Chapter 80

[ 1,224 words ]

Mixed signals

80: 80.

Mixed signals Ronan

I stand at the edge of the training arena, arms crossed, boots planted.

I was happy to know the mountain renovations had held up well these past years.

It made it easier for us to start getting things in order.

The new territory still smells new and unfamiliar but strangely my wolf likes it.

Considering it his, considers it home.

I inhale the scents of stone, pine, cold air, and my pack.

Safe.

Sealed.

That knowledge calms me.

Liam snorts beside me.

“The greenhouse is looking good.”

I nod.

“Juno is doing a great job and the pups like to help plant the seeds.”

“So what are you doing lurking around here?” Liam asks.

“Lurking,” I snort.

“I don’t lurk. I’m monitoring their progress.”

He grins.

Cheeky ass whole.

“Well I’m glad I caught up with you then. I was checking on Aira and Felix myself.”

My attention drifts back to the arena.

Felix stands in the center with Aria, tablet in hand, something glowing across the screen as he talks her through another exercise.

Her dark hair is pulled up in a ponytail.

Her blue eyes focused, brows drawn, lips parted slightly and there’s a sharpness to her now that wasn’t there before.

It makes his cock painfully hard.

Just knowing how strong she’s becoming, how determined she is to master her abilities strokes my need to want to take her.

“Geez, control yourself will you,” Liam grunts, probably smelling my arousal.

Barric lingers at the edge, watching with that quiet intensity of his arms folded.

He tries to keep his view on everyone equally, but the pull towards our mate is too strong and every few minutes his eyes are back on her.

He doesn’t interfere without her training though.

He gives her the pace she needs to work.

A flicker of movement pulls my attention

Dex is standing on the other side of the arena, staring at the pair.

No.

Not at them.

At him.

Felix.

He’s supposed to be sparring, but instead, he’s watching.

Not casually either.

His gaze keeps drifting back to Felix.

I narrow my eyes.

Then I glance sideways at Liam.

His jaw is tight.

What the hell is this about?

I let a beat pass before speaking.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on there, or am I going to have to guess?”

Liam exhales through his nose, like I’ve just confirmed something he didn’t want to deal with.

“Felix confessed to Dex.”

I blink once, then look back at the arena.

“Alroght,” I say.

Not sure how that leads to all this tension I’m sensing.

“I was wondering how long it would take him to do it.

Felix isn’t exactly subtle.

“No. He’s not,” Liam huffs.

“Dex shot him down.”

“Really,” I lift a brow and look at Dex again.

He is still looking at Felix.

“I wouldn’t have guessed he did.”

“Me either if I hadn’t known it.

But now,” Liam continues, shifting his weight, “now he’s avoiding Felix but at the same time doing things like that.” He jerks his chin toward Dex, who—right on cue—glances at Felix again.

“And I don’t like it.”

I study the three of them for a moment.

Felix, completely unaware, is explaining something, his hands moving quickly, animated.

Aria nods, trying again.

There’s a spark, literally this time, as her power flickers along the tips of her fingers, then stabilizes.

Dex watches like he’s caught between stepping closer and bolting.

And Liam chews on the inside of his cheek like he’s talking himself out of approaching Dex.

“And this upsets you?” I ask.

Liam turns his head slowly toward me, expression flat.

“You really want to ask that question like that?”

I shrug one shoulder.

“It’s no surprise Felix prefers men. There is no shame in being gay. I just didn’t realize you were one of them.”

There’s a beat of silence.

Then Liam rolls his eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t fall out.

“He’s my best friend, you dickhead.”

I hold up my hands.

“I’m just saying—”

“Oh, fuck you.

We can be close friends without sexual attraction fueling it.”

“I know,” I placate him.

“You’re an idiot,” he mutters.

“I wasn’t suggesting you had to be gay to care about someone who is,” I say, more evenly.

“But you two have always been close.

The pack wonders.”

“Yeah, well, the pack can mind their own damn business,” Liam snaps, though there’s no real heat behind it.

Just irritation.

I fight a smirk.

He looks back at Felix, and his voice lowers.

“He’s like my little brother. And he’s a lot more sensitive than people realize.”

I follow his gaze again.

Felix laughs at something Aria says looking completely at ease from the outside, but there’s a tension in his shoulders that wasn’t there before.

Subtle.

Easy to miss unless you know what to look for.

“And you think Dex is playing with him,” I say.

“I think Dex doesn’t know what the hell he wants,” Liam replies.

“And in the meantime, he’s giving Felix mixed signals. That’s not fair.”

I let the silence stretch for a moment, watching as Aria uses her power to shoot out in a clean, controlled pulse.

She did it again and again hitting the targets Felix set up with accuracy.

Felix lights up, practically vibrating with excitement.

“That’s it! You see that? You nail it.”

She grins, breathless.

“I finally felt it click.”

Barric gives a single approving nod from the sidelines.

Something settles in my chest.

This was the best call I’ve made since we came to the mountain.

After seeing how he guided her into healing Theo, I saw something valuable in paring them up.

Felix may not be one of our tech specialists, but there is something about him that weaves in chaos and makes sense of it.

Apparently this approach works with people as well as computers.

Aria needs that.

And watching the benefits bloom so quickly is satisfying.

“I’m sure if Felix has a problem,” I say after a moment, “he’ll tell Dex himself.”

Liam inclines his head reluctantly.

“Yeah.

He would.”

“And if Dex pushes too far,” I add, “he’ll regret it.”

That earns me a sharper look.

“You’d step in?” Liam asks.

I shrug again.

“If it threatens the balance of the pack. It will be taken care of just like anyone else.”

Liam nods once, satisfied enough.

I spend the rest of my afternoon watching Aria.

***

The rest of the day is a blur of movement, decisions, and constant adjustment.

The pack is still getting used to the new living arrangements and they are figuring out what their day to day will look like.

All the able bodied males went out hunting to replenish the bare food stores.

The quicker we stock up on meat the easier the winter will be if we have to stay here that long.

I walk the perimeter twice, checking the new defensive placements.

The mountain gives us a natural advantage.

There’s only one way in and out, but we have many places that allow us to see the approach of any forces.

Still, I have the enforcers checking every tunnel just to be sure.

There is no telling how the weather could have changed things.

No weaknesses.

No surprises, my wolf insists.

We won’t fail our pack.

There’s one thing about the move I find myself appreciating more than I thought I would.

Our quarters.

Unlike at home, we didn’t live separately here.

Our quarters were shared.

My wolf rumbled constantly.

At first, it felt like a necessity.

Strategic grouping so we didn’t waste time wondering where we would go each night.

Well, that feeling only lasted about a day before the deep, rolling satisfaction of having his band together made him feel right.

It wasn’t just having Aria close, it was having the guys close to.

When Theo was lying on that infirmary bed all I could think about was him getting better and getting revenge for what was mine.

They were all mine.

Ours, my wolf echoes, satisfied.

And I know, with absolute certainty, I won’t go back to anything else.

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.