I might say I liked it.
Luke follows up his twin’s question. “What would you do about it?”
Ask you to do it again?
My cheeks flush at my inner monologue as I imagine them all sorts of naughty things to me and enjoying it. A warm and calloused hand falls on my shoulder, pulling me back and into a muscular chest, as an arm wraps around my waist.
Peppermint.
Ash.
His breath tickles the shell of my ear as he speaks, sending shivers through me. “If anyone is going to spank our girl’s ass and turn it a shade matching those pink rose petals, it’s going to be me. I’ve dreamed about that moment for way too fucking long,” he bites out.
Oh, my fuck.
While his territorial statement instantly makes me wet and ready, I’m slightly confused as to where this side of him is coming from. I thought we were all on the same page that we’re all equals and that they can’t just call “dibs” on me.
The twins clearly share my confusion as perplexed looks cross their faces and their eyebrows pinch together.
Slowly turning around in his grip, I let my chest brush against him, my nipples pert, as I peer up at him to try to get a read on his emotions. He’s preoccupied with staring down the twins and doesn’t spare me even a fleeting glance, though his grip on me tightens.
Is this some sort of pissing show to establish a pecking order? Wait, is that just for wolves and shit?
If our dynamic is going to be compared to a pack, I’d most definitely be the fucking alpha. Head bitch in charge? More like head alpha in charge?
It has a nice ring to it. Time to piss on his leg.
Clearing my throat, I tap my finger on his chest. The brute finally glances down at me and his face softens. “Yes, baby?”
Fuck me. Stay strong, Lana.
I cock an eyebrow at him and purse my lips in defiance. “What if I wanted the twins to turn my ass pink?”
My question is followed by his grip turning somewhat painful as his loving gaze turns into a menacing glare. Where is this coming from?
Not allowing him to intimidate me, I continue, “You don’t have the right to tell us what we can and can’t do just because that is something that you want to do. Sharing is caring. Ever heard of that phrase?”
Perhaps taunting him isn’t the best method to get through to him if he’s already riled up but I just can’t help myself with him. Our fight for dominance is not new. It’s been an ongoing battle for multiple years. You’d think that Hale would be the clear alpha as he led our group with a clear head and stern hand. Nope.
Why is it always us, Ash? What is it about you that makes my hackles rise in defiance when you challenge me?
Secretly, I fucking love the way he won’t just let me take control like the others do. I love the way he calls me out on my bullshit and ribs me constantly.
A heat flushes through my body at the intensity of my emotions and Ash almost immediately winces, dropping his arm from me as if in pain.
“If you didn’t want me to touch you, you could have just told me to back off instead of burning me with your powers. Thanks a lot,” he clips out before turning around and sulking into the living room.
Burn him? What the hell?
A tentative touch trails down my arm, adding to the fire I feel within. It feels like home but also makes the playful, sensual side of me rear its head.
“Lana. Did you unlock your powers today?” Leo asks, somewhat concerned.
I swivel around and beam at him. “Mhm! Sure fucking did! Well, it was just a trickle and I could only form the orb in my hand for a few seconds before it disappeared.”
“My Queen, I think you’re using your powers unknowingly right now. Your skin is extremely hot but it isn’t burning me due to my fire affinity. Let’s get you upstairs and into a cold shower. Hopefully Hale is finishing up,” he ends, herding me upstairs as his words sink in.
Casting one last glance at Ash, sprawled out on the sectional, makes the guilt eat away at my stomach. He looks so broken right now.
I’m such a fucking hypocrite for not being conscious of my new powers, right after I gave Leo a hard time for his flaring up.
As we reach the top of the stairs, I hang my head. “Leo … fuck, I’m sorry. I’m not even taking my own advice. I let my emotions overpower me.”
Get it together. Be the leader they need.
An icy chill spreads up my arm as Luke strokes his fingers over the back of it. “Shhh, just relax. I’ll try to cool you down until we can get you in the shower.”
Goosebumps break out against my arm where he’s using his power. For some reason, the heat of my body against the frigidity of his power makes a thrill rush through me. Why does this juxtaposition feel so damn good?
The bathroom door opens and Hale emerges with a towel slung over his hips, half-hiding that delicious V-line of his lower abs. If this were a treasure hunt, the V would most definitely point me in the direction of the gold.
How did I end up with such delicious mates? Thank you, Gaia.
Hale locks eyes with me and I swear the fire inside me flares with the intensity of our look. Why do I have this overwhelming need to claim all of them now? I went from being scared to even show them that I cared about them to wanting to hump and jump their bones like we’re rabbits or something.
"Did you need something Lana?" His voice catching slightly on the word ‘need.’
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I bat my eyes at him. "Yes, I do need something."
A cool touch trails over my arm as a wave of heat settles low in my abdomen, wanting to burn the fucking world down until I’m satisfied. I need all three of them. All five of them.
"Lana, we need to get you in the shower. I don't have enough control yet to keep doing this much longer," Luke whispers to me, pulling me from my lust-induced fantasy.
Focus, Lana. Cool down.
"Let me know if I can help you later, Little One."
Hale's statement lingering in the air, tempting me to ask him for help right this fucking minute.
Stomping into the bathroom, I screech, "I need fucking wine!"
Without caring in the slightest about my nudity, I strip out of my leathers, desperate to jump into the ice-cold shower. I am on fire.
No, I am literally on fire. A slight flicker of flames kisses my fingertips. I’m too focused on that to care about the twins coughing and gently encouraging me to get my naked ass into the shower. Rolling my eyes, I step under the water that Leo already turned on.
The water sizzles against my skin, making steam billow up around me. Clearing my mind from all traces of the lust I felt, I focus on my goals of conquering these powers and learning to wield them to help us in our end goal.
We died because of me once before. They could die again, because of me. This time for good.
The sizzling of the water abates at the somber thoughts and I return to my normal state of mind. My powers lock back up and I search inside me, as Serenity taught me, not seeing a trace of the teal power flowing anywhere through me.
We’re safe.
"Uhm,” Luke says hesitantly. I jump at the sound of his voice, having forgotten he’s even there. “Do you mind if we join you?"
I turn my head to look at him and promptly choke on the spit in my mouth at the sight of the twins standing there, naked as the day they were born. Holy perfection.