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Aaron blinked. His brother did not just tell him that his mate and the head of his security were currently sparring in the gym. His human mate and the panther shifter who had enough anger management issues to keep an army of therapists in work for years.
Aaron reached out to Marshall through their bond. They’d spent the last few days learning how the bond worked, and Alice had been teaching them how to control it, so they didn’t overload each other with every single emotion. Instead of getting the warm glow that he usually did when he reached out, he hit a blank. Oh, he could still feel Marshall, but it felt like he was behind a wall. No emotions leaked out.
He shot to his feet. “How long has this been going on?” he barked at his brother.
“I don’t know. I just saw half the enforcement team heading towards the gym, and when I asked, they told me.” Josh gave him a pained look. “What are you going to do?”
Aaron didn’t bother replying; he just strode out of the room, heading towards the gym. Rationally, he knew his mate could hold his own against Rafe–probably. His irrational, alpha wolf’s side wanted nothing more than to protect Marshall and to tear Rafe limb from limb.
“Aaron! Stop!” Josh called after him, scrambling to keep up. He rounded on his brother.
“Stop?”
“Aaron, think for a second. You can’t go in there all puffed up, throwing Alpha pheromones and making everyone submit to you. It will throw both Rafe and Marshall off, and they could end up hurt.”
“So I’m supposed to go in and stand on the sideline and calmly watch?” Aaron knew what his brother was saying was true, but his wolf was not happy that their mate was fighting.
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Drawing a shuddering breath into his lungs, Aaron took a moment to center himself and settle his wolf. After a moment, he nodded, and the relief from Josh was palpable.
He nodded at his brother, and together, they made their way to the gym. Even before they’d reached the door, Aaron could hear the muted grunts and heavy breathing of two people fighting. There was also a low-level murmur of a crowd watching.
Josh pulled the door open, and Aaron stepped through before him. One of the Pack security team did a double take when he saw him and blushed guiltily. Aaron ignored him and made his way over to where Saint and Blake were sitting on the mini set of bleachers that were along one wall.
It surprised him to see them grinning, andwas that a bowl of popcorn between them?
He turned his attention to the mat in the center of the room, and the air left his lungs as he took in the sight of Marshall and Rafe circling each other. Both were dressed in loose shorts, their bare torsos glistening with a light sheen of sweat. He could see a faint bruise on Marshall’s ribs, and he had to hold on to every thread of control he had to stop himself from storming between the two of them.
“Aaron.” Saint greeted him with a nod, shuffling over to let him sit next to him.
He nodded back and glared at Blake, who just shrugged. “I wasn’t going to stop them,” he said defensively. “It has to happen, you know that.”
“Who started it?” Aaron asked, keeping his voice low.
Blake and Saint glanced at each other. “It was mutual,” Saint said, Blake nodding his agreement.
“Really?” he asked, his tone skeptical.
“Yep,” Blake said, popping the ‘p’. “Rafe has to know Marshall is strong enough to protect you….”
“And Marsh has to know that Rafe is strong enough to protect you,” Saint finished.
Aaron frowned at them. “When did you two become best buds and start finishing each other’s sentences?”
Both felines just shrugged, and Saint threw a handful of popcorn in his mouth before offering Aaron the bowl. Aaron waved it off, his attention drawn back to the action. Rafe moved with the innate grace of his feline side; all sinewy muscle that slid gracefully under taut skin. He was watching every move Marshall made, sizing him up. His jaw-length dark hair tied back; his usual bandana discarded.
Marshall was no less impressive. He was of a similar build and height to Rafe, and his stare was as intense as he took in the way Rafe circled him. Aaron sucked in a breath as, in a flurry of movement, Rafe swiped at Marshall. Marshall ducked and swung behind Rafe. Less than a blink later, he was back in front of Rafe and had his arm in a lock. He applied pressure and Rafe fell to his knees. Before Aaron could cheer for his mate though, Rafe hooked his free arm around Marshall’s knees and brought him to the mat with a crash.
“Ooh, Marsh is gonna be pissed now,” Saint said. Aaron ignored him, his focus totally on the men on the mat. He could see that Rafe was innately stronger than Marshall, but Marshall was holding his own. Both rolled around, trying to get the upper hand, their movements strangely sensual and erotic, and Aaron’s skin heated. Jealousy raced through him, and it took him a moment to realize that Saint had a restraining hold on his shoulder and that Blake had moved to the other side of him, but down a step where he could intervene if necessary.
“Easy, Alpha,” Saint soothed. “He’s fine.”
“Concede,” Rafe’s voice carried across the near-silent gym.
Marshall just grinned tauntingly, and Saint let out a weary sigh. “Oh, no.”
“What?” Aaron snapped out.
