Chapter 14 #2
What I needed was to lock myself in a bathroom without Linc sneaking in there to wash my hair or dry me so I could process this new reality that had werewolves in it.
Three hot ones thought I was their mate.
One of them had already given me a blowjob, and it had been amazing, and stupid idiot that I was, I’d agreed to stay with them for another two and a half weeks.
What had I been thinking? With how I wasn’t even allowed to make myself some damn tea, I’d be completely unable to take care of myself after this vacation. Which was probably their evil plan. I also knew that being single after an ugly breakup was a good thing. I’d heard that somewhere.
Maybe I should just find out where the rental was, drive back to the city today, and do a staycation. A.k.a., go back to working from home like I did most days. By myself. With a bottle or three of wine in lieu of the hot werewolves.
As I idly considered that option, something occurred to me. “Shit. Steven has a key to my place.”
Dom looked over, then stopped the car, pulled his phone from his pocket, and started texting.
“Told Linc. He’ll change your locks or get someone to do it ASAP.” He scrolled through his phone. “Hey, Ell says your panels are negative.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank fuck.”
Dom put his phone away and got the car moving again. “Indeed. Still can’t believe that asshole did that to you. Although I’m glad you’re not with someone else right now. Don’t know how I’d handle that.”
I turned to him. “How doesn’t it bother you that Ellis and Linc both want me as their mate as well? How didn’t…erm…how didn’t last night bother you?”
“Last night?” He looked over. “When you let me suck your pretty cock?”
So not how I would’ve put that. My breath hitched. “Yeah.”
Dom shrugged. “It all feels natural. With Ell and Linc, anyway, because I love them. I love that you’re theirs as well.
Think what a shitshow this would be if you were only mine.
I’d want to tear their heads off if they so much as looked at you.
While still loving them. But I wouldn’t really be able to love them, because I’m yours.
Point is, this is perfect.” He looked over at me, bathing me in that contagious happiness, his eyes bright under his curls.
“Same as when you came in my mouth last night. That was perfect as well.”
Oh, holy fucking hotpants. I opened my mouth to say something. Closed it again. Cleared my throat. How did he just say stuff like that?
“You did hear me when I said I don’t feel like I’m ready for a relationship right now, right?” That seemed safe territory. It was just the kind of thing that would cool the situation down and give him perspective.
Dom shrugged. “I heard you. I get why you feel that way. I’m also not going to lie to you, Little Red—I want you to be ours.
I know we can make you very happy. We’re good alphas; you can go around the werewolf community and ask anyone.
Ell and Linc and I, we’ll take excellent care of you, and every werewolf beta will be jealous of how cosseted you are. ”
That was a lot to process. He was saying I’d never make my own damn tea again if it was up to him. And he was also saying a lot more. Whatever had happened to people telling each other white lies and not wearing their hearts on their sleeves? What was wrong with that?
“But if this thing with three wolf dudes thinking one human is their mate is so weird, what tells you you’re right? You could be wrong.” I hesitated. “Maybe that hunter who shot the wolf used something… I don’t know. Some pheromone bait or something. You three might be glitching.”
Dom gave me a look somewhere between amused and shocked.
“Are you positive you like men? I mean, how can you be so sure you don’t like women?
Maybe you’re confused because you saw too many strong white dudes portrayed as the love interest in movies.
Maybe if you kissed a few women, you’d discover you actually like it. Maybe you’re really just glitching.”
“Okay, fine. Point taken.”
I turned to the passenger-side window. We’d left the trees behind a little while ago, and there were houses around us now. No high-rises, no crazy traffic, just a cute little town with brick buildings and picket fences and people walking their dogs.
Dominic reached over to me, brushing his fingers through my hair again, being careful around the back where the stitches still sat awkwardly in my skin.
“We’ll make you so damn happy, Marcus, I swear.” He paused before he spoke again. “I just… Will you please just give us a chance to show you? Please?”
“I already told you I was going to stay at your place.”
Dom hummed. “Yeah, but I’m asking you to give us a chance. Don’t close yourself off just because that asshole hurt you. We’re not him. We’re nothing like him.”
I bit my lip. A part of me wanted to just grab my stuff and run back home.
But there was another part that had enjoyed the taste of spice last night, and spending three weeks with three hot guys who were willing and clearly able to make me feel good could be vengeance, a way of showing myself and Steven I was desirable in that way.
Yet another part didn’t want to use those three like that.