“Don’t you remember the pecking order?” Roane asked, rage building, adding to the lust wafting from Hale’s glands. Another mating heat, right after Roane had claimed Caitlyn?
Quick as lightning, Hale shoved Roane away from Caitlyn and pushed him up against the wall. “Strongest wins the prize.” The jackass was the fastest of them in his beastly form.
They all knew it.
Roane understood what Hale wanted: to mount Roane in front of Caitlyn. To show her his strength and steal the female out from under him with a show of dominance.
“Fuck, no.” Roane flashed sharp teeth. “You think you can take her from me?”
“I can’t help this, and you fucking know it.” Hale panted, his dick pressed between his belly and Roane’s. “You have to reform our bonds. I know she’s yours, but so am I. Not yet mated. Another heat.” Hale groaned. “I should be satisfied by her perfect mouth, but you two pushed me into this.”
Roane battled his resurging desire as he glanced from Hale to Caitlyn. She sat up and watched with curiosity and desire in those deep green eyes. At least she isn’t repelled by this bond. This unceasing lust that’s making me ache.
“I think you need to mark him the way you did me,” she offered quietly. “He needs to feel that same connection, right?” She glanced at Hale, who nodded.
Roane wanted to be disgusted by it. Hell, he’d just had sex with Caitlyn, the woman he knew to be his. But she didn’t seem put off by Hale’s need. Quite the opposite. She seemed turned on again.
“Come on, do it.” Hale growled and nipped at Roane’s neck.
Roane reacted. He shoved Hale back, then flipped him to the ground on his hands and knees. He felt Caitlyn’s gaze on him like a caress while he prodded Hale’s hole. Like a switch, Roane went from flagging to erect again. He surged deep in one push and hissed at the pleasure of Hale’s ass gloving him so tightly.
Wrapped in sensation, he didn’t hear his woman move.
“That’s nice.” Caitlyn purred in his ear, wrapping her arms around his chest as he pounded into Hale. “Take him hard,” she prodded and bit his earlobe, her soft breasts pressed into his back.
Blood pooled in his groin. Roane groaned as he took Hale, Caitlyn’s encouragement spurring him to finish quickly. When she circled to Hale and reached under him, grabbing his cock, Roane’s excitement boiled over. Two alphas sating his beta. The way it should be, taking care of his friend and partner.
Hale praised them both as he cried out his climax. He came over Caitlyn’s hand while she watched Roane pumping in and out of his ass. Roane felt the ecstasy rushing from the base of his spine through his balls, like a fiery blast of pleasure that overwhelmed him. He moaned his relief as he came hard, marking Hale with his scent and his seed.
As he regained his senses, Roane pondered the notion that he hadn’t experienced Hale’s same need. Unlike the other times where he’d felt compelled to fuck one of his own squad -- for God’s sake -- Caitlyn had finished him herself. This joining with Hale had been for Hale’s sake. And to be honest, knowing Caitlyn wanted him to fuck Hale, that she watched, turned him on to the idea more than he might have thought possible.
Hale hissed as Roane withdrew. Hale made it to his knees, one huge mess of claw marks and cum. Caitlyn kissed him on the cheek and rubbed her hand through his own seed on his belly, making him flush.
“That was really sexy,” she said before leaving them both for the small adjoining bathroom.
Their heavy breathing filled the sudden silence left in her wake.
“Tell me I didn’t just ask you to fuck me in front of a woman.” Hale moaned. “I’m seriously losing it.”
“I think she liked it.” Roane coughed to cover his sudden discomfort. “Dammit, you had another mating heat. What did you expect?”
“I expected I’d want her to satisfy me, not you,” Hale said with a dry laugh. “She’s a sexual goddess with that mouth. You? You’re not that sexy.”
“Fuck you.”
“You just did.” Hale ran a hand over his face. “No need to share this with the others, all right? Just Doc.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice.” Roane grimaced but saw the humor in the situation.
“So, you think I’m sexier than Caitlyn, hmm?”
“Dammit.” After using Caitlyn’s ruined shirt to clean up, Hale slowly dressed. “Look, from now on, keep sex with your woman private. Don’t get me wrong. Big thanks for that mind-blowing orgasm Caitlyn gave me. But I could have done without that heat you two pushed me into. My beast didn’t want someone new. It wanted you, what was familiar.” Hale paused. “Which could be good, if you think about it. I recognized Caitlyn as yours. If not, we would have had to fight. And I would have had to kick your ass in front of her, embarrassing you.”
“You wish.”
Hale clapped him on the shoulder. “After I talk to Doc, I’m blowing the compound. I need to find a good woman and get laid a few more times tonight. As a man. Not as my beast,” he added with disgust before leaving the lab.
“Good luck.” Roane understood Hale’s need to get away. If not for Caitlyn, he’d have done the same. Anything to wipe out the odd attraction for men he considered friends and family. Though he admitted to the heady pleasure when taking Hale, it still lacked that something special he’d found in Caitlyn. God willing, he could avoid a repeat of a mating heat with Derrick, Ace, and Zack.
Like Hale advised, he’d stay away from the others when he and Caitlyn had sex. So long as they respected this boundary, life would be good. Caitlyn was his. No question, no discussion. He didn’t worry so much about Zack and Ace, not with Kelly around. But Derrick worried him.
Caitlyn emerged clean from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
“That’s two showers today.” She glanced away from him, a blush darkening her cheeks.
“It’s okay, hellcat,” Roane teased and took her in his arms. “This is the way we’re made.
Accept this new you. Between me, the squad, and Doc, we’ll make it all right.” She slowly raised her gaze to meet his. “I trust you, Roane. I don’t know why, but I do.” She sighed and rested her head on his chest. “This is all so weird. I just had sex with two men at the same time. Then I jacked Hale off while you were doing him. That I just said that at all is crazy. Even weirder is that it felt right.”
“It’s strange and embarrassing, and yet, it makes sense. I understand what you’re feeling. Trust me on that.” He hugged her tight.
“I guess I’m not going back to my old life, am I?”
“No,” he said softly, wanting to make this transition as easy on her as possible.
“Then let’s get Doc back in here so he can teach me how to control my change.”
“I’ll help you.” I’ll always help you, baby. You’re mine now.
“I know, but you can’t constantly be around me. I can only hide at the compound for so long. If I run into Simon or Vincent again, I need to be prepared.” Roane tensed. “Don’t worry. The next time you see those dickheads, I plan to be by your side. I’ll tear their heads from their spindly necks if they so much as breathe in your direction.”
Caitlyn relaxed and chuckled. “My hero.”
Hellcat, you have no idea. Because Hoff and Dunn are going to pay for what they did to you. And I’m going to be the one collecting what you’re owed.
Chapter Eight
Simon Dunn itched to plant a bullet between his boss’s eyes. How the fuck this geek kept Pearson Labs running at all boggled the mind. Spindly, absentminded, and six inches shorter than his own six-four, the boss looked like a bad version of a mad scientist gone wrong. “Tell me again why we’re not going after her.”