Page 16 of Love in Excess

He lets out a small laugh, the register in his tone sending a shiver down my spine. “Celeste falls hard and fast, Doc. When she wants something or someone, it’s hard to tell her no. She’smost likely already memorized your number, too which would explain how she dialed from my phone.”

I nod, taking that in as I start pulling out antiseptic wipes and gauze, my movements automatic. Hunter doesn’t even flinch but his breathing kicks up a little, one of his hands moving to rest at the base of my neck making my thoughts shift slightly. And when a few of his fingers sift into my hair, I nearly let out an embarrassing sound.

Instead, I focus on Hunter’s awful decision not to take his ass to the hospital. “She’s gonna worry more when one day you aren’t here, and she’ll wonder why she never knew how dangerous your job was.”

He doesn’t answer but I can feel him watching me, the Alpha still playing with my hair, kicking up my nerves until I know he can tell how flustered I am. In response, I press on the open wound, causing him to hiss. “Sorry,” I mutter as I continue. The wound isn’t that deep. It truly was a scrape but it could have been worse. It still needs stitches, though, and I’m not sure I’ve got the supplies for that in this kit.

“Talk to me,” Hunter purrs. “What’s it look like?”

“Like you got lucky,” I say, sitting back on my ass before meeting his eyes. “It grazed you, but it needs stitches, and you’re gonna have to keep it clean or it’ll get infected. You should’ve gone to a hospital.”

He snorts, leaning back a little bit. “Hospitals mean paperwork. Paperwork means probation.Again.I’m already on thin ice.”

I shake my head, focusing on the wound. “Yeah, well, playing hero’s gonna get you in worse trouble if this festers.” I finish cleaning it and then start wrapping it. “Either way, you will still need a hospital for the stitches. The wound won’t close properly otherwise.”

“You see everything, don’t you?” he muses. His question is an obvious redirection of the conversation but now he’s peeling back layers of myself that I usually keep hidden. No one’s looked this close since my last boyfriend and he was never fond of what he saw.

“I have to. It’s kind of my job.” I finish wrapping his leg and sit back more comfortably.

Hunter shakes his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “No, you see everything and everyone around you. Always trying to make connections, see where you fit in.” He pauses, observing me for another minute before speaking. “You forget I work with the police. A lot of my job is interrogating people for answers. I can see that you watch and wait first.”

“How could you possibly know all that? Just yesterday, you didn’t even know I existed.”

“But I do know,” he purrs. “And in the 24 hours or so that we have known you, my omega can’t stop talking about you.” He leans forward slightly, wincing as the movement shifts his leg. “Lincoln, I don’t think you understand how important it is that she called you. Not 911, not our regular doctor at the clinic, butyou. And right after that call, she called you her Beta.”

Her Beta.No one has ever called me that before.

“I just…” I start, my voice faltering. “That’s…”

Hunter offers me a gentle smile, his hands settling in his lap. I almost miss his touch from a few moments ago but right now, I’m trying to wrap my head around being someone’s Beta. Around someonewantingme to be their Beta.

“If this is too much too fast, say something, Doc, just like I tell Celeste, I need your words.” When I search his expression, I can tell there’s no lies in his words. “I need you to tell me what pace we’re working with, because Celeste will push. I love that about her, but I’m not about to ruin this new thing budding between us. Tell me, Lincoln. What’s too fast?”

I stare at him, my thoughts a tangled mess. My eyes dip to his lips, just for a second, and it’s like a spark ignites. Before I can process it, Hunter pushes forward, his mouth brushing mine in the briefest of kisses. It’s soft and barely there, but my entire body lights up, a rush of heat spreading from my chest to my fingertips.

Caught beneath the intensity of his gaze, I can only just sit there, still trying to work through whatever just happened. Mostly because I really,reallylike it and am trying to understand why I’m not curling into myself or asking Hunter to slow down.

“Is that too fast?”

“It should be,” I breathe out, both confused and turned on. I push to my feet, needing something to busy my hands with. I grab the kit and the other supplies before setting it on the bathroom counter.

Hunter stands as well, bracing himself on the back of the toilet before testing his weight on the patched-up leg. He keeps enough distance between us but his scent is so strong, I might as well have my nose buried in his chest. “The first time I saw you, I thought you were handsome, something out of a magazine. Definitely mine,ours.But I only got a glimpse of you. Now? You’re adorable with the way your face flushes every time I look at you.” He leans in, just enough to make my breath catch. “Doc, I can’t wait until you let me touch you.”

My face burns and I swallow hard as I pack everything back into the bag and push it to the corner. “You already did,” I say, my voice quieter than I mean it to be, the memory of his brief kiss lingering.

I catch his deviant smile in the mirror when I look up, my body flushing with heat. My cock responds accordingly, thickening slightly as I grip the counter to keep from making a noise.

“That only brushes the tip of what I’d like to do to you.”

I huff out a nervous laugh, eager to leave and yet curious about what Hunter has in mind. I don’t know what to do with their enthusiasm. Becoming part of a pack was never an exciting experience. I thought it was something I had to do or something that enriches my future. Never once did it occur to me that I was going toenjoyit.

Or maybe I had lost that dream when my first few partners threw me out like trash.

I manage an awkward smile before heading back into the main part of their house, searching for my dog so we can leave. Discomfort swirls around in my chest as my cock presses against the seam of my pants, the dried sweat from my run slowly starting to remind me what state I’m in.

I find Celeste sprawled on the floor, playfully rubbing Jasmine’s belly. My dog’s in heaven, her tail thumping against the rug, both of them giggling in their own way. Celeste sits up, her rose scent blooming as she grins at me. She looks absolutely adorable with her hair piled on her head, big round frames resting on her nose. “Are you staying for dinner and movie night?” The slight terror on her face earlier is long gone, the bright expression staring back at me reminiscent of the one from lunch.

Well, if that isn’t a 180… “What?”

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