“Sorry, love. The fact you have the two of us in your bed doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve made a lifetime commitment to us.” Anthony lifted her chin so he could kiss her again but Alexia pushed him back, her expression shocked.
“You don’t think this is forever? What we’ve been sharing?” Alexia asked, her gaze darting between the two of them.
Joshua rose and went to comfort her as her tension rose. “You’re not hearing what he’s saying correctly.” Damn if Anthony hadn’t misspoken this time. It appeared even wordsmiths could blow it. “He’s saying you’ve made no formal commitment. He’s not saying anything about what we feel for you.”
Alexia shook her head violently. “We started fooling around because I was craving chemicals and was on a hormonal high. Do you think I’d still be having sex with you if I hadn’t made some kind of emotional commitment?” She slapped at Joshua’s hands as he tried to hug her close.
A loud laugh rang through the room. “Alexia, stop it. You’re getting upset over nothing.” Anthony trapped her in his arms. The anger and tension in her body slowly receded as Anthony stroked her hair, kissed her softly, murmured words in her ear. “I love you, Alexia. I’m always going to love you. Joshua told you he loved you as well. That’s what we feel for you. It’s not caring for you as our matriarch but caring for the woman you are.”
He sat on the couch and pulled her into his lap. Joshua sat beside them and lifted her feet onto him so she lay covering them both.
“If you want to make it official that we’re your chosen consorts, you need to announce it in public before the pod,” Anthony said.
“I simply call a meeting and tell everyone I’m the new leader and I’m sleeping with both of you?” Alexia dropped her head on Anthony’s chest and Joshua marveled at how quickly she could relax after getting upset.
“Almost. You’ll need to prove you can change as well.” Joshua scratched his chin. “Anthony, how long does she have until she has to make an open call?”
“An open call? Is that what you blocked the first time I went to the ocean with the medallion?” Alexia asked.
Joshua nodded. “You go in the water under the moonlight, and the unpartnered men of the pod will arrive hoping that you’ll select them as a lover, if not your consort.” She wiggled uncomfortably and Joshua soothed her. “They’ll show up but all you have to do is select us. It’s that simple and it will be enough to claim us as well. Not everyone eligible will even come since you’ve shown a preference for Anthony and me. Only those who want to challenge us.”
She grunted in disgust. “Michael.”
Anthony nodded. “Probably, but being shut down in front of the rest of them will be the final time you have to worry about him. Once you deny him publicly, the rest of the pod will defend you and ostracize him if he even breathes wrong in your direction.”
“What about the attack the other day? How in the hell did he get away with that one?” Alexia asked.
Joshua sighed and rose to his feet. Work commitments were finally forcing him to the shop for a few hours to finish packaging and shipping some orders. “He said it was a misunderstanding and an accident. In fact he accused Thomas of trying to hurt you and said that he was coming to your defense. Since you’re not officially matriarch yet, it’s one of those ‘he said she said’ situations. ”
“Thomas? The one who pulled me out of the way so Michael couldn’t hurt me? What a bunch of crap,” Alexia snapped. “I am bloody sick of Michael and his plotting. Fine, I’ll let it go this time, but I mean it, the sooner we take care of him the better.”
Anthony parked in front of Joshua’s shop, hurrying to open the door for Alexia. She slid past him, her sweet scent making his mouth water as she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
“Hey, Teach.”
Anthony turned to see one of his students leaning against a post outside the shop, his hand wrapped in a light bandage. The youth approached and dipped his head respectfully to them both. “Lady Alexia. Good to see you weren’t hurt the other day.”
“You’re Thomas, aren’t you?” Alexia asked. “Thank you. If it weren’t for your quick thinking, I would have been badly hurt.” Anthony smiled as he heard the same tones of authority in Alexia’s voice that had always been present in Victoria’s. It was becoming clearer and clearer Alexia was ready to lead.
Thomas smiled and bowed slightly, then turned to Anthony. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Privately?”
Alexia squeezed his hand and winked before disappearing into Joshua’s shop. Anthony watched her hips sway as she left, his body aching to take her home and bury himself in her again. He turned to see Thomas grinning from ear to ear.
“So it’s true. You’ve got the hots for her, don’t you?” the youth asked.
“Shut up.” Anthony thumped him good-naturedly on the arm and pointed down the boardwalk. They walked as he asked, “What’s the news?”
Thomas cleared his throat. “Two things. Did you know Mr. Marley, the big-shot lawyer, is spreading the rumor Alexia is unable to change and unfit to be matriarch?”
Anthony cursed under his breath. “Where in the hell did you hear that?”
“I work at the Pub and Grub as a dishwasher, and no one notices who’s clearing tables. A bunch of the old farts were debating if Alexia had enough merfolk blood, what with being half human and her mother never able to change. Then someone wondered if the fact she grew up away from Jaffrey’s Cove and the rest of the pod would affect her ability to gain what she needs. One old-timer brought up the rumor you had to live at the shore for ten years straight before absorbing enough of the chemicals. You know how those men gossip like grannies. Soon the whole place was discussing it, and Marley happens to mention that without the strongest consort possible he feared Alexia will never transform and the whole pod will end up in chaos.” Thomas kicked a shell from the side of the boardwalk. “He’s such an asshole.”
“He’s still your elder. Don’t call him that in public,” Anthony corrected, although he agreed one hundred percent with the sentiment. Michael was nothing but a dick and Anthony was getting thoroughly sick of him.
Thomas sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, sir. Anyway, we wanted to let you know we don’t think it’s going to be an issue. All the kids who changed for the first time this summer, they say Lady Alexia is nearly ready to transform. When we tracked you the other day, she was definitely showing signs, and they’re pretty observant about that kind of thing since they just went through it.”
Anthony nodded. “I thought Alexia was nearly ready, but it’s good to know others see it as well. Anything else?”
Thomas grinned. “We all think she rocks. It’s going to be great to have a new matriarch who’s not a fossil. Not that Lady Victoria wasn’t cool, but with Alexia and you and Joshua as consorts, things will be sweet around here.”
As much as he knew he should reprimand the youth, Anthony couldn’t find it in him to lay down the law, especially when he agreed with every word. “She hasn’t accepted us publicly yet, you know.”
“She will.” They were back at the shop and Thomas stared in the window where they saw Joshua and Alexia snuggling close. “Crap, she’s a babe. I wish I was old enough—”
“But you’re not, Thomas, so chill, or whatever the current lingo is. Keep your eyes in your head and your wits about you. You’ve done a couple of good things for her now, and she won’t forget it.” Anthony moved in closer to the youth and let his possessive feelings for Alexia rise to the surface. “Don’t push it any further or I’ll give you reason to regret it.”