“You’re not the only one feeling the heat,” Kane says as he shucks off his trousers and palms his big, tattooed chest. It’s like being stared at by a thirsty lion right before he strolls down to the waterhole, and I have to clench my hands to stop them trembling. “This is Little Berry’s big debut behind the camera, after all.”
“Okay, but I think we have to retire that stage name,” Rowan says in a snippy tone as he starts fiddling with the tripod. “Youcan call me Mr. Vale or Director Extraordinaire. Sir works as well, especially since I’ll be calling all the shots.”
Kane and Jake look at each other before cracking up.
“Ah, that’s a no.” The governor is the first to recover, giving Rowan a pointed look. “Happy to take some cues from you, Mr. Vale, but when it comes to claiming bites, we’re likely to work off our own scripts.”
“Scripts?” I ask, that scratchy note back in my voice. “As in plural?”
“Unless you only want one,” Jake says smoothly, but I’m transfixed by the intensity of his gaze. Like most public figures he knows how to stare at you like you’re the only person in the room, and right now that laser gaze is turned firmly on me. “Either way, we’re all pack, and that’s not going to change. But Kane and I are possessive bastards, and if one of us has something the other doesn’t…”
“It can make them grumpy?” Diana chimes in, looking at me with bright eyes. “It’s only fair, Dex, otherwise you’re playing favorites.”
Jake chuckles at her reasoning. “It’ll just make me a little more competitive, probably.” He shrugs, smoothing back Diana’s hair so he can nuzzle her throat. He does that a lot, and I have to wonder what seeing his bite mark onmyneck might make him do. “It’s an alpha thing, but it’s not a problem,” he goes on. “In the end, it’s up to Dex.”
Which puts me firmly back in the spotlight.
“I’m okay with that,” I admit, avoiding his gaze as I strip out of my clothes. Since the other guys aren’t totally naked, I leave my boxers on, but there’s no missing the erection tenting the fabric. To distract myself, I ask, “But why the video? You didn’t film Diana’s bonds.”
Rowan looks up from his camera. “Well, she was in heat, and consent is already tricky when you’re deep in the haze. Plus,there’s no way in hell I was sitting on the sidelines when she was begging for my knot.”
I’m pretty sure that’s a dig at her alphas, but Diana almost skips into the omega’s arms. They make out for a moment, the rest of us watching intently. I wait until they come up for air before asking, “Are you okay with this, Diana? Being filmed, I mean.”
Her blush deepens, but there’s no mistaking the excited glitter in her eyes. “Who's going to see it?”
“Just us,” Kane replies, crossing his arms and rocking back on his heels like a totem to some primitive sex god. “It’ll tide me over when I'm on a long ride with nothing but my left hand for company.”
“I take a lot of business trips,” Jake adds, a hungry gleam in his eyes. “But it won’t go further than that. This is just for our pack.”
Diana leans back against her omega and shoots both alphas a steamy look. “As long as we decide when and who, I’m okay with other people watching.”
There’s a charged silence at this revelation, and I’m pretty sure the pheromones in the air just tripled in strength. I’m probably the least surprised, though, since I’ve witnessed how little privacy she had at the slick factory. Clothes were definitely optional for the omegas, and they quickly got used to being looked at by the collectors, even though it made me want to throat-punch them most of the time. If Diana wants to explore having eyes on her for something other than the quality of her slick deposits, then I’m all for it.
“Now we’re in agreement,” Kane grunts, his gaze landing on me, “let’s get this show on the road so I can sink my teeth into the little shit.”
I’d probably take offence at his words if Diana wasn’t walking towards me with a silicone knot in her hands. “I’m so excited,Dex,” she murmurs as she hands it over. “I want to share this with you so much.”
I take the sex toy but drop it on the bed, pulling her into my arms so that I can kiss her until we’re both breathless. I was denied this for so long, I treasure every kiss, and I feel my heart clench as I gaze down into her beautiful face. “You know how much I love you, don’t you?”
She nuzzles into my hands, her honey fragrance making my head spin. A part of me understands why someone would kill for her perfume, and I have no doubt that every one of her mates would happily commit murder to protect it. The irony is that Diana is one of the most generous people I know. As she told Lily Luscious, she would have given her scent away for free if she’d only asked. “You love me as much as I love you,” she hums, standing on tiptoe for another kiss. “And when you have our alpha’s bonds, I’ll be able to feel it in my heart, every moment of every day.”
Diana often wonders how she got so lucky, but I’ve no illusions that I won the jackpot. And being an alpha’s chew toy is a small price to pay for sharing a bond with the woman of my dreams. Although, if I’m honest, I’ll be proud to wear their bites. There were dozens of other alphas at the gala tonight, but not a single one measured up to Kane or Jake in the looks or power stakes.
“If you can wait a little longer, there’s something I want to show you,” Diana says, turning her back so Kane can work on her zipper. None of us are ever going to complain about Diana getting undressed and I bite my lip as the blue-gray silk – an almost exact match for her eyes – slides down her body, revealing a sinful set of lacy white underwear.
My groan of appreciation is matched by a startled gasp from Rowan. “You got a new tattoo!”
Diana beams at him as she does a slow twirl in her high heels, revealing a tangle of pink and red roses across her lower back. “It’s an update of the old one. See? All of your names are here now.”
I look closer, amazed to realize that the Carrillos’ property mark has been completely obscured by the new ink. Better still, each bloom now bears the name of a pack mate. It’s as if a bed of roses has been planted on top of a dirty alley, and I feel some of the guilt in my gut slowly unravel. “When did this happen?”
“Yesterday. When Kane took me for a ride.”
Her cheeks go pink, and Jake cups her hips, turning her for a closer look. Of all of us, he’s been the most disturbed by the property mark. I’ve had a year to get used to it, and while Kane and Rowan hate it, they both know the claim only goes skin deep. But as governor of the state and one of the highest law officials in the land, Jake feels it’s a symbol of the way he’s failed all omegas, and his mate in particular.
“Kane’s friend did it,” Diana says happily. “Do you like it?”
Jake nods, but something clicks behind his eyes as he stares at Kane. “She was inked at the Jackals clubhouse?”
