“And that’s what’s so intriguing about it.” Vale leaned forward. “Little alpha Xan rousing staid, admirable Urho. It’s remarkable really.”
“He doesn’t ‘rouse’ me.” Irritation burned beneath his skin.
Vale clucked his tongue and dropped back against the sofa as though disappointed.
Urho remembered well the first time he’d met Xan, wide-eyed and red-cheeked. There’d been something even then that thrilled in him at the boy’s presence, and it hadn’t been proper. It’d been primal and raw, a surge of alpha expression like he’d never felt before. The urge to show the boy just who was in charge, to command him, and force him down to his—
He inhaled deeply and busied himself repacking his equipment.
It was disturbing.
Alpha expression was something he rarely experienced. Yes, he’d faced it when Jason turned up on the scene, but he’d squelched it quickly, lest the boy’s overwrought hormones set them on a destructive path from which they’d never return. But any urges toward alpha expression in others generally unsettled him, and they left him ashamed when, inexplicably, they cropped up.
Which they did again and again in Xan’s presence.
He’d never been able to make sense of it. Even today, when Xan had spouted off in his usual way, Urho had wanted to push the boy to his knees, grip his dark curls in one hand, force his mouth open with the other, and shut him the wolf-hell up with his dick.
He shook his head hard, hoping to dislodge those titillating thoughts for good. “The boy is annoying.”
Vale’s chin tilted up and he held Urho’s gaze. “The ‘boy’ is braver than you know.”
“He’s got a strong stomach, I’ll give him that.” He remembered how Xan hadn’t even flinched when he’d walked into the room where Miner was bleeding out after a brutal miscarriage, and how he’d rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and offered his Wolf 3 blood to help like it was nothing to him. He’d even watched the blood transfer from his own body into Miner’s without turning green.
“I said braver than youknow.”
“It’s almost like you want me to take your word on his personal heroism without providing the details of it.”
“You should. Have I ever lied to you?”
Urho rolled his eyes at that. Vale wasn’t a liar, but he’d been known to withhold information if it worked to his advantage. “Have you ever been completely honest with anyone?”
“I don’t keep anything from Jason now.”
“Anyone who isn’t Jason?”
“You. Almost entirely.”
“I’m honored.”
“You should be.” Vale smiled tiredly. “And you should give Xan more latitude. I do.”
Urho sat next to him on the sofa, leaning in close to say softly, “Speaking of the latitude you give him, I fear it’s too much. He doesn’t treat you with the respect you deserve.”
Vale waved his hand, shooing off his words. “Xan deals with a lot.”
“I’m surprised Jason allows it.”
“There’s nothing Xan could say or do that would bother me. Jason knows that’s how I feel and, besides, he doesn’t let Xan go too far.”
“By whose definition?”
“I assure you, there’s no tone or snotty comment from Xan that could ever get under my skin. He’s been burdened unfairly in this life.”
“Oh, yes, being the son and heir of a ridiculously wealthy alpha of impeccable name and long-standing heritage sounds incredibly trying.”
“If you knew what I know…” Vale’s eyes flashed. “Let’s put it this way: Riki would be ashamed of you for saying something as unkind as that.”
Vale almost never brought up Urho’s dearly departedErosgapéomega, knowing the wound of Riki’s loss still ran deep. If he was willing to shame him with Riki’s blessed memory, Urho must truly owe Xan an apology.
