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“Please don’t say go. These pine trees are terrible conversationalists.”
I let out a laugh, loving how good it makes my insides feel. How long has it been since someone made me feel that unexpected joy?“I imagine you hear a lot of jokes about wood.”
His cheeks go red, and I realize, belatedly, that wood is a euphemism for…the male sex. Kit took great joy in explaining that one.“I mean…sorry. I don’t get out much.”
“Who are you and why are you terrorizing my yard?”
I look around, sheepishly. I tug at a few strands of hair for something to do, wishing I could just disappear and pretend this whole situation didn’t happen. “I’m…”I leave off, because really, I’m so many different things. “I’m a work in progress,”I finally tell him. And I shrug. “My name is Calai. Parker invited me over…”
Looking back towards the house, I start to feel like I should let Kit know I’m okay before he comes storming through these poor trees and causes them further distress. “Calai,” he spells out slowly with his long fingers. “Beautiful. Like you.”
“Thanks,”I respond. Not many people have told me that in my life, but I guess that’s what happens when you live under a rock that punishes vanity. This guy takes a step forward and signs his own name against my palm so I fell every flex of his hand against mine.“August,”he spells out.
I feel a smile form on my face.“Are you in Parker’s pack?”I ask him, sure that that’s the only reason he’d be wandering around on what I thought was my brother’s property.
He gives me an awkward laugh. “No,”he tells me. “I’m actually his brother. Well, stepbrother, I guess. I’ve got a small place on the back of this property. It’s kind of difficult to live in a house with a bunch of mated guys- you would not believe how many uncomfortable situations it took for me to be desperate enough to build my own place when there’s a perfectly good one so close.”
Stepbrother? I don’t know that term. Does that mean he’smystepbrother as well? I chew on my lip, indecision flaring inside of me. I can’t tell a complete stranger that I don’t understand what he just said, he’d probably think I was just stupid. Deciding to just keep everything to myself, I move on to another subject. But he’s staring at me. Sniffing me, too. What was up with guys smelling me? It was such a weird thing to want to do.
Well, no, I guess it’s not. When I remember the way my alphas all smell when they’re sleeping next to me I feel myself flush. His nose flares again, and I try to reign in my growing arousal as I remember what happened with Kit this morning, because I know for sure he can smell that.
Taking a step backwards, I try to put some space between us. He’s some sort of brother to me, I think, but there’s something there…
“Can you feel that?”He asks me, his hand covering up his heart as his eyes dilate.
“I’m notsurewhatyoumean…”
August smiles at me and takes a step forward, intentionally closing the space between us. “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about. I think I kind of need you.”His hand reaches up and slowly pulls on one of my curls, then his eyes wander down to my neck and he gives me a slight frown. “You have a pack. Of course you have a pack. I wonder…”
He leans in as if he’s going to kiss me and I go still from panic. What the hell is with the audacity of men? Does everyone just go around will-nilly kissing strangers?. “Stop,”I tell him.
“Indeed,” another voice repeats. “Stop, August.” He obviously can’t hear her, whoever she is, but she knows I can since I was speaking as well as signing.
I dart my eyes to the woman leaning against a tree nearby, glaring at us, and it doesn’t take long for August to realize where my attention has gone. He turns and rubs his face, firmly, before taking a few steps back and putting his hands on hips in a defiant pose.
“What are you doing here, Sara?”
I think I see tears in her eyes. “I came to visit my boyfriend because I missed him. Didn’t realize I’d have to make an appointment.”
“It’s not what it looks like,”I tell her, both voice and hands again. “He’s my brother. Stepbrother. I’m just visiting, I didn’t mean anything. Didn’t know anyone would even be back here or else I’d have stayed clear. Sorry for intruding. Please don’t be angry. Nothing happened.”
August goes still at my words. Then I see the light bulb go off in his head as he likely places why I look so familiar to him. This Sara girl stares at me in shock as well. I guess I better get used to that reaction if I’m going to re-integrate with this group of people that insists we’re family. I was just barely getting used to having mates, no, Iwasn’tused to having mates yet. They were still redeeming themselves and working on trust. I don’t even know what to do with more family.
“You’re…how? When? What? How did you get here? Is Parker okay? Does Phil know?”
Dizziness washes over me a bit at all the questions. I don’t enjoy being the center of attention like this. “Look, this is all very overwhelming. I should be getting back inside.”
Without answering any questions, I start running, sure they’re probably talking through whatever problems they now have. There’s no way he would have actually kissed me, right? I shudder. Good thing I stopped that. If I had kissed mybrother?
But then, Ididfeel whatever was there. There’s something very strange between us, something intense. Something that reminds me of how I felt when I met James for the first time in the compound, though it’s softer. Not less intense, but just softer. Maybe because he isn’t an alpha.
Footsteps crash after me and I sigh in relief when Kit is suddenly there, maybe having felt my distress through this strange bond we now share. Because heknottedme. Damnit. Was I going to feel slick run out of my body every time I so much asthoughtabout it? This was really inconvenient.
“Calai!” He wraps me up, stiffening as he…you guessed it.Sniffsme again. “Why do you smell like a beta male? Parker told me his brother lived back here, but he said he’s really reclusive and barely ever interacts with people. He said I didn’t need to worry about him. Clearly he’s a fucking liar because I can smell him all over you.”
Kit drags me behind some trees and starts kissing me, pinning me to the tree. “The only male scent you’re allowed on you is mine, Colter’s, or James’.” His teeth lightly press over his claiming mark, and I whimper, because it’s somehow so much more sensitive than anywhere else on my body. Whenever any of them touch where they bit me, it’s like a direct line to the part of my body that produces slick. I get tingly and squirmy and achy.
“Fuck, omega. I love how responsive you get with me. Do you need me inside of you? You need your alpha’s cock to spear into you and remind you who you belong to?”
