Page 83 of Claimed

As we’re heading directly for the two younger shifters, there’s no way to not get more than an eyeful of what’s happening.

It’s rough-looking play and not just coming from Grey, which doesn’t fit what he said about his female being timid. There’s nothing shy about her as she rakes her nails across his back, looking like she’s having the time of her life while they battle one another for carnal dominance. Of course she’s losing, but they both look committed to continuing the sparring.

Linc’s and my eyes meet for a second before we wordlessly communicate, knowing what needs to be done. Get these horny young males to look away, give the couple privacy, but I’m sure he’s on the same page, knowing we need to stay close enough that we can lend aid if these two get into any sort of tight spot out here.

Both Grey and her seem unaware of their surroundings or vulnerability right now, which is unlike Grey, though the way they move, shifting to and from human form while fucking like their lives depend on it, it’s clear he’s focused only on her and the fact that she’s undoubtedly primed and ready to take whatever he gives.

I signal to Finn and my nephew to give them our backs. But as I’m using signals that these idiots don’t seem too keen to discern, the frenzied sounds of whirlwind shift-fucking get louder with the howling cry she lets out in wolf form as he mounts her and pushes her prone body into the dirt.

I let out a growl which makes Evander look away with a gleam in his eyes that I know is humor and I catch from my periphery that the Blackwoods are now in human form rolling on the ground together as Grey throws her legs up over his shoulders and pistons into her over and over while she cries out with wild abandon.

I hear a twin growl as Linc warns Finn for the same reason. Finn is about seven or eight years younger than us where my nephew Evander is just hitting nineteen and now in training to start contributing more to his pack than the status quo of being a shithead teenager.

Grey might not find the humor when we tell him. We’re not trying to be creeps, but of course these punks are finding it fascinating to watch a freshly mated couple lose control, completely lost in one another.

We’ve seen this before. Sometimes it’s heat. Sometimes it’s partly down to substances that are involved, like mixing aphrodisiacs with hallucinogens. The moon can also be at play, though by my nose and through glancing up at the sky I suspect that’s not the case tonight.

Linc commands Finn to shift to two feet, then wordlessly rips him a new one with a glare as he smacks the back of Finn’s head.

“Give ‘em our backs,” I mutter, and we all do it.

“Why don’t we just go if we can’t watch?” Evander quips. “Grey can handle himself, no?”

“She’s in heat,” Linc whispers tapping his nose. “I can smell it. He’s lost to it.”

Yep.

“Fuuuck,” Evander whistles low, “That’s the smell that’s makin’ me salivate.”

The air goes staticky, and the wind suddenly picks up significantly. Significantly enough that if we were smaller men, we might be knocked over by it.

I hear a near deafening roar and Grey is now charging our way as wolf, eyes lit like silver beacons, saliva dripping from his massive teeth.

He’s got murder in his expression. He wants blood. What the fuck? It’s like fire dances around Grey’s face, spitting red embers into the atmosphere as he closes in quickly, in predator mode.

Finn and Evander immediately submit, showing their throats.

Evander’s whistle probably broke the spell, drawing the alpha’s attention to another male too close to his in-heat mate. Or, Finn’s salivate comment cut through Grey’s state and infuriated him.

“Grey!” I shout. “Chill, brother. We’re justkeepingwatch, not trying to watch. You’re out in the open. Vulnerable.”

No recognition in Grey’s wolf’s eyes. Just fury.

It’s like his wolf doesn’t know me. He sniffs the air, probably not smelling me. Probably not smelling Linc or these other guys properly either due to that putrid juice we drank.

I shift to four paws to show him who I am, as if his wolf in this state will recognize mine when it doesn’t recognize my human form. Linc follows suit as well as the other two guys, though the other two are cowering.

I rest on the ground, not submitting but also showing him I’m not a threat.

This that’s happening is something primal – his wolf being so consumed with his mate’s heat that he doesn’t recognize us without our usual scents. Or he does, but only us and not the two younger shifters.

He’s growling, no snarling. His mate moves in behind him, sniffing the air, looking us over.

He snaps his jaws at her, giving her a warning growl. She backs up a little, blinking a few times.

I stare, hoping Grey’s wolf won’t see it as a challenge but that he’ll instead see that it’s me, his best friend, someone who always has his back.

He growls some more and snaps his jaw toward the closest to him – Finn – in warning.

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