Chapter 188
[ 1,409 words ]
Barric
“Like a big jar of honey, ain’t he,” I tease Sage.
A look of pure pride blooms on her face. “He is a big sweetheart.”
“And well mannered too,” Aria adds.
“You have to teach me your ways,” Hazel chimes. “Goddess knows my boys are going to need it.”
We all watch as Liam tests Dante to see where his strength, speed and stamina are currently at.
Sitting around our patio table in the back yard we decided to make a day of it.
The pups needed normalcy and reassurance after being uprooted from their routines the past few days.
The quints are comfortable in the arms of their parents, Kade and Theo. Low and the twins play while overlooking Dante with wide curious eyes.
River and Rain hang around the peripherals of the lesson, excited to see a juvenile hybrid. Low indulges their curiosity by keeping their games close.
They are imagining what they will be when their beast immerges, my wolf muses.
“Dante has always had a sweet disposition. At least until he’s pushed,” Sage says.
“That’s a good thing,” Ronan comments. “It bodes well for his sense of control. You sure wouldn’t rather be with our pack.”
“Stop trying to poach the boy,” Elliot warns.
Ronan gives him a shit eating grin. “And if I was to try?”
I’d rip your throat out before you finished your offer,” Elliot intones.
Ransom slaps his chest. “Play nice with your friends.”
Elliot gives his mate a put-out look and I laugh.
“Sorry to break it to you, but Dante won’t be leaving Ashlynn. Those two are practically joined at the hip,” Sage says, taking a sip of coffee.
She doesn’t sound bothered by it.
Sage’s face changes, a look of pure humor taking over her features.
When I look back, both Liam and Dante have shifted.
Dante’s beast is currently on his back wiggling on the grass playfully as Liam’s beast gives a, Lord give me strength look at the sky.
While the older hybrid tries to gain his attention, the younger pup scampers around him butting his nose at him and tryna lure him into playing.
“That has got to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Ransom says.
Elliot growls but the corner of his mouth goes up.
He buried his nose into Ransom’s neck, biting him softly. Ransom’s cheeks heat and he clears his throat and pops a grape onto it.
“Did I forget to mention how playful he is,” Sage says mischievously.
“It’s kind of hard to process after watching him rip out that guy’s throat,” Theo admits.
Dante’s beast finally succeeds in getting Liam’s to play.
“I guess training is over,”Aria says.
“He changed his method.” I say watching as Liam’s beast leads Dante on a chase, pushing him faster and faster until they both disappear into the woods. “Since Dante likes to play, he can take advantage of that and use it not only to assess him but to start to work with improving his instincts.”
My wolf confirms my assessment with a nod.
“Barric is right. It’s a common method with pups. It keeps them engaged while making it fun,” Elliot says.
“So how many times a week do you think I should bring Dante over here?” asks Sage.
“I would recommend at least four times a week, for a few hours. We want to accelerate his control.”
“What are you guys making it sound like he’s going to be some wild beast once puberty hits,” Sage inquires.
I think of the best way to explain it. “Not a beast but just over filled with instincts and hormones that can confuse him or even overwhelm logic at times.”
She wrinkles her nose, looking in the direction her son went. “I never had a chance at keeping him away from a pack did I?”
“No you didn’t,” Elliot replies honestly.
Xochitl rounds the corner of our cabin. There is a tightness to his facial expression that worried my wolf.
My inner Beta urges me to find out what’s wrong with the reluctant wolf.
He may not see himself as a pack, but my wolf does.
I get up from the table meeting him half way.
“Long night?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” He tries to be dismissive, but it’s going to take a lot more than that to throw me off his trail.
“If you need some more rest before resuming Low’s training, you know we won’t begrudge you that.”
A small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. “I know. But I would rather be here.”
He turns to look out at the pups, his long hair brushing aside. A hint of red catches my eye.
“You’ve been claimed,” I say with disbelief.
I haven’t noticed him with anyone from the pack.
His hand flies up to his throat. “It’s nothing.”
“That isn’t…” my brain registers the hesitation in his stance, the reluctance and confusion. Like a switch has been flipped, protective nature is activated. “Did someone force their mark on you?”
I know my voice sounds angry. Even if I couldn’t hear it, the surprise in Xochitl’s face would have alerted me to the difference.
I can’t help it. Forcing a brand on someone is a violation of their autonomy.
“No. No one forced me.” He looks behind me as if he’s afraid of anyone else hearing what I asked.
“Then why do you look like that?”
“It’s complicated,” he whispers.
“Whoever gave you that mark doesn’t think it is,” I challenge.
For the first time since I met the male, he looks like he is at a loss for words.
No he looks like she’s fighting what he wants to say.
Aware that our chat is starting to draw attention, I say. “How about we take a walk?”
After a moment he nods.
I wave to everyone behind us to let them know where good and we walk away from the people and the pups.
“I didn’t know you were seeing someone,” I probe.
He scratches the back of his neck, whining when his hand brushes the claiming mark. “I wasn’t. Not really. We were just scratching an itch.”
Okay.
“And what? It got out of hand?”
Xochitl sighs and looks up at the sky like he’s hoping the answer will fall from the sky and relieve him of having to say the words out loud.
“He’s my mate. So I guess you can say we got carried away.”
The words sound like they cost him something.
“Who?” I ask.
He looks at me as if I’ve hit my quota for questions for the day.
“I won’t tell anyone,” I assure him.
“Thomas.”
Well, then. I didn’t see that one coming.
“Is there a reason you don’t sound happy about that?”
He snorts out a half choked laugh. It’s not pleasant or filled with humor. It is the disbelieving sound made by a man who’s ruminated on that very same question.
“What the hell is there to be happy about? He doesn’t like me. Sure. He likes to fuck but there is a difference.”
“I’m sure Thomas lets you just fine. I can imagine he’d sleep with you if he didn’t.”
He gives me a dubious look. “What I mean is that he never wanted anything serious with me. He wouldn’t even acknowledge me outside of my cabin at night and now I’m just supposed to accept the fact that I’m his mate. I’m just supposed to let him claim me because his wolf wants me.”
I wince.
That isn’t a problem I can solve. As much as I want to help Thomas out because he is my pack and my friend, I know that there are things he’s going to have to figure out with Xochitl on his own.
Honestly, I can’t even be sure that he understands what he’s done.
His mind doesn’t rely on emotions. If it’s not a logical move, if it isn’t one he can back by facts and observation he isn’t likely to put much thought into it.
It doesn’t make him a bad male but it might just make him a little more difficult to deal with as a mate.
Still, “Are you saying you want to reject him?”
Xochitl pauses and his shoulders sag in defeat. “I don’t know what I want. So can you do me a favor? Keep this quiet for now. I really don’t need any. Congratulations or assumptions that I’m going to be taking up permanent residence anywhere.”
“I can do that. Can you do something for me?”
“What?” he asks suspiciously.
“Can you not close the door on Thomas just yet.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because he’s a good male and he deserves to be happy. So if fate chose you to be his mate then I’m sure that you can both bring each other what you need.”
My wolf nods in agreement.
His muscles tighten defensively “What makes you think I need anything from anyone?”
“Because we all do.”
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.