Palms up, he asked, “Does she even know mates exist?”
“She does.”
She did? He looked over at Noa, who nodded, pinching her thumb and forefinger to indicate “a little bit.”
As a friend, not an alpha, Liv implored, “Whathappenedyesterday?”
“That’s personal.”
“She’ll tell me when she gets off work. I think she finished her book.”
“Good, you can ask her then.” He drained his mug, slurping down some extra air just for the break in conversation.
Liv’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at it. “Ren says ten minutes. Go get yourself another coffee and get your ass back out here. There’s more to discuss.” Alpha power gently hugged her coffee-command. Intentionally weaponized to relax him, he didn’t mind the magic.
The screen door creaked behind him, and Elliott made a note to oil the hinges—front and back. With his mug topped up, he returned to the porch, took his seat and a sip, and was yanked right back into conversation about Fern.
“I’m going to run you through some things I’ve noticed over the past few days, and you stop me if I say anything wrong, okay?”
“Yes, Alpha.” He gave Liv a little salute.
She patted one of her puffs, shaping it, and began, “When Fern got here, she smelled so good that you acted like an asshole.”
He frowned. “No, dude. I was weird, maybe. Not an asshole though, I don’t think.”
“Got it. You actedweird. You couldn’t stop thinking about her and brought her pot, which you knew she liked, and fish, correct?”
“Correct,” he answered through a cough.
Noa giggled while braiding a random chunk of her hair. “He also heart-ed that text about bringing her presents.”
True.
Continuing, Olivia ticked off more of her list, “You helped her unpack,kissed her, left, then handpicked her favorite welcome gifts that match her apartment perfectly.”
“Mhm.” Ah, so Ferndidnotice the care he put into the serving tray and bowls. Hot coffee met his warm heart, setting his chest, and likely his cheeks, ablaze.
“You fled our party, then attacked Adam because he smelled like Fern.”
He took another sip.
“You almost bit Fern at Pella’s Pond when you shifted in front of her. That’s why Ben sent you away.”
Again, that was true.
“And we’ve looped back around to you chasing her up the creek and bringing her back to your house to do—”
“Stuff,” Noa offered.
“Stuff,” Liv finished with a nod.
“Yeah, and? I was trying to ignore the potential bond, but she seems pretty cool and—”
“Now you’re considering it?” Noa’s face lit up.
“Wait. We need to rewind for a minute here. You brought her a fuckingfish, Fitz. Is there anything more ‘bear’ you could do to show interest? Has your animal said anything to you?”
Brows pinched, he looked at Olivia. “They don’t talk. You know that.”
