusing glare at Fox.
“Only to Katsu.”
He prowls toward me. “I told you to give up swimming.”
“I told you the kids needed me.”
“I don’t care about the kids, I care about-”
He cuts himself off, but I’m dying to hear the rest of that sentence.
“Fine. I will go and volunteer,” he announces in pure irritation.
The parts of me that were bristling, getting ready to fight, soften and melt at his unexpected reply.
I see a shift of movement behind him, and my attention falls on the third alpha. He moves like liquid, gliding easily and taking up all the space. I want to step back away from him, and towards him, falling into the safety he’s bringing.
“Katsu,” Fox murmurs at my side, and his fingers ground me, stopping me from bolting.
I remember the kiss Bas and Katsu shared in the restaurant. It was lightning in a bottle. I’ve been very carefully blocking it out, but now I have no choice but to face it. It set my blood on fire.
“Cordelia,” he murmurs, and when he closes the space between us, he reaches out and brushes my hair back from my face. My eyes fall closed of their own volition, and I inhale deeply, drowning in his scent, in their scents.
My toes tingle, and my body gets heavy.
His fingers linger on my cheek. If he wanted me, I’d give myself to him without a second thought. That’s how powerful this alpha is. I want him like I’ve only ever wanted one other person, well, two now.
I open my eyes and look at Sebastian and find him staring at me with a perplexing expression that has me stiffening andstepping away from Katsu. I almost feel like I’ve betrayed Sebastian, almost.
“Would you both like a drink? I can get you one.” I rush back into the kitchen, aware my voice is too loud, and I am panicking and barely holding it together.
I try to lift the jug but have to put it down because my hands are shaking too much. A warm chest presses up against my back and hands land on the wood bench, trapping me.
I reach out and slowly, lost in this feeling that it’s just a dream, I run my small hands over the large and unfamiliar wrist and trace the tendons, bones, and veins of his massive hand. The need to touch him is overwhelming.
A whine slides from between my teeth, and he leans in, his nose in my hair. My body erupts in goosebumps.
He groans and brings the hand I’m not playing with to rest on my hip, and I’m aware of the curve of my body and how small I am compared to him. I tiny sound slips free, not quite a whine, and not quite a groan.
“Cordie,” Katsu murmurs.
I tense, waiting to hear what he’s going to say. If it’s bad, I don’t want to hear it, but what if it’s good?
