Chapter 10 #3
By the time dessert arrived—Aunt Akiko's homemade mochi that would normally have me fighting for seconds—I was a bundle of frayed nerves and confused hormones.
The suppressants were fighting a losing battle against proximity and touch, leaving me hyperaware of every movement, every breath, every subtle shift of their powerful bodies.
"I should help with the dishes," I announced abruptly, standing the moment I'd swallowed my last bite.
"Nonsense," Marco said, rising smoothly beside me. "We'll help Akiko. You look tired, little prince. Perhaps some fresh air would do you good."
"An excellent suggestion," Stefano agreed, also standing. The movement brought him close enough that I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact, a position that made me feel smaller, more vulnerable. "I could use a walk myself. Clear my head."
I recognized the trap immediately. "I'm perfectly capable of clearing dishes," I insisted, reaching for my plate only to have Marco intercept it with fluid grace.
"We insist," he said, his smile making it clear this wasn't really a choice. "Matteo is excellent with delicate dishware, aren't you, Matteo?"
Matteo nodded, already gathering plates with efficient movements. "Very careful. Nothing breaks in my hands."
The implication made heat rise to my face. I looked to Aunt Akiko for support, but she was beaming at them like they'd just offered to rebuild the entire house.
"How thoughtful!" she exclaimed, patting Marco's arm with obvious approval. "Leo-kun, you should take Stefano-san for a tour of the garden. It's lovely in the moonlight."
Et tu, Aunt Akiko?
"A tour," I repeated flatly. "Of the garden. In the dark. With an alpha who already spent the entire day here. That seems necessary."
"I'd be honored," Stefano said with a gravity that made the simple statement sound like he was accepting a knighthood rather than a walk around our modest garden.
Trapped between Aunt Akiko's expectant smile and Stefano's unwavering gaze, I saw no graceful escape route. "Fine," I conceded with poor grace. "A very brief tour. Of just the garden. With all clothes remaining firmly in place and at least three feet of personal space maintained at all times."
Marco's laugh followed us as Stefano guided me toward the door, his hand settling at the small of my back with casual possession that sent electric tingles up my spine. The heat of his palm burned through my sweater like he was branding me.
"Shall we, little prince?" he asked, his voice dropping to that register that made my omega hindbrain sit up and pay attention.
As we stepped outside into the cool evening air, I couldn't shake the feeling I'd just voluntarily walked into the wolf's den. Again.
Apollo and Zeus were stationed on the porch, finishing bowls of what appeared to be premium dog food. Aunt Akiko had apparently drawn the line at allowing them inside but had still managed to find a way to spoil them.
"Traitors," I muttered as both dogs bounded to their feet, tails wagging enthusiastically at the sight of me. "Selling out for table scraps and belly rubs."
"They recognize quality when they see it," Stefano commented, watching as Apollo pressed his head against my palm, shameless in his quest for attention.
"They recognize a sucker who'll pet them despite their betrayal," I corrected, even as my fingers automatically scratched behind the dog's ears. Zeus wasn't about to be left out, shoving his massive head under my other hand with single-minded determination.
I caught Stefano watching me with that intense gaze that always made me feel like he was cataloging my every reaction for future reference. The moonlight cast his features in silver and shadow, turning those cobalt eyes almost luminous in the darkness.
"What?" I demanded, self-consciousness making me bristle.
"You're gentle with them," he observed. "Despite all your talk of betrayal and threats."
"I'm not a monster," I said, oddly defensive. "Unlike some people present who manipulate elderly caretakers and invade private property."
His smile was slow and predatory. "Shall we walk? I believe I was promised a tour of the garden."
Without waiting for my response, he started down the stone path that wound through Aunt Akiko's meticulously maintained garden.
Small solar lights illuminated the edges of the walkway, casting pools of gentle illumination against the darkness.
The night air was warm against my skin, carrying the mixed scents of jasmine and wisteria from the flowering bushes that lined the path.
"This isn't exactly what I had in mind when Aunt Akiko suggested a tour," I muttered, following him despite my better judgment. "I was thinking more 'that's a rosebush, those are hydrangeas, good night and goodbye.'"
"Your aunt has created something remarkable here," Stefano commented, seemingly ignoring my sarcasm as he brushed his fingers against a flowering bush. "There's intention behind every placement. Protection and beauty coexisting."