Page 31 of Those That Defy the Realm

I get a month with Henry, and hopefully several reenactments of our night together. I know we agreed it was a one and done thing but that was before we knew how any of this was going to play out. If we’re living together for the next four weeks, I certainly would like the chance to reacquaint my cock with his, and hopefully his mouth, and his arse too if I get to have all my wishes answered.

And I think Henry might be on board as well, if the fact he’s been gently caressing my fur for the last half an hour or so is any indicator. We’d finished burning bodies, blood soaked furniture and washing the worst of the stains out of the walls a while ago, then sat down to eat burgers and fries which had been supplied by one of the detectives who’d done a food run.

The vampires had also secured more blood, so everyone had convened on the grass, out in the late afternoon sun and replenished our bodies. I’d engineered the seating arrangements so I was next to Henry and as soon as my burger was demolished, I’d shifted back to my wolf form. My ribs still tugged whenever I moved, and switching between my forms would speed the healing process. Plus, I wanted the excuse to snuggle.

If I’d leant into Henry in my human form, I’m sure we’d have got looks from several of the others sitting around the circle. In my wolf form, however, I’m just a cute puppy wanting fusses. At least that’s my logic and it seems to be sound, no one is paying us any attention.

As soon as I’d lain down, pushing my back up against Henry’s thigh where he sat with his legs crossed, I’d felt a hand come to my side and start brushing my fur in soothing strokes, easing the ache in my ribs and sending me into a sleepy, happy daze. Seriously, if I was a cat I’d be purring up a storm.

It’s fucking bliss.

Until Ty disrupts the peace by suggesting we move and work out the actual sleeping arrangements for the night, which is starting to descend.

Not bothering to shift back, I stretch before standing. I almost change forms when Henry looks a little uneasy on his prosthetic leg as he gets up off the floor. He manages without fully stumbling but I think his injuries are making his muscles stiff. At least his arm is now nothing but some pink lines running up his forearm thanks to the blood he’s drunk speeding up his healing.

The detectives gather their things and head off with promises to return the next day, leaving just my pack and the vampires at the ranch overnight.

I’m planning my move to ensure I end up sleeping in the same room as my new obsession, when another car can be heard driving up the drive towards the house. My pack and I are ordered into the house along with a few of the other vampires, whilst Henry stays outside to protect his leaders if so required.

Staying close to the exit in case they need back up, I only relax as it turns out to be Rory’s friends, the one whom Ty and Henry were staying with and another fae female who it seems rushed over here from the continent when the human called her and told her Rory was in trouble.

They seem harmless, but little did I know the plans I’d been forming for the last couple of hours were about to be completely derailed.

CHAPTER 12

HENRY

Is there a rule about the degrees of separation you should put between the two people you’ve been hooking up with?

If there’s not, there should be.

Sweat breaks out across the back of my neck and my heart beats a little out of tune as I watch my best friend, and his mate, lead the human I fucked yesterday into the house. The house where the wolf shifter I messed around with last Solstice, and was getting cosy with just now, is waiting.

They’re going to know.

It’s a stupid thought, but I feel like as soon as they get introduced they’ll be able to tell they’ve both seen my dick.

An icky feeling slicks my insides. I’ve done nothing wrong, I shouldn’t feel guilty. But now that I’m being confronted with them both I realise how much I have been compartmentalising the two of them. It’s not cheating. I wouldn’t be that guy. Neither of them thinks I’m in a relationship with them, or that what we’ve done is anything more than a physical release.

But it’s complicated.

Importantly, I shouldn’t have been fucking either of them. Not when I’ve recently agreed to be second in command to the pack Ty has just formed.

The only legal vampire pack on the fucking continent I might add, which is still blowing my mind. Yes, we’ll still be kept secret from society, at least for now. But working with the Froan authorities to completely safeguard our existence and try to avoid the continent nose diving straight into another war was not how I foresaw our takeover of Adicious’s pack lands to go.

Really, sex should be the absolute last thing on my mind. The wolf and the human are two complications I should one hundred percent avoid.

“You coming?” Ty pauses on the porch, his black curls bouncing on his forehead as he looks back to find me walking very slowly across the lawn.

“Yeah, sorry.” I pick up my pace, exhaling slowly to steady my heart rate.

No one knows about my recent hook ups. And they definitely don’t know about each other. But from how Ash has been with me tonight, from saving my life during our takedown of the old Froan pack, to snuggling up with me as we decompressed afterwards, it’s clear he thinks a repeat is on the cards.

My fingers tingle at the thought of how I’d been playing with the fur on Ash’s side as he laid nearly across my lap after we’d eaten this evening. On our last night together, he’d not spent any time in his wolf form but I’d remembered how he melted under my touches. I’d known what I was doing and couldn’t resist him as he’d changed forms this evening. On four legs he’s just as beautiful, and whilst my caressing his side was not a sexual move, at least on my part, I hadn’t been able to stop myself from allowing the connection.

If we’re being honest, I should’ve let sleeping dogs lie when it comes to Ash—or wolves in this case if we want to be literal about it. Last winter's Solstice was amazing. Incredible. Delectable. But we haven’t talked since, and it’s been nearly three months. We knew we had one night and I had moved on.

I hadn’t exactly forgotten about Claire given the fact I’d been balls deep in her only hours before Ash showed up. The feelings I have for Claire are still very much swimming in my veins. But adrenaline can do funny things to your mind. Make you act like a dirtbag, it seems.