Page 12 of Into the Fire: Before

“Drink.”

“Taylor?”

“For who?” the alpha asked.

“Both of you,” I said. “I think you are both named Taylor.”

The omega smirked. “Drink,” she said again. “…but you’re getting warmer for one of us.”

I clapped my hands together, rubbing them excitedly. “So T names, then, huh? Ideas, Lin?”

He grinned, glee in his eyes. “Plenty.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Caine breathed. Turning from his spot at the end of the roof, he strode over to our group. “Taryn,” he said, pointing to the omega, “and Brea Maddox. There. Proper introductions made. Now I’m going to bed.”

None of the rest of us spoke as Caine stalked toward the door, barging through it and disappearing into blackness. Already the bond rippled with renewed discomfort, though not as prominent as before. Better than nothing.

Lin and I exchanged a weighted glance. “Don’t mind him,” Lin said solemnly. “He’s a bit brusque. It’s just because new people make him nervous.”

“Where I come from, they’re called alphaholes,” Brea muttered.

“Hey, I don’t blame you for that assessment,” I said. “Truly. He’s just…” I looked to my mate, searching for the right words to describe Caine.

“Fighting his own fight,” he finished with a somber tone.

The four of us sat in heavy silence, looking between each other with uncertainty. There was an electricity in the air with them around, and I was a moth drawn to that light. Even if it meant I got zapped, I wasn’t ready for them to go.

I nodded to the cooler on one side of the sofa they sat on. “Help yourselves, by all means.”

Taryn immediately leaned over and reached for a bottle, the city lights illuminating the silver mating bite on her neck. Chills went through my body. They were mated. They were pack like Lin and Caine and I were pack.

Packs and bonding were still commonplace enough not to turn too many heads. It was a marriage of sorts, bites in place of rings. Nothing said commitment quite likelifelong connection to the physical and emotional state of another human being.

It wasn’t often that established packs merged together, but again, not unheard of. Normally, exchanging bites altered the chemical output of the bonded parties, a clear signal to outsiders that they were spoken for.

They were known. And protected.

Yet there we sat, Taryn’s scent like a siren’s melody heating my blood. And judging by Lin’s reaction to Brea—the bond simmered with interest—so did hers to him.

Could they possibly be thinking the same thing about us?

Fucking god, I hoped so.

Thirty

Brea

Therewasmoreairto breathe the second the door shut behind Caine’s departure. Which was a crazy thing to say, considering we sat on an open-air roof. Yet the tension drained from my shoulders and Taryn’s mood lightened in the bond as well. I was relaxed enough to be glad I hadn’t dragged Taryn back downstairs the second I scented not one, buttwostrange alphas, plus a beta man, waiting on the roof.

Lin leaned back against the sofa cushions in relaxed business casual—light gray shirt, dark gray slacks. A lock of straight dark hair fell over his temple. Shadows highlighted his cheekbones under the gentle glow of Edison lights strung across the patio. The alpha was stunning, with a jawline that cut nearly as deep as his dark gaze.

I didn’t imagine that gaze missed much.

He took a sip of his drink, his other hand casually twined with Brooks’ beside him. Brooks was beautiful as well, with honeyed brown curls spilling over the top of his head and dimples deepenough to fall into. Yet I felt no strong interest in him, not the way I was currently buzzing to connect with Lin. Judging by the overexcited glint in Brooks’ eye as he smiled at my omega, I didn’t feel too badly about neglecting him.

“So,” the alpha crooned, his thumb stroking the backs of Brooks’ knuckles, “you bored?”

I blinked rapidly a few times, wondering what about the last thirty seconds had given him the idea that—

---