As I take deep, calming breaths to soothe my anxiety, a shaky voice appears behind Noah’s body shield.
“Alpha? Can I slip into your wolf’s bubble a little to thank your Luna?”
Noah grumbles, leaning away just enough for one of my eyes to see Annika. Her mascara is still streaked down her cheeks, her big, beautiful eyes rimmed in red.
I reach for Annika past Noah’s back, grasping her hand. “Please, don’t thank me, Luna. It’s in my instincts to nurture and protect, but I got so angry that I caused even more chaos. I’m sorry.”
To my surprise, Viktor steps into view, easing his hands around Annika’s waist. “You didn’t. It was a misunderstanding on my end, and my Luna needed someone to step in to save her from further abuse. Goddess, I’d die if he took her while I couldn’t reach her. Thank you.”
Viktor’s words are kind, but something in his scent still screams of jealousy.
Noah tenses, his wolf edging on snapping.
Patting Noah’s chest, I put on my calming teacher voice. “Hey, it’s almost dinner time, right? Let’s head back inside and continue our night with some delicious food. And Vik and Anni, please don’t worry; there are no hard feelings. Noah and I are so grateful to have you in our circle as both allies and dear friends—we keep talking about it.”
Viktor’s eyes land on Noah, and for a second, I’m afraid things could turn sour despite everyone’s attempts to repair our allyship.
But after a long, tense silence, Noah releases me, relaxing at my side. “I really do admire your fire, King. Your wolf is a force to be reckoned with, so I’m lucky you’re on my side.”
Viktor chuckles, rubbing the back of his head. “Whatever, man. I’m sorry for charging at your mate.”
“Well, my feisty Luna is a force to be reckoned with too, so I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same in your position.”Noah stretches his neck, rolling it side to side. When his gaze lands directly on Viktor's, a subtle tension tightens all of our shoulders. “But my Luna’s also fucking brilliant, and she’s right. Let’s let this all go—including what I left unsettled last year.”
Noah’s soft-spoken words might lack in volume, but his irises blaze as he stares Viktor down—Noah’s wolf confirming his sincerity.
Viktor tenses. Annika’s eyes dart between both Alphas, her knuckles turning bright white as she grips Viktor’s arm.
Noah’s straightened back doesn’t budge. “I’m genuinely sorry, Vik. Let’s settle our score, once and for all, in the King Alpha competition this year. I’ll attack you so hard, you won’t even have to question if I’m holding back.”
My heartbeat races as I analyze every small flit of Viktor’s irises. But with Noah’s declaration, Viktor warms into the brightest smile I’ve seen on him yet.
“Fuck yeah, Alpha. That’s all I ever wanted, man.” Viktor scrubs Noah’s hair as he passes us, urging Annika back inside. “Then let’s get ourselves well fed tonight so it’s a fair competition, yeah?”
We follow Viktor to the open porch doors, but Annika stumbles, catching herself against the doorframe.
“Luna!?” Viktor hoists her to his chest, carrying most of her weight with panicked, wide eyes. “Are you still lightheaded, my love? Your cheeks are bright red.”
“S-sorry, I’m just—” She fans her cheeks, stealing a quick glance at us. “T-there’s a lot of delightful pheromones on this porch, and I tried to ignore them, but... I couldn’t help myself. I was squeezing my knees together while you all talked, and— I-I’m about to—” With a soft mewl of pleasure, Annika’s grip tightens on her mate.
As she buries her face into Viktor’s chest, my jaw genuinely drops.O-oh, my God, Noah... Is she seriously saying she's about to have an orgasm in the doorway?
With confirmation from Noah’s flushed stare dropping to his feet, there’s no question as to what Annika means.
I gasp as Viktor lunges for Annika’s throat, licking her mark so hard that she warps into heaving moans.
“Ah! Alpha!”
Viktor growls, his hand skating past her breasts to smooth down her dress’s puffy skirt—slipping between her legs. His circling palm rolls her clit until her legs shake, her hips bucking outside of the rhythm of his arm.
My groin aches with hers as I’m unable to tear my gaze away from the unbelievable sight in front of me. As Viktor’s arm pumps outside of her dress, fabric bounces around his wrist. Squirming against him, Annika grows louder, her moans echoing across the empty porch—until she comes with a hearty cry, her thighs clamping around Viktor’s hand. Viktor drinks up every whine Annika buries into his suit jacket, grinning with pride as her claws poke holes in his sleeves.
Annika falls still with happy purrs, rubbing her head all over her mate to scent him with her pleased gratitude. Viktor’s hand slows, but my heartbeat still pulses between my legs, my grip tight on Noah’s forearm as we continue to gape.
Viktor’s low chuckle gives me goosebumps. “That better, baby?”
With flaming red cheeks, Annika lifts her head from his chest, tilting her face up to Viktor with slow, blissed-out blinks. She smiles like he’s her source of sunlight. “Y-yes... Yes. Thank you, Alpha.”
After sloppy kisses against the doorframe and a lot of purring, the two head back inside as if nothing happened at all—leaving Noah and me on the porch, stunned speechless.