Page 98 of Mark & Don't Tell

Vic turns and gives me a look. “You’re such an alpha.”

“Like you didn’t want to kick his ass too.”

“No, I did, but I can control myself.”

Shaking my head, I turn and head up the stairs. “At least that makes one of us. I don’t know what just happened.”

“I do. Daria is our mate, but she’s not marked. That guy threatened her safety, even if it was only an eviction notice. So, you went all Kai smash.” His voice deepens on the last two words.

“What’s Kai going to smash?” Daria asks, appearing in front of me with a box in her arms and a big smile lighting up her face. Sunlight spills through the dirty window at the end of the hallway, outlining her in a golden glow. She looks like an angel. Well, a sweaty, blushing angel, but still. She’s divine.

It’s the only thing that explains how quickly the tension leaves my body when her gaze skips from Vic to me. And as simple as that, I don’t want to punch anyone. I want to pin her to the wall and cover her in my scent.

She breathes in and her mouth pops open. “Oh, wow. Someone is horny.”

Vic chuckles and brushes past me to grab the box. “He’s a little out of sorts. He ran into Bob, the landlord, and almost kicked his ass.”

“John?” Her eyes drop to my knuckles, searching for blood. “Did you hurt him?”

“No.”

She frowns. “Aw, man.”

“Told you I should’ve kicked his ass,” I tell Vic.

“You didn’t tell me shit.” Vic rolls his eyes, holding on to the box with one hand. “I saved your ass from a lawsuit. That asshole wouldn’t think twice about trying to get money out of us.”

“Not to mention,” Daria says, stepping close enough to link her hands around my neck, “I’m not really a fan of blood.”

I smirk down at her, brushing an errant curl away from her face. “Well, good thing our beta was there to save the day.”

She releases a dreamy sigh and bats her eyelashes at Vic. “My hero.”

“Smart-ass,” he grumbles, but there’s no denying the smile tugging at his lips.

I bury my nose against her neck and breathe her in.

She wiggles in my hold and giggles when I playfully nip her pulse. “Behave.”

“Must I?”

“Yes,” she says, leaning away from me. “We’ll be home soon enough.”

Grinning, I glance at Vic. “Did you hear that?”

He nods. “Yup.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be shitting me. I’m in there, working my ass off, and you two are out here trying to seduce her?” Lincoln asks, scowling and carrying three medium boxes in his arms.

“We ran into the landlord,” Vic tells him.

Linc’s eyes narrow. “Oh yeah? Where is that fucker? I have a few things to tell him.”

“Seriously, you too?” Daria asks, shaking her head at him.

Vic snickers. “It’s an alpha thing, little doe. Roll with it.”

She sighs. “All this big alpha energy is making me hungry.”

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