Phantom growls, deep and rumbling. Then he pulls out a gun from his holster and points it at me.
I sigh. “Want to explain yourself more clearly or babble until my head is blown off, Jokes?”
“Was that rhetorical? Okay, okay.” Joker makes a hand gesture at himself and then Bird and me, which I hope meansthat we’re friends and notshoot the bad Alpha.“I’m fine but I transitioned in front of them and went into heat.”
Phantom’s emerald eyes become anguished. He gestures with his gun at me.
“Yeah, she could have used it to her advantage and killed me or at least, escaped. Instead, she offered to help me through it. She was incredible. And Bird here…” Joker smiles at Bird, who is still frozen on the bed. When Phantom’s gaze swings to him, Bird offers a weak wave. “He supported me through the whole thing. It was the best heat I’ve experienced. I felt safe and loved.”
I glow.
News to me.
Butloved…?
Phantom tilts his head, studying Bird and then me.
“So, how about holstering that gun now, big boy?” I fold my arms.
Phantom toys with the pistol, and I fight to keep my gaze steady.
It seems, however, that Joker was right about how his Alpha would react. Unlike many Alphas, Phantom isn’t either territorial or possessive.
Unless he is already thinking of Bird and me as his pack as well?
Joker huffs. “It’s too late to act the tough guy. I told them that you’re obsessed with them. I bet you’ve already painted about a dozen pictures of them. How many photographs have you taken over the last couple of weeks?”
Phantom’s cheeks redden.
“Hey, we have a stalker,” Bird says far too brightly.
Phantom’s glare at Joker promises retribution later. Joker doesn’t look cowed.
Phantom does, however, holster his gun.
“Did they do a good job with the bullet?” Joker pushes himself onto tiptoes to shove the leather jacket pooling to the floor, before he checks his Alpha’s bandages. It looks like this is something he’s done a lot of times. “Not bad work. Hope the doc is discrete.”
Phantom nods, before his gaze slides to Bird.
“The Omega is okay. He wasn’t hurt.”
“Thank you.” Bird darts a glance at Phantom from underneath his eyelashes. “I’ve been told that you were shot protecting me. Although, you did drug me first, using me as a pawn to threaten my Alpha. So…”
Phantom’s eyes flash with respect. He exchanges a glance with Joker.
Joker smirks. “See, he has balls. Cookie’s perfect for us.”
Phantom quirks his brow.
“I call him Cookie because he smells like the sweetest cookies. You’re going to love smelling him.”
Bird blushes. “Well, I call him Honey. Two can play that game.”
This has gone far enough.
“Put on that shirt, and I will find you some pants,” I growl. “We’re leaving, even if I have to kick the ass of the psycho Alpha with the gun.”
Phantom’s eyes become dead and flat. His lips pull back to bare his teeth, before he makes a complicated hand gesture.
