Page 83 of Knot a Tie
He sighs and stands up, holding a hand out for me. “Yeah, I know. I just needed to hear you say it, that’s all.”
I ruffle his hair up, which I know he hates. He slaps my hand away and fixes his hair up with a tut.
“Bit of a needy sod, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be a fucking berk all your life,” he mutters.
I grin and he returns it, and all's right with him again. “Go and be with Rayne,” he says. “We’ve got this down here.”
I nod, glad he mentioned it because I’m feeling a bit needy myself. Needy for her to kiss me, wrap her tongue around mine and show me how hot she is for me.
I make my way upstairs, passing William on the way. He gives me a brief nod and carries on. I know they will take care of things down here, while I take care of Rayne.Wetake care of Rayne. Having Richard back is going to take some getting used to. I just hope he’s decisive about what he wants, and lets me know soon so I know where I stand.
ChapterForty-Five
Rayne
After William annoyingly placed me back in my nest with a fierce glare to remain where I am, I decide it’s nice and cosy and I don’t feel like moving anyway.
Okay, so the pain has a lot to do with that, but I’m not telling any of them that. They will keep me in here until Doomsday.
Richard appears in the doorway and looks down at me with a scared expression which breaks my heart.
“Is this because of what you did?” he asks, struggling to kneel down next to me, hurting us both.
“I guess so?” It’s a question because I really don’t know. Also, I don’t want to talk about it, because I don’t want the other alphas to know about this yet. They might get their underpants in a twist over it.
“Rayne,” he whispers, his eyes imploring me to help him figure this shit out.
I lean over and pull up his t-shirt, seeing the bite mark I gave him on his chest while I was fixing up his bandage. I couldn’t help it. It wasn’t planned, and it definitely isn’t something I want to talk about. But the impulse was a driving force, and I gave in to it. He bit me a few days ago, and now I’ve bitten him. We aren’t mated, but we possess each other on a level that is kind of hard to deny right now. With a huff, I drop his t-shirt back down and turn over in my nest, facing away from him because I just can’t right now.
“Rayne.”
James’s voice makes me turn my head.
“I’m okay.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Okay, I was being polite. We’re talking about it. Did you bite him?”
Chewing the inside of my lip, I nod reluctantly. I’m caught out. I’m not lying to him. He asked outright. “Yes.”
“Are you mated?” he asks, his voice steady, but I can see the turmoil in his eyes.
“No.” I show him my neck. He must’ve already known that, but needed to ask so it’s out there.
“You have been inextricably linked, but not in a good way, it seems. I have never heard of this prior to now, but I think maybe you need to mate as soon as possible. I’m not saying you have to jump on all of us at the same time,” he adds hastily when my mouth drops open to blast him from all sides. “But you two, soon.”
As silence falls, I search his eyes. I can see how difficult it is for him to say these words. He wants it as much as we all do, but he is putting his brother’s best interests first. Maybe mine as well.
“I’ll think about it,” I murmur and look to Richard for his words.
“Hmm.”
Well, that was helpful, Dick.
