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All I felt as I watched them was a calm satisfaction. I loved to see and feel the happiness radiating from her, to know that she was exactly where she wanted to be. That she felt safe and at peace in his arms. Because I knew she felt the same in mine.
Ok, it wasn’tjustsatisfaction. Heat spiralled down my spine and made my dick swell as I crossed the clearing towards them. I dropped my spoils beside them with a loud clatter, grinning as they leapt apart in surprise.
“I’m pretty sure I told you to rest, baby girl, not grind in my little brother’s lap.”
She scoffed at me even as her cheeks heated. “When have I ever given you the impression that I do as I’m told?”
I chuckled and crouched to arrange the fire. “Good point, beautiful, good point.”
Liam gave me a look as he held her in place on his lap. “I guess someone should hunt down some food.”
I raised a brow at his obvious attempt to get rid of me so he could finish what he’d started with Cordy.
“Good job we have a big, strong Alpha with us to show us how its done, huh?” I replied, not giving him an inch. He might have been my Alpha, but he was also my younger brother. It was my right to mess with him.
Our mate looked between us with a sly smile. I grinned as she pouted at Liam. “Are you going to let me go hungry, Alpha?”
He rolled his eyes in a perfect imitation of her. His retort was cut short though, as a loud call sounded from nearby.
“Don’t panic!” Noah boomed as he appeared from the trees, his grin wide. “Your saviour is here!”
Cordy laughed as he dropped the deer carcass he was carrying on the other side of where I’d set up the firepit.
“Please tell me you found the stones and didn’t just chase down some dinner?” she asked teasingly.
He scooped her up out of Liam’s lap. Setting her on her feet, he opened his palm and dropped two glowing crystals into her hand.
“How could you ever doubt me?” he asked with a wink before moving over to the bags to pull on his clothes.
I cursed as I watched her eyes glaze over the moment that they settled on the crystals. Liam jumped to his feet and tried to grab them away from her, but they were stuck fast to her skin. Covering them with his hand instead, he wrapped the other around her wrist and tugged gently.
“Princess, don’t let them pull you in.”
Noah pushed close, looking worried. “Shit, I didn’t think.”
“We can pull her back, right?” I murmured, my chest tight as I took in her unnaturally still stance. “That’s what you did before, by the lake?”
Liam nodded, closing his eyes. A quick look at Noah showed him doing the same and I slammed my own eyes shut. Following my instinct, I reached inside myself for our bond. To my horror, I could immediately feel the change in it. Cordy felt more distant by the second, like she was being dragged away from us.
Gritting my teeth, I mentally grabbed hold of it and pulled. Thankfully, I didn’t feel much resistance as the distance between us began to close. Though I was pretty sure that was due to our combined strength as we all focused on her together.
My eyes flew open at her gasp. Looking thoroughly spooked, she threw the stones to the ground and looked pointedly at the sky.
“Why do they do that to me?!” she cried as her fear and frustration echoed down the bond.
Noah pulled her into his arms, looking tormented. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have given them to you. I didn’t think.”
Liam crouched low and scooped up the crystals, passing them to me. “These need to stay covered.”
I nodded in agreement and walked to my bag, sliding them into a pair of socks and burying them deep. When I turned back to them, Cordy was sat in Noah’s lap on the thick grass, murmuring with him as they comforted each other.
“What the fuck is going to happen if we find that third stone?” I muttered as Liam came to sit beside me.
He stared at her, his gaze dark with worry. “When. When we find it, not if. And I don’t know, but it won’t be easy for her.”
I grimaced and wearily ran a palm over my face. “At least she has us all to anchor her now.”
He looked at me and nodded. “There’s a reason she needs us all, brother.”
