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Ephraim poked his head out of the back door, delivering a strained smile as he sensed the friction. “Why don’t you guys come back inside and have a seat?”
Fane rolled his shoulders. “After you, Barric.”
The head alpha chuckled and then sauntered toward the door. “Your nephew is a possessive one, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, I am.” Fane’s fingers slid down my arm and then interlaced with mine, shooting hot tingles through my bloodstream.
Ephraim shrugged and stepped aside to allow Barric in. We followed him into the living room, Fane giving Dorian a dark, lethal glare that had the beta reaching for his sweating glass of iced tea. A few bags from Lunar Art Supply were left by the door.
So that was where Fane had gone. The last time I peeked in his art room, his shelves were stocked with supplies, but I’d never painted much of anything, so what would I know? Would he ever let me watch him work?
Doubtful.
“What’s going on?” the demon shifter asked as he towed me to the oversized chair facing the large couch and dragged me into his lap.
Air caught in my lungs, and panic lit my ass on fire.“The fuck?”I squirmed and tried to break out of his hold, but his arms only tightened like nooses.
“Stop freaking out. It’s just for show.”His annoyed grumble resonated through my mind.“And quit squirming unless you’re trying to give me a raging boner.”Fane sighed when I finally stopped wriggling.
“Then explain what the hell kind of game you’re playing.”
Fane winced at the shrill squeak in my voice.“Barric will be less inclined to have you in his pack if he believes we plan to officially become mates.”He adjusted me to a more comfortable position.“The head alpha doesn’t want me anywhere near Silver Ridge for fear I’d challenge him for it one day.”
Well, that made sense. Sort of.
“Still doesn’t explain why I need to sit in your lap.”
“Do you want him to lose interest in you?”
I tried to relax against his hard body.“Of course.”
“Then be a good girl for me and play along.”
A hot shiver slinked over my spine. If anyone else called megood girl, I’d punch them, but Fane Maverick made all sorts of wicked images spear my mind as that phrase fell from his lips.
He chuckled in my ear and nibbled on it.“I know you like this, so I doubt there’s much pretending.”
I rolled my hips and ground into him, feeling him harden against my backside.“I’m not the only one who likes it.”
His groan vibrated my neck as his lips brushed the skin.“Keep doing that, and I’ll drag you outside to really lay my claim on you.”
My hips stopped moving even though I was tempted to see how Fane wouldlay his claimon me.
“Since my relationship with Lord Ruin is extremely strained at the moment,” Barric said, interrupting our secret conversation. “I was hoping you’d speak to him about the sub-demon you found in Mohan Wilds and possibly others that have been here.”
Camus nodded. “Fane, you are friends with Ruin, more or less, right?”
“Of course he is.” Dorian’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile. “Fane is half demon, after all. Makes me wonder where his loyalties lie.”
The tendons in Camus’s neck throbbed, and a low growl curled from the back of his mouth. “Keep up this antagonistic behavior, Dorian, and I’ll start questioning whereyourloyalties lie. With the pack or your petty jealousy?”
Dorian dropped the cracker he was toying with. “How could you call my loyalty into question?” He shoved his finger into his chest. “I almost died for this pack. You can’t say the same for Fane.”
“We all know what you did for those kids.” Camus’s hand snapped out to grip Dorian’s neck, forcing his head to lower. “But it doesn’t excuse your behavior. Get your shit together and start acting like a fucking leader. Do I make myself clear?”
The color drained from the beta’s cheeks, and his shoulders curled in. “Yes, Alpha.”
Frost crawled over my flesh at the anger Camus usually kept behind his calm facade. Was that the kind of temperament he had when Fane was young?
