Chapter 18 #5
“That counts as being weird.” I told Malek, fighting my own smile while I pulled my underwear and field pants back on.
He didn’t bother defending himself. I shoved my feet into my socks and boots while Malek dressed beside me, his attention continuing to drift toward the charcoal shirt hanging over my hips.
There was no pretending the choice was accidental.
It smelled like him, and I wanted to keep it.
Later, when I had somewhere private enough to arrange a proper nest instead of sleeping in a station bed surrounded by camera equipment, I already knew where the shirt was going.
Yesterday, Luca had explained what offering something for my nest meant to them.
Today, I was choosing to keep it. I expected that choice to make me nervous, but instead some quiet Omega part of me settled at the thought.
Before we left the creek, I checked my camera again. Work first. I had the otter, the capuchin, and several strong bird frames—more than enough to give Caroline options, with enough time left to keep photographing on the return route if something presented itself.
By six-thirty, we were moving back toward the station when two toucans landed above the creek.
There she is. One toucan announced from the branch above us, angling its oversized bill in my direction.
With the spotted male. The second toucan added as it leaned forward for a better look at Malek.
I stopped so abruptly that Malek nearly walked into me. “Absolutely none of your business.” I muttered to the toucans as I raised my camera, trying to concentrate on the angle instead of the fact that two birds were apparently reviewing my afternoon.
Smells like his business. The first toucan observed, fluffing its feathers while staring down at us with absolutely no shame.
I nearly lowered the camera.
“Do not encourage them.” I warned Malek when his purr started behind me, heat creeping into my face while I kept the viewfinder pressed firmly to my eye.
“They seem to be doing fine without my help.” Malek replied from just behind my shoulder, the dry amusement in his voice matching the vibration in his chest. I took several photographs while the toucans continued making entirely unnecessary observations above us.
Malek waited without reminding me of the time or starting to edge toward the trail when ten minutes disappeared behind my camera.
When I finally lowered it and checked the last frame, he simply held out my water bottle.
I took it without argument.
We reached the eastern fork shortly before seven, where Tavian and Luca were already waiting.
The second I saw Tavian’s face, I knew they could smell us.
There was no hiding it anyway. Malek’s scent covered my neck, hair, skin, and the shirt hanging around me.
My own honey-and-jasmine scent remained tangled thoroughly into his, and what we had spent the afternoon doing had added enough to both that two Alphas with shifter senses were never going to miss it.
Tavian inhaled once, his amber eyes widening before his mouth curved.
“I was going to ask whether the day went well.” Tavian rocked back on his heels as his gaze moved from Malek to me, his grin spreading with every second. “I think I have my answer.”
“Tavian.” I warned him as I stopped near the fallen log, narrowing my eyes despite the fact there was very little actual threat behind the warning.
“I am behaving.” Tavian assured me as he pressed one hand dramatically against his chest, his grin suggesting a definition of behaving that had nothing to do with mine.
Luca approached more quietly, his green-gold eyes moving over me once, checking rather than staring.
His attention paused briefly on my face before dipping toward the way I was standing.
“You okay?” Luca asked as he stopped in front of me, concern softening his expression without turning the question intrusive.
“I’m good.” I answered Luca, giving him a small smile so he could see the short response wasn’t meant to hide anything.
Some of the tension left his shoulders. “Hungry?” Luca asked as he lifted the cloth-wrapped bundle in his hand, his mouth already beginning to curve when my gaze dropped toward it.
I looked at the bundle, then at Malek, then back at Luca. “Do all of you just carry food around waiting for an opportunity to feed me?” I asked Luca, unable to keep the disbelief from my voice.
“Yes.” Tavian answered for him immediately, looking delighted to finally have a question he could answer without getting himself into trouble.
“I wasn’t asking you.” I told Tavian as I gave him a pointed look and accepted the bundle from Luca.
“He’s right.” Luca admitted, his mouth curving while he passed the food into my hands. “You were out all day.” I opened the wrapping enough to smell roasted meat and herbs, and my stomach betrayed me with an embarrassingly loud growl. Tavian heard it. Of course Tavian heard it. I ignored him.
“Thank you.” I told Luca as I closed the wrapping again and tucked the bundle securely against my side for the walk back.
Tavian’s gaze dropped to the charcoal shirt, and his grin returned with renewed force. “That is Malek’s.” Tavian pointed toward the fabric hanging low over my hips, his amber eyes immediately flicking toward his packmate afterward.
“I noticed.” I told Tavian dryly, glancing down at the very obviously oversized shirt before returning my attention to him.
“You’re keeping it?” Tavian asked, interest brightening his expression as he looked between Malek and me.
“Yes.” I answered Tavian before Malek could say anything, tightening my hold on the food bundle.
Tavian looked genuinely delighted. “Good.” He rocked back onto his heels while looking at Malek. “He needs fewer shirts.”
Malek’s expression flattened. “That doesn’t make sense.” Malek looked at Tavian like the statement had offended basic logic.
“It doesn’t need to.” Tavian replied cheerfully, completely unbothered by Malek’s stare.
Luca laughed under his breath before stepping closer to me, stopping just outside my space instead of assuming. “Can I?” Luca asked as he lifted one hand slightly toward my shoulder, his green-gold eyes meeting mine.
I knew what he meant. “Yeah.” I shifted the food bundle into my other hand and angled my shoulder toward Luca.
Luca touched me lightly, his thumb brushing once over Malek’s shirt before he leaned close enough that sandalwood and fresh herbs joined the cedar surrounding me.
My Omega instincts settled almost immediately.
Tavian moved closer on my other side, citrus and sun-warmed wood joining the familiar mixture without him touching me, while Malek simply reached for my camera bag.
“You carry the food.” Malek told me as he lifted the heavier bag from my shoulder and settled its strap across his own body.
“I can carry both.” I reminded Malek, although after an entire day in the field I didn’t fight particularly hard to get the weight back.
“I know.” Malek answered, glancing at me once as he adjusted the strap. That was it. Not you’re tired. Not you shouldn’t. Just I know. I smiled and let him keep it.