Page 969 of One More Kiss

“Kiley knows who I am,” Reis replied and Kiley pulled her blankets up around herself a bit tighter, anxiously glancing between the two male shifters.

“Well, I don’t know who the fuck you are. I do know you’re sticking your nose into a nest affair that’s not your business.”

“I’m making it my business. Kiley is her own person. You can’t just order her to mate with someone. She can dive as long as she wants, and you can’t do shit about it.”

Anton was speechless, staring up at Reis in shock.

“Oh, and one more thing.” Reis leaned in and put his face within inches of Anton’s. “If Kiley is mating anyone, it’ll be me.”

Anton’s neck popped as he loosened up. Reis could sense the other alpha bristling.

Anton railed against Reis’s dominance of the situation. “How dare you come in here and throw your weight around?” Anton’s nostrils flared. “You’re not even an avian. Are you? You crawl along the ground like a lowly worm.”

“The only one crawling will be you if you’re dumb enough to do what you’re building yourself up to do.”

“Oh?” Anton sneered. “And what am I building myself up for?”

Reis glanced Kiley’s way. He didn’t want to risk a fight with Anton while she was in the room and still recovering from her injuries. On the other hand, Reis felt like Anton was bluffing.

Anton was an alpha, but both he and Reis knew the truth. Anton didn’t stand a chance of winning in a fair fight with Reis. Even with backup, Anton was outmatched and it was no secret to anyone.

Except maybe Kiley, who seemed more worried about Reis than she was about her own safety. “Listen, you don’t have to do this for me.”

“Yes I do, Kiley.” Reis turned his gaze back to Anton. “Well? What’s it going to be, Anton? The ball’s in your court. I just told you how it’s going to be. You can accept it or you can be a fucking idiot. Personally, I kind of hope you decide to be a fucking idiot. I really don’t like you.”

Anton’s bottom lip quivered, and he leaned toward Reis. Reis rolled his weight up onto the balls of his feet in case Anton tried something. Reis didn’t think he would, though.

Sure enough, Anton took a step back and scowled at Reis. “What kind of doctor are you?”

“The kind who’s as good at breaking bodies as putting them back together. Scram.”

Anton snorted. He turned to Kiley and put his hands on his hips. “If you insist on going through with this farce and playing jungle love with the gorilla here and then, that’s your choice. But if that is the decision you make, well… you’re out of the nest. Forever.”

Kiley’s mouth gaped open, her eyes swimming with fear. “What? Anton, you can’t be serious. He’s… I don’t think that you can…” She stammered as she fell apart.

Anton stood up straight and sneered down at her. “I am serious. I’m the nest alpha. Whatever the fuck I say, goes. I can’t force you to mate with one of your own kind, but I can sure as hell banish you forever if you choose to be with this monkey.”

“Actually, since I shift into a Silverback Gorilla, I’m an ape, not a monkey.” Reis cocked an eyebrow. “What do you turn into? A chicken? A pheasant?”

Anton sneered. “Laugh it up, furball, because it doesn’t change the fact that if Kiley chooses you, she’s out of the nest—forever.”

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