“Out of control?” Tank’s handsome face twisted into a sneer that made him look like some sort of horror villain. “Oh, honey, you haven’t seen me out of control.”
I snarled at him, a low growl rippling from my throat as I stood and placed myself between the furious Alpha and my vulnerable mate. “We’re done. Take your shit and leave.”
“Adam.” Fletcher’s voice behind me was soft, but I wasn’t leaving any room for argument.
“Be quiet, Fletcher,” I snapped.
He fell silent, and I felt a pang of guilt, but I was too worked up. My wolf was ready to split through my skin and shred this newfound enemy for ever daring to touch what belonged to us.
Tank got up off the floor, but he just shook his head. “You think you can just get rid of me?”
“Yeah, I do, and your reaction just proves my point,” I said flatly. “Stay away from us, Tank.”
“Or else, what? You’re gonna call the cops?” He sneered. “The cops won’t do shit, but sure, whatever. Keep the little slut all to yourself. I always knew you were a selfish man.”
“GET OUT!” I lunged at Tank with my claws drawn, but Tank danced backwards, out of my reach, shaking his head.
“You’ll regret this, Adam Sinclair.”
“No, I don’t think that I will. I think I’m making the right decision for us both,” I told him.
“This isn’t over,” he argued, but I held up my hand.
“The hell it isn’t. We’re through, Tank. Now get the hell out of here.” My fingers twitched, as if they were ready to pull the trigger of an invisible gun. I fisted my hands at my sides and stood my ground.
Tank shook his head with a low growl, but hurriedly yanked on his clothes and left, slamming the door behind him. Hard.
I stood there, my heart pounding, my hands trembling.
Then, softer, “Adam? What’s going on?”
Fuck. I turned to see that Fletcher was sitting up near the headboard, his knees drawn to his chest, looking very small—and worried. His brows were furrowed, his gaze downcast, and suddenly, I felt like a dick.
I crawled back up on the bed. “Let me see.” Thankfully, Fletcher didn’t shy away from me. I wasn’t sure I’d be able tohandle it if he had. He let me look him over, inspect the scrapes and gashes on his sides and hips where Tank’s claws had dug in. The hickies on his neck. And his wrists… He’d scent-marked Fletcher with his licorice scent, marking my mate as his own.
I growled low. Fletcher looked confused. “Adam, talk to me, please. What happened? What did I miss? Because I’m so lost right now.”
I sucked in a deep breath, held it to the count of three, then released it slowly. I reached for Fletcher, turning his head to the side so that I could touch the mate mark. Unmarred. Whole. Thank god… Fletcher shivered.
I shook my head. “He kept obsessing over this,” I told him quietly. “I got this sinking feeling he was going to bite you there, over my mark, when he knotted you.”
“Wh-What?” My Omega’s jaw dropped.
“Fletcher, he marked you.” I brought his hand up to his nose, so that he could smell it for himself, and his eyes went round as saucers.
“When? I didn’t— I never?—”
“Shh, it’s not your fault,” I promised him. “He’s slippery as a snake. There’s been a few red flags, but you seemed to be having so much fun. I didn’t want to ruin it, but I couldn’t take it anymore.” I sighed deeply. “Fletcher, you’re my mate. My Omega. This isn’t fun for me any longer. It’s stressful. My wolf is anxious that you are no longer ours.”
Fletcher’s face softened. “Adam, that’s ridiculous.”
“I know. I can’t help how I feel, though,” I said, rubbing a hand over my face and sitting back on the bed, putting a bit of space between us, because it felt like I couldn’t breathe.
After a moment, I said, “I want to close the relationship again. Go back to how it was when it was just the two of us. Can we do that?”
Fletcher crawled over to me on his hands and knees and wedged himself in my lap. He cupped my face in one gentle hand, kissing me sweetly. “Of course, baby. I’m sorry. I thought you were enjoying this as much as I was. Now I feel selfish.”
“No, it’s okay,” I promised him. “I was enjoying it…until Tank started trying to steal you.”
