Page 48 of Claimed By the Feral Wolves

“Yeah, but that asshole has an even bigger asshole for a father,” Ezra says, taking a sip of his whiskey and looking around the ballroom. “Anyone willing to do that is either making a pretty potent political statement, or doesn’t understand what an action like that means.”

“Hello everyone,” Maverick greets, surprising me by coming over and planting a kiss on my cheek, which makes all three men look at him a little more carefully. “What are we talking about?”

Cayson gives me a look and then says, “Someone pissed on Kurt’s clothes… you know, Faye’s other ‘mate,’ who absolutely deserved it, but we’re trying to figure out who would be crazy enough to do that.”

Maverick gives a shit-eating grin, looking dapper in his gray suit. “That’s funny. Really interesting, actually. I’ll tell you what—I just used the mostinterestingbathroom.”

There’s a moment of silence where we all register what he’s said, then Cayson breaks it by smacking his hand on the table loudly.

“No,” Cayson breathes, laughing hysterically, tears running down his face. “You are my personal hero.”

Maverick gives a dramatic bow. “I’m pleased to occupy the role.”

“That took a lot of balls,” Ezra says, his expression showing how impressed he is.

Xander just looks completely bewildered, like he wants to ask us if peeing on each other’s clothes is normal here.

I smile at him reassuringly. “They’re just being ridiculous.”

“You love it though,” Maverick says, grinning.

I blush. “I’m not exactly crushed it happened.”

There’s a moment where everyone is smiling, and I can’t help but picture Kurt when he discovered his clothes were peed on. He must have lost his mind. It seems like just a tiny way karma could come back at him.

“Speaking of balls,” Maverick says, unrolling his silverware and eyeing Cayson and Ezra playfully. “Seems like Faye’s had her share recently.”

Cayson cracks up laughing again, and I feel my entire body flush from head to toe. Of course, they can smell the guys on me. I’ll never accept how awful it is that every shifter knows when another shifter has had sex. It’s such a crazy notion, and not something I’ve paid attention to at any point in my life.

All eyes turn to focus on me. Cayson and Ezra look amused. Xander looks a little hurt. And, I swear, the other tables’ occupants have turned in our direction.

“Oh mygods,” I mutter, reaching out and putting a hand on Maverick’s forearm. “You can’t just say things like that. We are inpublic.”

“Let them know,” Maverick says, shrugging. “They should behappyfor us. ”

“Gods,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and picking at my dress, but there’s a potent bloom of happiness in my chest, spiraling out through the rest of my body.

“So,” Maverick continues, “when should we expect an invitation to your bed? Or is there some sort of appointment system? I’m free Tuesday afternoons?—”

“There is noschedule.” I laugh, shaking my head and taking a sip of water to try and cool my body.

“But we may need one,” Ezra says, ever practical. “If this is going to work out.”

“What would that be like?” Xander asks, and everyone looks at him. “If we were in a pack together?”

Silence falls over the table, and my heart starts into double time. This entire experience is going to send me into cardiac arrest. Poor Xander, he doesn’t understand anything of what’s going on. He’s just a guy who probably wants a mate and a pack.

“Well,” Ezra says, after a long moment. “Technically, being part of a bonded group, the two of you would have the ability to join either my pack, Pack Azure, or Cayson’s pack, Pack Steel. Faye would become an omega in both packs.”

“Our lands border one another,” Cayson explains, “so, it would be easy to rule them. If our fathers stepped down.”

“Once they step down,” Ezra says, his eyes slanting to Cayson quickly.

“And the two of you would probably be our seconds,” Cayson says, nodding his head at Maverick and Xander. I expect him to be joking, his usually playful tone, but this is the most serious I’ve ever seen him.

“But that’s only if we all ended up together,” Ezra clarifies, taking another sip of his whiskey.

I bite my bottom lip, imagining that kind of life. Moving away from the mountains, being near the water with Ezra and Cayson.Spending more time with Maverick and Xander. Something in my chest lights up at the thought of it.

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