Page 81 of Wolf It Down, Knot Me Up

I set my empty bowl on the table, tuck my feet back under me, and find myself leaning into Roman. He sets his bowl down too and wraps an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer. This moment is perfect, all cozy, safe, and surrounded by my Alphas. And I don’t squirm when I call them that this time.

The movie is up to the scene where the hot sheriff is clearly the wolf, and I’m about to say it out loud when the lights and the TV in the lodge go out all at once.

“Oh, what the hell?” I breathe out as the guys all groan, Grayson already on his feet. Only the fireplace is throwing out light in the dark room, and for a moment, with the storm raging fiercely outside, a sense of foreboding slithers through my chest.

“Just the storm,” Roman says, holding me closer to him.

“Probably blew a fuse or took out a line,” Wolf says.

“Grandma had a backup generator put in for exactly this. It’s down in the basement. At the base of the stairs, it’s on the left-hand side, a big green box. Just pull on the cord.”

“I can find it,” Wolf says, and he and Grayson march in that direction.

Roman kisses my brow. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yeah, of course.” I glance up, staring into his warm brown eyes, shadows dancing across his face from the fire.

“I missed you today,” he tells me. “More than you realize.”

I snuggle against him. “Missed you more. How was your day? Well, aside from getting soaked.”

“Long.” He chuckles. “Heard you went to visit your grandma today. How is Eve?”

“She’s really tired of the hospital and lying in bed all day. I don’t blame her. I’d go crazy with boredom. I think I’ll start going more often to keep her company.”

He’s watching me speak, then slides his finger under my chin, tilting my head back. Without a word, his lips press against mine, and I lose my control. I kiss him back, fisting his robe to pull myself closer. It’s completely unhinged how easily I respond to these Alphas. An ache starts deep in my belly, heightening until I’ve turned into liquid. Would it be insane if the others returned and found me riding Roman?

A voice in my head reminds me that it isn’t normal to go from zero to ten on the insatiable scale so fast.

Then the lights and the TV flick back on, and I jerk back, blinking against the brightness. “They found the generator,” I say.

Roman’s arms remain coiled tightly around me, his lips on my neck. “I preferred the dark.”

“Busted,” Grayson announces. He and Wolf are strolling back. “We’ve been gone barely ninety seconds, and you two are almost at it.”

“I’m impossible to resist,” Roman gloats as the other two crash back onto their couch, and I dive for the remote, clicking Play on the movie before this conversation gets out of hand.

“Okay, back to it.”

They all stare at me, and I pretend not to notice. Soon enough, they’re all watching the movie, and the characters just found what’s left of the athlete’s body in the garage.

“My money is on the weather girl’s ex,” Roman says.

I steal a glance over at them, and Wolf’s still watching me, so I stick my tongue out at him as if I’m some brat. The corner of his mouth lifts almost sinisterly. Then he drags his tongue across his top lip. Fire burns through me instantly, and no one should be reacting this fast, yet here I am, aroused so quickly.

Turning back to the movie, the sheriff has the weather girl cornered, throwing his head back with a howl, then he starts transforming. All those bones cracking, teeth lengthening.

“Called it,” I state. “The handsome ones are always the villains.”

“Not sure I agree,” Grayson replies.

“Nope, she’s right,” Wolf interrupts. “The pretty ones are the ones you should always worry about.” His gaze is on me when he says that, quiet between us until Roman snorts out a laugh.

Then we’re back on the movie, and these three are now running commentary right until the credits roll.

I stretch and yawn while collecting all the bowls and take them into the kitchen. There, I place them into the dishwasher. When I return, the three Alphas are all lounging.

“Okay, that’s it for me. I’m exhausted and going to crash. You three take the guest rooms, as they’re all clean, whenever you’re ready to sleep.”