Grayson chuckles softly, his hands moving to rest on my chest as he looks up at me. "Hey, breathe. As much as I'd love for you to take me right here in the very place where you thought you'd end up alone, you're right. We don't have time, and it feels a bit weird being this far away from the rest of our pack."
Grayson leans in for another kiss, a groan tearing from my throat as it becomes more demanding. His lips travel down from my mouth to my jaw, then to my neck, each touch sending electricity through me. When his teeth latch into my shoulder briefly, I stagger forward with the intensity of the sensation, both of us pressed against the wall of my sparse apartment.
"What..." I start to say, but the words die as something shifts in my awareness. "I can feel you."
There's a connection that wasn't there before, a thread of awareness that lets me sense Grayson's emotions and physical state in a way that's completely new. It's not as strong as whatI imagine the full pack bond with Luther feels like, but it's definitely real.
Grayson smiles against my neck, his breath warm on my skin. "Just temporary, but when you come home tonight?" He pulls back to meet my eyes. "I want a real one. From you, to me. Me, to you. All of it. It feels like the only thing missing in our pack."
"Well, Luther hasn't offered me anything like that..."
A laugh bursts from the Alpha. "I don't think he ever would, honestly. You two probably won't ever have that kind of relationship, but would you accept the pack bond? Would you take Luther's mark as pack family?"
I frown slightly, trying to understand what he's suggesting. "There isn't a pack bond, not that I know of. Luther's never mentioned anything like that."
"No, we've never needed one before because it was just the three of us," Grayson explains, his hands moving to frame my face. "But I want you to be family, Maceo. Not just kind of here, not one foot in and one foot out. I want all of you. Everything." He pauses, studying my reaction. "Would you wear Luther's pack bond, or is that too much to ask?"
"I would gladly tell the world that I'm a Keller.”
Grayson throws me a smile as he pulls me into another a kiss, much softer than the other ones, tasting me, directing me, each touch rippling through the temporary bond in my shoulder. Fuck, it feels good.
"We're out of time," Grayson says reluctantly, pulling back from our embrace. "We need to go. Luther is starting to worry about the meeting with Kai."
As if summoned by his words, Grayson's phone starts ringing. I dip my hand into his back pocket to retrieve it, the casual intimacy of the gesture making him bow his head to my shoulder with a soft sound of pleasure.
I answer without looking at the caller ID. "Yeah?"
Luther's voice comes through the speaker, carrying amusement mixed with authority. "I love what I'm feeling from Grayson through the bond right now, but we have a deadline. So unless you are literally knotting our little Alpha, get your asses back here."
I can't help but laugh at Luther's directness as he hangs up without waiting for a response. "Why did he know it would be me answering your phone?"
Grayson grins, his cheeks still flushed from our encounter. "Because he was giving us the benefit of the doubt that I would be too far gone to answer coherently." He straightens his clothes and moves toward the door. "Let's go. Fuck, he's going to have my ass for making him worry." I frown, wondering if Luther is going to be mad, Grayson sighing and then rushing back toward me. “Maceo, he’s going to have my ass in agoodway. Let’s go.”
10
Luther
I sense the new bond on Maceo’s shoulder the moment he and Maceo walk through the front door. It's not permanent yet, but it's definitely there, adding another layer to our pack dynamics.
"So," I say to Maceo, crossing my arms as I fight back a grin. "Couldn't keep your teeth to yourself?"
Maceo has the decency to look slightly embarrassed, though satisfaction radiates from him. "It was just temporary. Besides, you should ask your Alpha that question."
"Uh huh." I reach for Grayson, pulling him against my chest for a long, filthy kiss that makes him melt into me immediately. His mouth opens under mine, and I taste Maceo on his lips, which sends possessive heat straight through me. When I finally let him up for air, his pupils are blown wide, his nostrils flared with the richness of my scent.
"You smell like a whole factory of deliciousness," Grayson murmurs against my mouth, his hands fisting in my shirt.
"If I had the time, I'd fuck you senseless," I tell him honestly, my voice rough with want. "But we need to get moving."
Our Omegas are asleep upstairs, both of them exhausted and content after I had my way with them, my instincts finally settled. They won’t be there for long, though, clamoring for their packs’ touches especially with so much unrest around us. I nod toward the front door, silently asking if they need help, Grayson snorting at the gesture.
“It took us almost four trips to fill the car. Yes, please. I don’t think they’ll ever need another nest.”
We all share a laugh until I realize that Grayson wasn’t kidding, seeing the ensemble colors stuffed into Maceo’s vehicle. I still don’t understand why Luca thought these colors would match but I’m not an Omega and it’s not my choice. As long as he and Blake are happy, so am I.
"We should be back within an hour or two," I tell Grayson as I check my watch after we finish the last load. "We're just meeting across the street at the café. I didn’t want to be too far from the house. Don't open the door for anyone. I don't care if they claim to be delivery, police, whatever. Nobody gets inside."
Grayson pauses in arranging one of the new pillows by the couch. "Do you really think anyone is going to come here? This place isn't exactly on anyone's radar."
