Chapter 18 #2
Eli was watching him, his brow all furrowed in concern under the sun hat he’d thrown on. Chase was looking over now, too, ignoring the bawking chicken noises Spencer was currently making to peer at Ash in a focused way that wasn’t at all normal for him.
Oh. Damn. Chase knew something, didn’t he? Ash should be alarmed about that maybe, but he couldn’t manage it. His emotions were kind of buried, blanketed by the intensity of the sun. How was he supposed to focus on anything when he was this hot?
Hot. Too hot. What was he doing? Right. The pool.
Ash jumped in. Cool water enveloped him, slicking the sweat off his skin in an instant.
He stayed under, holding his breath and letting himself sink to the bottom.
It was heaven underwater. Why didn’t his and Ryder’s apartment complex have a pool?
What were they even paying for? Why not have a big body of cool water like this, all cold and … wet.
Ash felt especially wet, actually, like his swim shorts had come off in the water. He reached a hand down to check, but they were still there. His thighs were sliding together in a weird way, though, like he’d put on too much sunscreen and hadn’t rubbed it in.
Was that … slick?
A cramp shot through Ash’s lower belly, like his body had only been waiting for him to take notice of what the fuck was happening before punishing him.
He doubled over, choking in water as he aborted a startled breath. Water rushed around him, and before he could push up for fresh air, strong arms banded around his chest and pulled him up.
Ash broke the surface, and there was Ryder, big and handsome and looking majorly pissed off. “What the hell—”
“Ryder,” Ash said dreamily. Or he kind of coughed it, since he was still choking a little. He shoved his head into Ryder’s neck, trying to get a whiff of cedar.
Ryder’s hand came to rest on the back of Ash’s head. “Shit.”
Yeah, “shit” was probably right. But Ryder was here. That was good. Ash couldn’t smell him, though, couldn’t take comfort in his pheromones, even with his face pressed against Ryder’s skin. Everything just reeked of chlorine, like the water that had shot up Ash’s nose.
He tried to wrap his legs around Ryder’s waist, but Ryder was already trying to tug Ash over to the ladder at the side of the pool. They ended up thrashing together in the water.
Noah’s concerned voice rang out. “What’s going on? Is Ash okay?”
Ash wasn’t okay. Of course he wasn’t. Ryder was here, but he smelled like pool water instead of soil or cedar. And everyone was watching them for some reason, like they had nothing better to do than stare. And Ash’s stomach was still cramping, and that shit fucking hurt. And where the fuck was—
“Spencer,” Ash croaked.
No one said anything. Ash tried again, lifting his head from Ryder’s neck.
“Spencer.”
Another “shit” from Ryder, but it didn’t matter, because there was a splash nearby, and then Spencer was there, surfacing right next to them. He looked worried, and maybe kind of sad. But he accepted Ash’s arms around his neck, so that was good.
“Hey, spitfire,” Spencer said softly, rubbing a hand down Ash’s side. They were at an awkward angle because Ash had finally managed to get his legs around Ryder’s hips, but that was okay. “Is it time?”
Ash smiled at him. “Yeah.”
And Spencer really was there, and his mouth was also there, and Ash just kind of …
leaned in and took it. Because Ash wasn’t quite sure what Spencer had actually been asking, but it was time.
It had been a week of nonsense, and Ash hurt, and it was time for him to be between his alphas.
Time for Spencer to come home and get his pheromones back in their apartment where they belonged.
Ash licked into Spencer’s mouth, then broke away with a whine. There was yelling around them, and other, placating voices, and it was all too loud and too bright, and everything still smelled like fucking chlorine.
“Home,” Ash demanded. “Take me home.”
“We’re trying,” Ryder said, sounding both frustrated and amused. “You have to un-barnacle first.”
Oh. Right. Ash unwrapped his legs from around Ryder’s hips and released his hold on Spencer’s neck. Ryder picked him up before he could sink, swimming them both over to the shallow end, where he carried Ash out.
It was stupid of him. Ash could walk. He didn’t want to, but he could.
Spencer was right next to them the whole time. Ash knew because he hadn’t let the other alpha out of his sight.
“I’ll get my keys,” Spencer offered.
Ash nodded his permission, then tucked his head into Ryder’s chest. Maybe if he shoved his nose into just the right spot, he could make out the cedar under the chlorine.
He could hear Noah yell-talking at Spencer, and Eli’s murmured reassurances, and Spencer’s harried, “Later. I promise. Later.”
But there was no later. There was only now, where Ash’s belly hurt and his skin ached and the sun was brighter than it had any right to be.
“Spencer,” he called.
And then Spencer was there again, next to Ash and Ryder, and they were all finally leaving.
Ash smiled even as his stomach clenched painfully.
Ash and his alphas. Going home. Back to their nest.