Ah yes. Fernando, via Lauren (he’ll not think that again; from now on, it’s as if he spoke to Fernando himself)—Fernando said that Nix would probably only want meat and fruit.
Thankfully, he’d put a small cooler in the basket with an entire leftover cold chicken and blueberries.
“Okay, let’s get Sleeping Beauty off of you, and then you can eat before the next wave hits. Okay?”
Nix nods a bit and holds out the hand he’d been using to hold Luca’s dick. It’s covered in fresh, mocha-scented precome.
“Can I wash my hands?” he asks.
Nix’s scent has lessened some—it’s not as strong as it had been in the hallway. Maybe Gideon is just used to it now.
“Sure, kitten. Do you want a shower?” Gideon feels he needs to offer, even if he hopes the answer is no. It soothes Gideon’s wolf when he smells like the pack.
“No!” he says, loud enough to wake Grayson, who comes to with a growl, lashing out with clawed hands. Grayson goes to his knees ready to defend his omega, as Gideon falls back just in time to avoid losing his guts on the mattress.
Grayson clutches Nix tightly to his chest, eyes flashing red as his charred basil scent pumps out a warning.
What the fuck?
Just like the courtroom, this Grayson Pearce is fierce—feral—his enigma right on the edge.
Luca is beside Gideon in an instant, crouching low to avoid looming over the snarling, kneeling enigma.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his soft hands smoothing over Gideon’s neck and chest to check for injuries. “What the fuck, Gray?”
Nix lets out a soft whine,his body arching slightly against Grayson’s chest.
“Mine,” the alpha growls, sinking his fangs into Nix’s mating mark, his gaze locking onto Gideon and Rowan.
Nix moans, his eyes rolling back.
“Stay where you are, Ro,” Gideon whispers, his eyes still fixed on Grayson.
“Yup. No, thank you. Been there. Feels like shit,” Rowan mutters, reminding them all of his rut-induced craziness.
Thank the Goddess Grayson isn’t actually in rut—that’s all they’d need.
Nix’s eyes flutter closed as Grayson gnaws at his neck.
“Gray, love. Enough now. I’m hungry.”
Grayson freezes, shaking his head as if snapping out of it.
“Hungry?” he echoes, his eyes flying to Gideon’s.
Rowan moves first despite the tenuous hold Grayson has on his wolf, reaching for the food bag and muttering, “Can’t have that. I should…”
As if to drive the point home, Nix’s stomach rumbles audibly.
There’s a moment of recognition—Grayson can finally see him now.
“Gideon?”
Grayson blinks, his expression shifting, the tension easing from his body. He shakes his head again, this time with more clarity.
“Angel?” he whines, his voice tinged with remorse.
“It’s okay, Gray. You’re okay. Are you back now?”
