Page 77 of Silas's Sweetheart

Rue:You’ve not even been here twelve hours.

Jupiter:I don’t care. I want out, like now. Sharing with…

Booker:What’s Wilder done to piss you off? He was okay at dinner tonight.

Jupiter:Breathing!

Laken:Come on, it can’t be that. Whatever he’s done, I’m not seeing why Wilder needs to borrow Isley’s headphones. So, more to the point, what are you doing in the cabin, Jup, that requires Wilder to block you out?

Booker:Ranting, I can hear him complaining through the walls.

Jupiter:Fuck you. The damn raccoon is scampering all around the room touching my damn stuff. You can’t swing a cat—or raccoon in here. Silas, I’m moving up to your fucking house.

Taylin:Isn’t that defeating the purpose of being here in the first place?

Jupiter:Shut up, Tay. You don’t have the right to say anything ‘cause you’re sharing with your mate, the same as Booker. The rest of us are stuck with someone we don’t want in our space.

Kari:Stop speaking for the rest of us. And can’t you suck it up for a week?

Kodi:If you wanna share with me, then I’ll be okay with that. Lennon and Wilder can share.

Dad:Jupiter, Popi is calling you, so answer your damn phone and stop ignoring him.

Jupiter:Dad, did you tell on me!

Booker:Oh fucking joy. Now I gotta listen to Jup whine. Anyone wanna swap cabins with me and Frey?

Laken:Frey’s heat… that’s all I’m gonna say.

Kodi:Called it Laken.

Dad:Alpha up the lot of you and stop complaining.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Ziggy

Ziggy was pissed at his snake for taking the lead the night before and basically refusing to allow him to shift back. In the end, Silas had staggered back into the cabin with them still wrapped around him, then placed them on a single bed. Silas had stripped to his boxers, then laid on the other bed and opened his arms. It was disgraceful how fast his snake had gone and spread himself over Silas’s big body. It was their first experience of sharing a bed and his snake had taken first dibs, lying on top of Silas.

He loved it!

Yeah, whatever, but tonight it’s my turn.

We’ll see.

No, we won’t.

They had pinned Silas down on the single bed to show him that nothing about what they’d discussed changed a thing. It was a memory Ziggy would never forget, especially when Silas held on to him.

It changed everything, and Ziggy was processing this along with the fact that he, as much as his snake, had wanted to bite Silas—to mate with him. His snake was all about just doing it. Ziggy had to talk it around with the promise he’d have the conversation with Silas about their future. Just not right now. That was why he’d become a little more enthusiastic at not being with the alphas today, when Ethan had rocked up and split them up.

They were spending time with someone called Cassidy for their first full day on the ranch. Ziggy appeared to not be the only one looking relieved that they weren’t with the alphas. He wasn’t sure what the others’ reasons were, besides the group chat revealing Wilder’s upset with Jupiter. Ziggy wanted to feel guilty because he really should be the one sharing with Jupiter, but after the night he’d had with Silas, it wouldn’t be real.

Hollis checked his watch. They’d had breakfast early and had been waiting for over ten minutes for Cassidy, who appeared to be running late.

“The worker cabins are over there. Let’s see if we can find Cassidy,” Hollis suggested as he tugged on what appeared to be a crisp, brand new plaid button down.

“Do you think he’s forgotten about us?” Bowie asked, not looking up from the dirt that he was kicking at, appearing a little lost for some reason.

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