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“Well, yes.”
I scanned the mass of men, seeing hard body after hard body. It was both hot and intimidating. While I knew I was so much stronger, there were so many of them looking at me with a mix of interest and fear. Eyes ran over my body, somehow taking in my mum jeans and plaid shirt like it was couture that they would very much like to peel from my body. But it came with a curiously shuttered expression, as if each and every one of them waited for me to slam my door in their faces.
God, this is like some horrific paranormal version of The Bachelorette, I thought. Sen was the only one I recognised in the group, but it must have been hard, putting yourself out there in this public display, crowd members yelling out words of encouragement or jokes at their expense.
“Can we take this inside the house, away from the mob?” I asked Ophelia.
She seemed surprised by that, but she finally nodded.
“You would like to keep the rest of the party away from this?”
“Yeah, if we can. I don’t… It’d be better not to have the kids around, and I don’t think this needs to be a spectator sport.”
“I agree. Go inside with your mates. I’ll explain to everyone else.”
26
So here I was, sitting in an armchair, waiting to interview my prospective fuck buddies. I rubbed at my still raw face. Every time I thought I was on top of things here…
“You OK, Flick?” Peter asked.
I looked up at him and felt that deep, warm ache inside me when he took my hand. I leaned over when he dropped down beside me, sitting on his heels, and I kissed him slowly so I could capture his every taste.
“So you’re not doing too bad,” Aidan said with a wicked smile. “After this, we’ll have some food and then send everyone home.”
“Put Kade to bed.”
“And go to bed for the first time as a pack,” I said, my breath catching on the words.
Aidan’s grin broadened. “Hold onto those thoughts, love. They’ll get you through this much easier.”
As if summoned, the door opened and in they came, making me wonder about my choice of venue. They filled the room, and the house seemed so much smaller for having so many tall men crammed into one space.
“It’s OK…” Peter whispered, running his finger across my palm.
And it was. I sat up straighter in my chair, the movement followed by most of their eyes. I didn’t need any of them. If I spent the entirety of my heat, my life, with just these two men, that was two more worthwhile partners than I’d had before. There might be something else out there in this pool—my eyes strayed to Sen, who stood close to the front, his hand clenched tight around his token—or there might not. I had nothing to lose from exploring this.
“This is much better,” Ophelia said as she and several matriarchs filed in. “We don’t usually have children at such events, and this allows us to protect them from the process.”
My eyebrows shot up in alarm.
“Some of them get a little feisty trying to prove their worth,” one of the women said. She had a long tumble of red brown hair and bright green eyes that sparkled with a devilish light. “I’m Rhoda. We met at the alpha’s house.”
“Flick,” I said in return.
“Oh, we know. Everyone knows,” she said, impishly nodding towards the men.
“Yes, well, let's get things started, shall we?” Ophelia said. “Any who wish to petition for a position in Flick’s pack may speak now. One at a time.”
A really tall guy with a shock of black hair and a shit-eating grin stepped forward and dropped to his knee.
“Flick, daughter of Chloe…”
How had they found out Mum’s name?
“I ask that you accept this token as a symbol of my regard for you. I wish to start the petitioning process to join your pack. My deepest wish is that I will prove worthy and that I will take a place by your side. As part of my offer, I gift to you—”
“Hang on,” I said, and the man looked up when I interrupted. “What’s your name?”
