Page 55 of Fated to Her

What the hell are they doing and why is everyone so calm. Cyrus motions me toward him where he is sitting on a stool at the island bench.

Eli watches me before shifting back to his normal wolf form, not his Lycan form. I prefer this form; he isn’t as intimidating. He is terrifying in both, but the Lycan one makes a cold shiver run up my spine.

Eli comes over to me, pulling on the shirt I’m wearing, tugging me toward the couch. Cyrus sighs, dropping his hand off my waist and letting Eli pull me away. I sit on the couch, and he jumps up on it, rubbing his furry head all over my chest and face, licking me like a normal dog just wanting attention.

“Eli, gross. What are you doing?” I ask him as he continues to rub himself all over me.

“Just let him do it, Addie, or we will have to put up with him in that form the entire trip,” Cyrus says as I try pushing him away.

I huff, annoyed and grossed out at his licking. He keeps sticking his head inside my shirt, licking my neck and chest. I shake my head when he rubs his face on mine and nearly choke on his fur.

“Enough, please. What are you doing?” I snap at him before smacking his nose.

Emery laughs when he shakes his head before nipping at me. I smack him again, harder.

“Stop, or you can get off me,” I tell him, glaring at him, when he suddenly licks a straight line from my chin to my hairline.

I jump up, disgusted, and his tongue rolls out the side of his mouth. His body heaves like he is laughing at me.

“You are disgusting,” I tell him, wiping my face on his shirt to get the slobber off.

“He is scenting you,” Emery says, taking a sip of her coffee.

“He’s what?” I ask, staring at Cyrus and Emery.

“Scenting. Something male Lycans do to stake their claim, show whom you belong to,” Emery explains.

“What? The bite mark on my neck isn’t enough?”

Eli grips the hem of my shirt with his teeth, yanking me back on the couch before lying across my lap. He is so big, his body runs the full length of the four seats on the couch.

“No, it’s different. The mark shows you are his mate, and you belong to him. Scenting is different. It masks your scent from other Lycans by giving you his scent. It is also a dominance thing, which will stop them from getting too close. So basically, any other scent that gets on you that Eli doesn’t approve of. It’s disrespectful to touch someone who has been scented. His scent will last on you for a few days. Then he will probably demand he does it again,” she tells me.

“Why is it disrespectful?” I ask.

“Because by scenting you, it’s a warning not to touch. Anyone who does is deliberately challenging his claim.”

“So, you can’t touch me, then?”

“I’m female; therefore, I can. So can Cyrus because he’s your mate. Anyone else, God help them,” Emery says.

“So, why is he scenting me, then?” I ask, looking at Eli, who pushes his head underneath my shirt.

I try to push his head out. “So, is he going to do it to Cyrus?”

Emery laughs, making me look at Cyrus, who does not look impressed.

“I was stuck on the couch for an hour already while he did the same shit. Endure, Addie. I did,” Cyrus says.

I snort.

Maverick comes out in jeans and a T-shirt, looking rather normal. He sees Eli and rolls his eyes.

“I have told you, Eli, none of them will touch your mates,” Maverick says, making himself coffee. Eli growls at him.

“So, why were you two fighting in the living room?” I ask Maverick when I hear bones snapping followed by the feeling of rough hands running across my belly. Eli has shifted into his Lycan form. The sound of it always makes my teeth ache.

“Geez, please go get clothes on and shift back. You know I hate it when you’re in this form,” I tell him.