Page 12 of Altius
I reared back, staring long and hard at my mate. “Joaquin!”
A downright lecherous smile spread across his face. “It’s the tail end of a heat spike.”
“I don’t care. She’s in no shape for—for you—beingyou.”
“I know.” Joaquin brushed his shaggy hair away from his face, then collapsed against the island with a sigh. “And Iamtrying to behave. But the way she smells…”
He sucked a greedy breath through his teeth.
I wrinkled my nose. Morgan’s scent was inconsistent due to all the meds and her health issues, but what managed to slip out was…unpleasant. Metallic and cloying, with the same slimy undertone as Wyatt at his worst.
Joaquin caught my expression and shook his head. Rising to his feet with fluid ease, he slunk around the island to embrace me.
“I know you’re mostly picking up the bad parts, but for me… Rust can’t hide what’s underneath. What I want.Her.” His tongue trailed along his upper teeth. “My mouth hasn’t stopped watering since Thursday.”
“You…you know that’s weird, right?”
“See? Told you.”
Flashing a wolfish grin, he leaned down, mouth latching onto my shoulder. His teeth scraped my bond mark through the fabric of my shirt. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he gave his head an affectionate yet possessive shake before letting go.
“Alpha shit.”
***
I hesitated in the doorway of Morgan’s darkened bedroom. A tray of chamomile tea, grapes, a granola bar, and medications weighed heavily in my hands. Only the strict schedule of her pills gave me the courage to creep across the threshold.
Morgan lay on her side, burrowed so far under the covers that her face was completely hidden, throwing my next move into doubt.
What if she was asleep, well and truly asleep?
I could leave the tray on the nightstand, but then she’d wake up to cold tea, and messing up her pill schedule might have adverse consequences…
Perched on the headboard, Kip’s tail twitched in a steady rhythm, like a metronome of disapproval. I wasn’t surprised he was suspicious of me. The only one of us he seemed to like was Cal.
Tenny was much more welcoming. He offered me an eager mewl as he flopped onto his back, exposing his belly in invitation.
“That’s right. We’re friends, aren’t we?” I whispered, giving his furry paunch a fond rub. “Who needs big, dumb alphas? I’m so much better than they are. Yes, I am.”
A slight but airy laugh sounded under the covers. Morgan pushed them away and rolled onto her back.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say a remotely egotistical thing about yourself.”
“Not true. I think?” Clutching the tray, I flashed her an uncertain grin. “And uh, hi. Can—can I come in?”
“It’s a little late for that, but sure. The more, the merrier. Isn’t that the theme of the weekend?”
She eased up, propping herself against the headboard. Instead of reaching for her glasses, she squinted at me, her tousled dark plum hair framing the planes of her pale face. Mouth pinched, eyes narrowed with pain, she seemed…weak.
A word I had never associated with Morgan before.
During dinner last night, she’d shifted restlessly, picking at her chili and tensing whenever someone offered to refill her water. She checked out for long periods of time, her eyes glazed over, lacking their usual brilliance. Practically hissed when I turned on the overhead kitchen lighting to wash the dishes.
But as unfamiliar as this version of Morgan was, she was still Morgan. Independent, resilient, with that same slightly distant allure.
It was like discovering that a gloriously scaled mythical creature—who felled countless challengers and surveilled all of us lesser mortals from their golden nest—possessed an irresistibly soft underbelly.
I set the tray on her bedside table and took a respectful step back. Morgan didn’t seem as territorial as I expected from an omega, but I wasn’t about to push my luck.
