Chapter 49
ADAM
So we began seeing Tank, several nights a week, in the hotel three blocks from the club. Sometimes, we didn’t even bother going to the club; we just arranged to meet at the hotel, all of us too keyed up to give a damn about dancing—or foreplay, for that matter.
Our lust burned hot and fast, and our passion was carnal. Intoxicating. But as much as I was enjoying unraveling my mate, thread by thread, I was also noticing things, the longer this strange relationship went on.
Red flags, things that Tank did that set my wolf’s teeth on edge. Like the way Tank pinned Fletcher’s hands above his head and growled at him to stay, but rubbed their wrists together ever-so-nonchalantly as he did so. Marking him with that sharp licorice tang.
Or the way he spent far too much time licking and sucking at Fletcher’s mate-mark, almost as if he was tempted to bite over it.
Or the possessive way he looked at my Omega.
Like Fletcher belonged to him instead of me, because every time we fooled around, Tank’s attention strayed from me to zero in on Fletcher.
It bothered me. A lot.
Worse? It gave me this weird feeling at the pit of my stomach when we fooled around tonight. Fletcher was sprawled on his back, with me kneeling on the bed beside his head while Tank railed into his body so hard, the whole bed shook.
Soft whimpers and cries spilled from Fletcher’s lips, even as he licked and sucked and stroked my cock.
At one point, Tank’s claws dug into his skin hard enough that Fletcher flinched, his eyes pinching tight.
The other Alpha’s tempo increased, the jerking of his hips growing unsteadier by the second.
A knot grew in my throat as I watched Tank kiss and suck over the mark I’d given Fletcher over five years ago, the day that I’d claimed him as mine. The day we said fuck my parents’ wishes and started our brand new life together.
My gaze locked on Tank, I saw him lift his lips, saw the barest hint of teeth—and something inside of me just snapped.
Sensing the other Alpha might bite what belonged to me, I snarled and lunged at Tank.
Wrapping my arm around his throat, I yanked him off Fletcher and dragged him to the floor on the other side of the bed, where we struggled for a moment.
Tank broke away, breathing hard, his black eyes hard as glass. “What the fuck, man? What’s your issue?” he hissed at me, with acid on his tongue.
“That’s enough,” I said coldly. “We’re done here.”
“Done?” He barked a laugh. “None of us even got off!”
I growled at him, baring my fangs. “You know damn well it isn’t about getting off. Don’t feed me that bullshit. You’re out of control.”
“Out of control?” Tank’s handsome face twisted into a sneer that made him look like some sort of horror villain. “Oh, honey, you haven’t seen me out of control.”
I snarled at him, a low growl rippling from my throat as I stood and placed myself between the furious Alpha and my vulnerable mate. “We’re done. Take your shit and leave.”
“Adam.” Fletcher’s voice behind me was soft, but I wasn’t leaving any room for argument.
“Be quiet, Fletcher,” I snapped.
He fell silent, and I felt a pang of guilt, but I was too worked up. My wolf was ready to split through my skin and shred this newfound enemy for ever daring to touch what belonged to us.
Tank got up off the floor, but he just shook his head. “You think you can just get rid of me?”
“Yeah, I do, and your reaction just proves my point,” I said flatly. “Stay away from us, Tank.”
“Or else, what? You’re gonna call the cops?” He sneered. “The cops won’t do shit, but sure, whatever. Keep the little slut all to yourself. I always knew you were a selfish man.”
“GET OUT!” I lunged at Tank with my claws drawn, but Tank danced backwards, out of my reach, shaking his head.
“You’ll regret this, Adam Sinclair.”
“No, I don’t think that I will. I think I’m making the right decision for us both,” I told him.
“This isn’t over,” he argued, but I held up my hand.
“The hell it isn’t. We’re through, Tank. Now get the hell out of here.” My fingers twitched, as if they were ready to pull the trigger of an invisible gun. I fisted my hands at my sides and stood my ground.
Tank shook his head with a low growl, but hurriedly yanked on his clothes and left, slamming the door behind him. Hard.
I stood there, my heart pounding, my hands trembling.
Then, softer, “Adam? What’s going on?”
Fuck. I turned to see that Fletcher was sitting up near the headboard, his knees drawn to his chest, looking very small—and worried. His brows were furrowed, his gaze downcast, and suddenly, I felt like a dick.
I crawled back up on the bed. “Let me see.” Thankfully, Fletcher didn’t shy away from me.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it if he had.
He let me look him over, inspect the scrapes and gashes on his sides and hips where Tank’s claws had dug in.
The hickies on his neck. And his wrists…
He’d scent-marked Fletcher with his licorice scent, marking my mate as his own.
I growled low. Fletcher looked confused. “Adam, talk to me, please. What happened? What did I miss? Because I’m so lost right now.”
I sucked in a deep breath, held it to the count of three, then released it slowly. I reached for Fletcher, turning his head to the side so that I could touch the mate mark. Unmarred. Whole. Thank god… Fletcher shivered.
I shook my head. “He kept obsessing over this,” I told him quietly. “I got this sinking feeling he was going to bite you there, over my mark, when he knotted you.”
“Wh-What?” My Omega’s jaw dropped.
“Fletcher, he marked you.” I brought his hand up to his nose, so that he could smell it for himself, and his eyes went round as saucers.
“When? I didn’t— I never—”
“Shh, it’s not your fault,” I promised him.
“He’s slippery as a snake. There’s been a few red flags, but you seemed to be having so much fun.
I didn’t want to ruin it, but I couldn’t take it anymore.
” I sighed deeply. “Fletcher, you’re my mate.
My Omega. This isn’t fun for me any longer.
It’s stressful. My wolf is anxious that you are no longer ours. ”
Fletcher’s face softened. “Adam, that’s ridiculous.”
“I know. I can’t help how I feel, though,” I said, rubbing a hand over my face and sitting back on the bed, putting a bit of space between us, because it felt like I couldn’t breathe.
After a moment, I said, “I want to close the relationship again. Go back to how it was when it was just the two of us. Can we do that?”
Fletcher crawled over to me on his hands and knees and wedged himself in my lap. He cupped my face in one gentle hand, kissing me sweetly. “Of course, baby. I’m sorry. I thought you were enjoying this as much as I was. Now I feel selfish.”
“No, it’s okay,” I promised him. “I was enjoying it…until Tank started trying to steal you.”
I growled, but Fletcher kissed it away. “Not going anywhere. You’re my Alpha, the light in my life. I would be nowhere without you. I love you, Adam.”
“I love you too, kitten,” I said, feeling my body relax for the first time all night. I wrapped my arms around my mate and hugged him to my chest, content just to have him near me.
Fletcher wiggled after a moment. “Can we go home? I feel gross and want to shower tonight off.”
“You and me both.”
We drove home and did just that, then fell asleep in each other’s arms. As I drifted off, I couldn’t help but be glad that this chapter of our lives had come to an end. That the Tank Saga was over—except it wasn’t.
When we left the house the next morning, we were immediately hit by the overpowering reek of ammonia. Wolf piss. Tank must’ve followed us home, because his scent was all over our front lawn. He’d sprayed the front of the house, the garage door, and my car.
I growled, my inner-wolf furious. My hands clenched into fists, my claws digging into my palms so deep I was sure they cut flesh. “I’ll kill him!”
Fletcher tugged on my arm, a look of worry on his face, but not for himself. For me. “He’s just angry,” he murmured. “He’ll get over it and everything’ll be fine. C’mon, I’ll help you clean it up.”
Why, then, did I have the bad feeling that this was far from over?