“Jesse and Logan are working on a special project I assigned them.” The sly grin on his face worried her. “You’re going to be spending much more time with Malcolm.”
“But not you or Eric?” She’d put Malcolm on his ass before. She could do it again.
“What sparked that look in your eyes, Victoria Fox?” Dom murmured. He lifted her chin and looked down, past her eyes into what felt like her soul.
Just the touch of his palm heated her sex and made her wet, hungry for him. Mine, she thought with an inner snarl, and blinked.
“Vicki, you’re the one.” He stroked her lips with his finger.
“What one?” she snapped and jerked out of his hold before she jumped him. Great. Now I’m a slave to my hormones. I need therapy.
“The one who’s going to start a new way of life for us Ravagers.” The clear joy on his face startled her. “Now be nice to Malcolm. If you’re smart, you’ll use him to better understand life around here, to better fit in. And I wouldn’t try running. I’ve told Malcolm that if you try anything, he has leave to enforce discipline.”
She glared. “No one lays a hand on me, Dom. I’ll kill him first.”
“Who said anything about a hand?” His heated perusal lingered between her legs. “If memory serves, you like a strong tongue.”
She blinked, stunned and thoroughly turned-on at the suggestion Malcolm would be allowed to…to… “You can’t be serious? I thought I was pack. You don’t share, right?” But she’d seen instances of their orgies in the house.
“Pack, right.” Dom smiled and left.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Malcolm entered with a wide grin on his face, she cursed him and stormed out of the room. He halted her by grabbing her arm. Though he seemed a few years younger than Eric and Dom, he was just as alpha-like in his tendency to manhandle her. To her horror, her clit throbbed for attention.
“Get off.”
“Easy, sweetheart. I’m not going to hurt you.” The look he gave he told her what he’d rather be doing.
Do any of these wolfhounds think about anything but sex? And who the hell am I to judge, when I’m a hairsbreadth from jumping his bones?
Wincing at the feel of her wet panties, she growled at him. “You’re damn right you won’t hurt me. Now where’s my cousin? I need to talk to Sean.”
“Ah, he’s unavailable right now. Diana needed some time alone with him.”
“Why? What’s she doing to him?” Worry gave her strength, and she subtly pulled a tendril of energy from Malcolm she hoped he wouldn’t miss.
He glared and yanked her closer. “Don’t.” Not giving her a chance to protest, he kissed the breath out of her.
Like Dom and Eric, Malcolm tasted right. Raw and forceful, he ate up her resistance with little effort. When he pulled away, she wanted to cling. God knew what held her back.
“Shit.” He leaned closer to smell her and nuzzled between her breasts. “If you weren’t so sweet, if Dom hadn’t… That scent, it’s killing me.” He sighed and stepped back, his erection in stark relief against his jeans, his dark brown eyes sorrowful. “It’s going to be a long day.”
“You said it,” she agreed, trying to calm her racing heart. Dying to at least appear composed and in control of herself, she scowled. “If I can’t see my cousin, I’d at least like to get out of this house for a bit. Can I do that, or do I need Prime’s permission?”
Spoiling for a fight, to let go of the sexual energy buzzing through her veins, she waited.
Malcolm’s pupils grew wider and darker, as if he could smell her frustration. “I—” He stopped to clear his throat and shifted on his feet. “Why don’t we go outside for a walk? Far away from everyone,” he added with a hoarse curse.
“Good idea.”
“Did you see that?” Dom asked.
Eric nodded, no longer so nervous about the future thanks to Dom’s idea. “He’s taken with her.”
“Just as she is with him.”
“I should rip him apart for kissing her, but I’m not angry. Why’s that?”
“You know.” Dom gave him a knowing look, and he swore.
“I just… Logan and Jesse have been pack for years. It’s not going to feel right without them. And don’t get me started on Kate. I always knew Diana would be the one to leave first. While I’m still not sure I approve of Morely, it’s obvious Diana’s guer wants him.
He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen Kate’s desire before. He’d always considered her his little sister, the weaker of the two females who needed defending. Logan and Jesse had always been the ones to protect her when he couldn’t. But maybe that’s because they’d sensed their tie even then. Though Dom swore the pair had no idea Kate wanted them as mates, Eric wondered if they’d deliberately skirted her feelings, not comfortable with the idea.
“Where’s Kate now?”
Dom smirked. “After attacking the idiots on Monday, she’s been sulking in the forest. She’s finally coming to grips with being an adult. She knows it’s time she claimed someone.”
“Took her long enough.” Eric shook his head.
Kate was nearly twenty-five years old, a ripe female who had to be nearing her first heat. She’d likely take a full pack, probably four or five males, to mate. Most of the adult females had mated, though some were still choosing the rest of their packs slowly. The unclaimed males in the clan liked to play as long as they could. Drifting from female to female, and male to male, gave them time to explore physical and emotional chemistry among their kind.
Like Malcolm. He was a terrific warrior. Strong, loyal, enduring. But he had yet to commit himself to any pack, and not for lack of attention. Several females had clamored to add him to their families, but Dom had insisted Malcolm remain unclaimed. As his guard, Dom had the ultimate authority on clan relations, aside from Eric. And since Eric spent most of his time working on Voider issues as related to Ravagers, he left clan politics to Dom. But now he wondered why Dom had been so determined to leave Malcolm free.
“You know something, don’t you?” he asked. “About Malcolm.”
Dom shrugged. “Maybe.”
Eric gritted his teeth. “Just once, it would be nice if you’d answer me when I ask you a question.”
“I did.”
“‘Maybe’ is not an answer.”
Dom grinned. “Actually, it is.”
Eric growled. Dom lost his grin and growled back. Anticipating the fight he richly deserved, Eric shoved Dom into the hallway.
“Downstairs, now.”
Dom showed his teeth, a direct challenge Eric couldn’t refuse. Pleased and needing some respite from the woman who wouldn’t leave his mind, Eric prodded his guard’s temper and picked up quite a following as they entered the large room downstairs reserved for group pleasure.
Two small packs engaged in sex continued to fuck when they entered. But Eric didn’t care. His guard had a habit of forgetting his place. Time to remind him where he belonged.