Linc huffed.“He’s ourmate, Vi.You can see him fine from where you are.”
I only saw Linc’s back—a very well-proportioned back—but the tension in the air made it feel like the bit in cowboy movies when everyone had their guns out and was aiming at everyone else.The Mexican standoff or whatever.I wasn’t sure what Mexico had to do with it.
I rolled my eyes.I wanted to walk away, but Dom and Ellis had their arms around me, and I was pretty sure moving would be a big no-no in their werewolf book.I sighed.At least there was oolong.I sipped some of that.It was the best thing.
“Fine.”The woman took a slow, deliberate step back, and Linc stepped aside, though he remained standing, presumably ready to confront this mysterious Vi in order to protect me, even though she didn’t want to eat me.Yeah, life made sense out here in the woods.Where the werewolves lived.
“Vi, this is Marcus,” Ellis said.“Marcus, Vi, my aunt.”
I waved at her.“Hi there.Would shake, but I’m kinda caught in the middle of something.”
Vi grinned at me, and Dom leaned farther into my space.“Hush.She’s not touching you.Don’t encourage it.”
“Why the fuck do you think you have any say in who gets to touch me and who doesn’t?”
The heat in my words surprised me.I immediately blamed Steven, and also, maybe, potentially werewolf serial killers were a thing and I was protecting myself?I pushed the feelings of guilt over snapping at Dom away.I tried to.
Dom frowned, but he didn’t budge.
“He didn’t mean it like that, Marcus.”Ellis’s voice was all seductive and rumbly in his large chest.
“Well, he does a little bit.”Vi’s words prompted more growling from Dom.Vi ignored it and went on.“When an alpha finds their mate, letting someone else near them can be extremely uncomfortable, especially if the bond isn’t completed.”
Linc took a step toward her.“Damn it, Viola.This is none of your business.We just found Marcus yesterday.”
“So I’ve been told.”Her blue eyes focused on me.“Tell me, Marcus.What were you doing out in the woods?”The tone of voice suggested she knew I’d done something.I wasn’t sure what she thought I had been up to while blindly stumbling about and nearly breaking my neck, but once more, no fucks in the tank whatsoever.
I shrugged.“Oh, you know.Summoning the goat-horned one to give me power.What else does anyone do out in the woods?How’s that bond thing completed?I’m guessing not by true love’s kiss.”
Dom chuckled.“That’s our boy.Goat-horned one.Cute.”
I looked at him.“You tell me how that bond you say we have is completed, then, if I’m so cute.”
Yup, that wiped the grin right off his face, and I felt a bit guilty all over again.He’d brought me the tea, and he’d fed me waffles earlier.Damn, he’d all but cut them up for me and hand-fed me.I’d had to take the cutlery from him to stop that from happening.
Before Dom could answer me, Vi said, “By a mating bite.Was there anyone else in the woods with you yesterday?”
I gaped at her.“No, there was no one in the fucking woods with me.Also, no one is fucking biting me, are we clear on that?”
Ellis did his cooing thing again.“We wouldn’t do anything like that without your consent.”
Lincoln grunted in agreement.“No, we’d never.And we’d have preferred to explain it to you ourselves.”
Dom flinched.“Wait.Oh, shit.Shit.There was a dead wolf in the woods, not too far away from where we found Marcus.He was shot.”
That got Vi’s attention, and her scalpel eyes were on Dom rather than me for a change.“You didn’t think to tell me this?”
Dom ground his teeth.“I… Shit.I forgot to tell anyone.Marcus was hurt, and I was awake all night watching over him, you know?I was worried.”
Vi sighed and put her hands on her hips.“Okay, fine.You still should’ve called me, but I get it.”Just like that, she took her jacket off and went to unbutton her blouse.“Show me where you found the wolf.”
“Nope.Sorry, no.Can’t do boobs.”I wiggled out from between the two wolves.Or tried to.The blouse was about to drop, and I had to leave.
Lincoln stepped in front of Vi again.“If you could do that outside?”
She snorted but stopped with the buttons.“The human should get used to it.”
“But the human doesn’t want to get used to it.The human doesn’t want to rub the lotion on its skin.”
