carpeted floor would have a nice path worn in it by morning, she froze. A noise outside her door. Probably just Gareth trying to draw me out, she thought in annoyance.
A scuffling and a low growl. He’s not alone, she realized, backing away, bumping up against the heavy, pine dresser by the window. A crash and a curse indicated a door being flung open further down the hallway. “I told you they wouldn’t behave,” came the mirthful voice of the Alpha. “Looking for a midnight snack, boys?”
Oh, what have they done now? Her temper stirring, she launched her own door wide and speared them both with a glance. Donovan was on his stomach, with Gareth sitting heavily on his lower back, one hand smushing his head into the carpet, the other trying to fend off various swiping appendages.
“ Just defending my lady’s honor,” came the savage reply. “Our guest thought it would be a good idea to creep up the stairs. As if I wouldn’t hear him.”
“ I merely wished to say goodnight to my mate,” he replied, disdainfully, trying once again to swipe an arm across Gareth’s face.
“ Keep swinging those arms,” Gareth threatened, “And you won’t have any left come morning.”
Donovan snorted, and shimmered, unbalancing Gareth, who took a nosedive into the shag-pile of the carpet. “Promises, promises,” Donovan sneered, as soon as he had shimmered back into human-form, gloating.
“Enough!” bellowed Marcus, gripping the door frame in his anger. “There will be no more games of oneupmanship here tonight, is that understood?”
Sheepishly nodding, both men stood apart, steadfastly not looking at each other or Beth. She slowly eased the door shut and returned to her bed, disallowing herself the urge to inhale the scent wafting from the blankets. Sleep was a long time coming.
“ Things,” the Alpha began. “Have been unnecessarily complicated.” His glance swept from Beth to the two wolves either side of her at the breakfast table. “I still believe you both should have fought it out, but I’m willing to give this trial period a chance. For now.”
The warning in his tone told them to tread lightly. Beth shrugged. What did it matter? She’d either be traded to the Tall Grass pack to end the blood-feud, or she’d remain here with a mate who perhaps wanted nothing to do with her beyond the physical.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew Gareth found her attractive. Things wouldn’t have gotten so carried away in that cabin if he hadn’t. But there was a huge difference between physical and emotional.
“ Three weeks,” Marcus reminded them, before taking a hearty bite of his breakfast.
The plate of food before her didn’t interest Beth at all. She pushed her eggs around, and played with her fork. Tangy orange juice clogged her throat, and she grimaced as she swallowed. “So,” she began. “What now?” The Alpha paused with his fork half way to his mouth and Beth noticed a criss-cross scar on his bottom lip, faint and silver. She cleared her throat. “I mean, you said I had to spend time with both. Who first?”
“That,” he announced, with a twist to his lip. “I am leaving up to you, Beth.” The scar reformed itself into the shape of a love heart, and Beth fought not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Nobody had called her Little Wolf since the botched ceremony. She found she actually missed the moniker. Who’d have thought it? “Alright,” she whispered, heart thundering in her chest. She could feel her pulse racing; her jugular seemed to have taken on a life of its own, speeding and throbbing. The hot stares of both men seemed to burn into either side of her face, and she swallowed hard once more. Who would she pick? Would she seem too eager if she picked Gareth, like her damn treacherous heart wanted her to? No, she decided. But she’d have to put up with that smug look on his
A scuffling and a low growl. He’s not alone, she realized, backing away, bumping up against the heavy, pine dresser by the window. A crash and a curse indicated a door being flung open further down the hallway. “I told you they wouldn’t behave,” came the mirthful voice of the Alpha. “Looking for a midnight snack, boys?”
Oh, what have they done now? Her temper stirring, she launched her own door wide and speared them both with a glance. Donovan was on his stomach, with Gareth sitting heavily on his lower back, one hand smushing his head into the carpet, the other trying to fend off various swiping appendages.
“ Just defending my lady’s honor,” came the savage reply. “Our guest thought it would be a good idea to creep up the stairs. As if I wouldn’t hear him.”
“ I merely wished to say goodnight to my mate,” he replied, disdainfully, trying once again to swipe an arm across Gareth’s face.
“ Keep swinging those arms,” Gareth threatened, “And you won’t have any left come morning.”
Donovan snorted, and shimmered, unbalancing Gareth, who took a nosedive into the shag-pile of the carpet. “Promises, promises,” Donovan sneered, as soon as he had shimmered back into human-form, gloating.
“Enough!” bellowed Marcus, gripping the door frame in his anger. “There will be no more games of oneupmanship here tonight, is that understood?”
Sheepishly nodding, both men stood apart, steadfastly not looking at each other or Beth. She slowly eased the door shut and returned to her bed, disallowing herself the urge to inhale the scent wafting from the blankets. Sleep was a long time coming.
“ Things,” the Alpha began. “Have been unnecessarily complicated.” His glance swept from Beth to the two wolves either side of her at the breakfast table. “I still believe you both should have fought it out, but I’m willing to give this trial period a chance. For now.”
The warning in his tone told them to tread lightly. Beth shrugged. What did it matter? She’d either be traded to the Tall Grass pack to end the blood-feud, or she’d remain here with a mate who perhaps wanted nothing to do with her beyond the physical.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew Gareth found her attractive. Things wouldn’t have gotten so carried away in that cabin if he hadn’t. But there was a huge difference between physical and emotional.
“ Three weeks,” Marcus reminded them, before taking a hearty bite of his breakfast.
The plate of food before her didn’t interest Beth at all. She pushed her eggs around, and played with her fork. Tangy orange juice clogged her throat, and she grimaced as she swallowed. “So,” she began. “What now?” The Alpha paused with his fork half way to his mouth and Beth noticed a criss-cross scar on his bottom lip, faint and silver. She cleared her throat. “I mean, you said I had to spend time with both. Who first?”
“That,” he announced, with a twist to his lip. “I am leaving up to you, Beth.” The scar reformed itself into the shape of a love heart, and Beth fought not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Nobody had called her Little Wolf since the botched ceremony. She found she actually missed the moniker. Who’d have thought it? “Alright,” she whispered, heart thundering in her chest. She could feel her pulse racing; her jugular seemed to have taken on a life of its own, speeding and throbbing. The hot stares of both men seemed to burn into either side of her face, and she swallowed hard once more. Who would she pick? Would she seem too eager if she picked Gareth, like her damn treacherous heart wanted her to? No, she decided. But she’d have to put up with that smug look on his
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