Page 61 of Furry Equations

“Trust me, sweetheart, no one would mistake you for a damsel.” He caught her hand, keeping it pressed against his heart. “You’re the dazzling scientist who just created our best weapon against Tomlinson. Which makes you both invaluable and a target.”

“Then let me help. Really help, not just work in a secured lab while others take all the risks.”

Marcus recognized the determination in her eyes - the same look she’d worn when insisting on testing the counteragent on him. His mate was many things, but never a coward.

“We do this smart,” he said finally. “You focus on production and refinement. Build our arsenal. But you also train - combat, evasion, whatever skills might keep you alive if things go wrong. Deal?”

She pretended to consider it. “Do I get to practice these combat skills on overprotective alphas?”

“Only if said alpha gets to help with your... physical training.”

“Oh my God.” Emily made gagging sounds. “Can you two stop with the weird mating dance flirting? Some of us are trying to work here.”

“Seriously.” Jax grinned. “Though I gotta say, boss, never thought I’d see the day a tiny scientist had you wrapped around her finger.”

“I am not wrapped-“ Marcus broke off as Natalie cleared her throat pointedly. “Fine. Maybe a little wrapped.”

“A little?” She smirked. “Need I remind you of the incident with the centrifuge?”

“That was different.”

“You growled at it for making too much noise while I was working.”

“It was disrupting your concentration.”

“The big bad alpha, defending his mate from loud laboratory equipment.” Jax wiped away an imaginary tear. “So touching.”

“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

“Going now, boss.” But Jax’s shoulders shook with barely suppressed laughter as he left. “Try not to terrorize any more innocent machinery while I’m gone.”

Emily followed, mumbling something about “disgustingly cute” and “worse than a rom-com.” Then she stopped and turned back to Natalie. “I just had a thought. Emily, call me when you get away from lover boy.”

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Marcus alone with his still-smirking mate.

“I did not growl at the centrifuge.”

“You absolutely did.” She patted his chest consolingly. “It’s okay. Your secret’s safe with me.”

“You’re impossible.”

“You love it.”

The words hung between them, weighted with meaning neither still had voiced yet. Marcus studied her face - the magnificent mind behind those hazel eyes, the strength in her stubborn chin, the smile that somehow managed to be both challenging and soft.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I do.”

Pink bloomed across her cheeks. “That’s... very unscientific.”

“Some things transcend science.”

“Careful.” Her voice wavered slightly. “Keep talking like that and I might have to run more experiments on alpha romance patterns.”

He pulled her closer, enjoying how her breath caught. “What kind of experiments?”

“Oh, you know. Hypothesis testing. Data collection. Thorough documentation of-“

He silenced her with a kiss that earned a small, satisfied sound. When he pulled back, her eyes had that slightly unfocused look he loved causing.

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