Page 168 of Priceless

My Alphas.

I needed to protect them at all costs. My instincts rose, and I was fully about to slap this man in the face—damn the consequences—when a voice spoke from next to me.

“My wife is too kind to put you in your place,” Everett said. “But I will.”

The man opened his mouth and closed it, looking like a fish. Everett closed the distance between us and placed a hand on my lower back before leaning in and kissing my temple. “You all right, little nymph?”

“I am now,” I murmured.

“Good,” he breathed. “That’s good.”

He turned back to the man, whose gaze was fastened on us like we were some sort of weird science experiment that had just blown his mind.

“It’s Jason, right? Jason Marsh?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.” Everett’s hand curled around my hip. “Well, Jason. While the rest of the world finds it entertaining to speculate about why my pack and I married Ocean, we decidedly do not. So the next time I hear you suggest that my wife had to do something to trap us, that she’s feeding a fetish, we’re all cheating on her, or any of the bullshit I know you have already said tonight, let alone what you just said to her face, I will take everything you love and shred it into pieces so small you’ll never find them before setting them on fire.”

Jason swallowed while Everett took a smooth sip of his drink. Then he leaned in. “And once I’m finished with your business and all of your possessions, I’ll come for you. Got it?”

“Got it.” Jason’s voice was dangerously close to a squeak.

“Now get the fuck out of our house.”

The man didn’t hesitate. From the look on his face, he was about to piss himself with fear. He might have if Everett had said anything else. I leaned into his arm. “You didn’t have to completely terrify him.”

“Oh, yes I did. Even if he weren’t in our home talking shit about us, which is completely disrespectful, no one gets to talk about you that way without consequences.”

I shivered, enjoying the possessiveness he showed. “But didn’t you invite him?”

“We did,” Everett confirmed. “So we could do exactly what I just did.”

“Really?”

“Don’t you remember?” He whispered. “I protect what’s mine.”

He was about to kiss me as I spotted my aunt and uncle entering the ballroom. Late. Really late. Not that it was a surprise. They hadn’t even wanted to come after the threats Everett had leveled at them, but my pack insisted, leaning on the fact that they were business partners, and Frank, at the very least, was expected to be there.

My aunt would never leave my uncle to do an event alone. It wouldn’t look right, and looks, as we knew, were everything to her.

I saw them as soon as they walked in, and they saw me. Everett stood nearby, and I felt his attention turn toward me. “Need help, little nymph?”

“I’ve got this part.”

“Call us if you do. Ten minutes, all right?”

Right. Ten minutes. I could do that. I handed him what remained of my drink and headed over to them.

“Frank, Laura. Thank you for coming.”

Laura’s gaze fell on my neck, and her eyes went wide. Her mouth dropped open before she could check her reaction. I touched it. “Oh, right. Sorry I didn’t tell you. It turns out the DuPont pack are my scent matches. I went into heat after my husbands rescued me.” I looked my uncle in the eye. “From you.”

I watched Frank’s face go pale. “Congratulations?”

“Thank you. We’re very happy.”

He floundered, and I didn’t waver. Part of me felt uncomfortable with his discomfort, and another part of me was relieved. I finally had some power. How many times had they both made me feel exactly like this? Tongue-tied, speechless, and with no way out.

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