Page 88 of Bonds of Fate

But Jamie only used it to help him and Rowan.

“You saidmultiple orgasms?” It would explain his achy tummy. The orgasms he’s had so far with his mates were total body experiences, and Rowan was capital B-I-G.

“Eight for Rowan total, I think, and the last four were synchronized with you.”

“I had more than four orgasms? At one time?”Holy shit.

“In under twenty minutes,” Jamie whispers.

Nix understands immediately because orgasms are great, but every one of them has had one in their lifetime they could have probably done without.

In Nix’s old life, there were lots of those.

“Rowan’s balls are on fire.” Luca’s wiggling eyebrows and lewd hand gestures make Nix smile, and he’s able to force the bad memory back. “Hey, you never said: are those clothes okay?”

Nix puts his nose to the too-long sleeve, and he can smell the light scenting his mates have tried to put on them, but the starch is still strong. He’ll wash them later, and then, hopefully, they’ll smell a bit more like the pack.

“I love them, Luca. Thank you for the gifts. I really like those t-shirts—can we wash and wear them later?”

“Yes!” He finally has an armful of happy, mocha-scented beta, and it makes his wolf raise his head,Campaign Bite-Meis never far from the surface.

Listen, you, we are not getting freaky right the fuck now…he starts, and the wolf puts his head down on the box again.

Whew.

“Nix.” Jamie has his very-serious-pack-alpha-face on, and his other mates look as perplexed as Nix feels at the change in mood. “Riordan is coming. He’s…” Jamie is at a loss for words, clearly uncertain how to explain.

The thought of having the doctor in their den when they are only partially bonded makes Nix nervous, and the dull ache inhis tummy pulses to a new anxious beat. “He wants to seeme? Why? He was just here. Is it because of this afternoon?”

“No! He doesn’t even know about today, and I have no plans to tell him.” Just the thought has Jamie looking green.

“Oh.” If not for that, then why would his doctor want to see him?

Jamie shrugs, annoyed, his pine scent smoky. “He’s bringing someone with him, and he wouldn’t say who. He was unnecessarily cryptic, honestly.”

His phone buzzes with the alarm for the gate, and he scrambles out of the room—everyone hot on his heels.

In the short time he’s been here, it’s rare to see his alpha flustered, but when he reaches the main floor, he sees exactly why.

Gideon is gripping his phone so tightly it might snap. His scent rumbles like distant thunder, and his face looks just as stormy. He’s wearing an apron over his clothes that reads:I Know 100 Ways to Kill You.

No punchline. Just the threat.

It’s cinched tight around his trim waist, and a blue, flowered towel is draped over his shoulder.

“Why is Riordan at my gate, James? Did we have a warning this time, at the very least?” It’s then that Nix can see the sharp-bladed knife in his left hand. The grip makes Nix wonder if he’s been using it in the kitchen or just brought it along. Although, on second thought, Nix gets the impression that Gideon probably doesn’t need the weapon.

“We did. Sorry, love. He just called, and then we got caught up in bringing Nix up to speed.”

Gideon catches Nix’s gaze and tilts his head.

Are you okay, kitten?

It translates to all of it—okay from before, okay with their visitors, maybe even okay with life—because only Gideon can fit an entire conversation into one head tilt.

Nix reads it all, and relief settles in his chest. He can answer with a small smile and a curt nod.

Gideon nods in return—implying he doesn’t need to kill the doctor after all.

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