Rebecca (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Alpha Marked Book 4) by Celia Kyle

can’t. So you need to sleep, and I need to settle things with Carson.”
    “Okay,” she sighed. “But you’ll come back soon?” She raised her eyebrows, hopeful he’d tell her yes.
    “Of course. I can’t stay away from you for long, not now that I know you’re mine.” His seductive grin gave her body ideas, but instead of exploring them, he stepped away. “Sleep.”
    Rebecca glanced at Carson, still hanging around the doorway. She looked at him and noted the hope and need in his gaze. Yes, she hoped the two men worked things out between them so they could begin their mated lives.
    Her attention was snared by Aidan as he paced through the room, first ducking his head down to look under the bed and striding toward other doors. He pulled them aside to check behind them and then he entered the bathroom. It wasn’t long before he reappeared.
    “Thank you.” She gave him a small smile.
    “For what?” Aidan raised his eyebrows high.
    “For making sure I’m safe.”
    His eyes softened, sweet and gentle emotions filling his gaze. “I’ll always fight to keep you safe, Rebecca. You’re the most important thing in my world, and I refuse to lose you again.”
    The rustle of clothing drew their attention to Carson and his expression told her he felt the same.
    They were so different, yet very much the same. Their intentions were good. Their hearts were in the right place, and it was only her appearance that had derailed their partnership. She hoped it hadn’t permanently ended it.
    Maybe it was the urge to mate the men or the fact they both looked at her like she was a juicy steak—which said a lot since they were wolves—but she wanted them to work out their difficulties and come to her.
    Aidan strode to the bedroom doors and snagged the handle of one, tugging it closed behind him. He reached for the other, giving it the same treatment. The last thing she saw was the grim expression on Aidan’s face and the restrained hope on Carson’s.
    *
    Aidan paused a moment and stared at the closed double doors. His mate— his mate —lay beyond the wood panels, safe and sound in the comfortable bed. He wished he was there, cuddled against her and breathing in her sweet scent. Movement to his left reminded him why he wasn’t currently wrapping Rebecca in his arms.
    “Let’s sit.” Aidan turned from the bedroom door and strode to the sitting area that occupied the space between the two rooms. He dropped into one of the plush chairs, letting the seat welcome him, and he allowed some of the tensions of the day to drain away.
    Carson eased on the seat opposite him, gingerly lowering himself to perch on the edge. The man tried to hide his nervousness but after fourteen years, Aidan saw past the attempt. There were no secrets between the two of them and they’d long ago learned to read one another.
    No secrets… There was one, wasn’t there? One that stretched their entire relationship.
    Relationship. He sounded like a fucking girl.
    Well, he wasn’t going to act like one.
    “What do you want, Carson?”
    His friend—ex-friend?—released a mirthless laugh. “God, what don’t I want?” Carson shook his head. “I fucked up. There. I fucked up fourteen years ago, and I’ve been fucking up ever since, but it’s…” He breathed deep and met Aidan’s gaze. “It wasn’t like that.”
    Aidan snorted. “It was exactly like that.” He leaned forward, placing elbows on his knees. “Was I a pity partner? Did you see the poor kid without a family? The boy whose stepmother tore him to shreds with nothing but her claws?”
    “ It wasn’t like that .”
    He rolled his eyes, deflecting instead of thinking about his past. It wasn’t pretty, it was downright fugly, and he didn’t want to go there. “ It was exactly like that . I don’t need anyone’s pity. I didn’t need it then. I don’t need it now.”
    “Aidan…”
    Aidan pushed to his feet. “I don’t need to hear anymore.”
    Carson mirrored him but