Page 20 of Rumble of the Crumble

We went back a long way together, and at one time, we’d talked about a relationship. It hadn’t lasted. We were both alphas, looking for our omegas—betas. I paused… alpha. Wow, had I been testing the water?

I heard a growl in my head and didn’t need to be told where that was coming from. I looked over to where my mate was scowling at me.No need to be jealous. He’s always been more of a friend to me. And I found the right alpha for me, didn’t I?

As long as that’s all he is. You’re mine.

A surge of his possessive feeling hit rather inappropriately, considering what was happening. By Great Rhu, I wanted to push him to acknowledge he was claiming me for the first time. But this was the worst time to cut loose. I limited myself with an image of me holding his cock.

I know that. Chief Sutton has his fated mate. They’ve been together for years.

The grunt in my head sounded less disgusted than before, and there were also whispers of desire. I just grinned at him.

“Do you want to carry on winding up your mate, or do you want to talk business?”

I smirked at Chief Sutton’s raised eyebrow. “I’ve learned I can multi-task.”

Sutton shook his head, then he got down to business. My amusement faded as he told me what they’d discovered so far. This arsonist meant business.

“He wanted to burn them in their beds,” he said, deep lines between his brows. “I’m not one to pry into police business, brother, but you need to protect this pride.”

Not ‘you need to throw them out of Valentine’ but ‘you need to protect them’. I squeezed his shoulder in thanks, ignoring another growl in my head.

“Come and meet my mate and his alpha. They need to hear what you have to say.” I projected that as I said it.

“Are you sure he’s not going to eat me?” Sutton asked, one eyebrow raised.

I chuckled. “Maximus looked growly, but he prefers a steak to chow down on, not rhubarb. He’s a carnivore.”

“I meant your mate. He’s the one snarling at me.”

I looked at Leonidis, scowling at us with his arms folded across his chest, his hair all floofed out. Even from this distance, I could hear him snarling.

“No promises there.” Great Rhu he was precious.

Chapter Eleven

Leonidis

Why was the fire chief grabbing my mate in a bear hug? He had his own fated mate. Why did he have his hands all over mine? I looked closer. No way was my mate grabbing him? I folded my arms across my chest and glared at Butch.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Maximus said out the side of his mouth.

“How would you feel if someone had their hands all over Tim?” I snapped back, feeling put out after Butch’s reaction to the ‘mane touching’.

“They wouldn’t dare,” he snarled. “He’s mine.”

I raised my eyebrow, and Maximus grunted at me. “You haven’t claimed him yet,” he said.

“We’ve mated,” I muttered.

“Only so he wouldn’t wilt. When are you going to claim him?”

I kicked at a stray stone on the ground. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for… that.”

Then I looked up and saw Butch watching me closely. Maximus followed my gaze.

“I think you’ve gotten someone who will wait for you.”

“But for how long? What if he gets fed up waiting for me?”

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