Page 5 of Feral: Part Two
He shakes his head, his gaze drifting to Monet. “Not really. There’s enough space that we’re all pretty spread out, and I have nothing but time. I know they’re mine and maybe that makes the waiting worse, but if I force the issue, it’ll never work. They’ve both been through shit and the darkness I see in Monet’s eyes haunts me. We’re getting there. Slowly.”
A flare of desire bursts through the bond, but I tamp down my reaction. Whoever is getting fucked back at the house is having a good time.
Beck straightens up a little bit, a soft smile playing on his lips when Monet picks up a zucchini and holds it out for Beck to see. The larger Alpha nods, sending Monet’s lips curving upward before Beck speaks again. “Rumor mill has it that you have two pregnant Omegas. How’s that working out for you?”
“Complicated. We were forced to bond the second one within a day or so after he got here. He’s been beaten up pretty badly, bonded and unbonded six times before us.”
Beck grunts at that revelation and leans a little closer to me. “They’re doing something fucked up in here. Aren’t they?” I almost tell him no, but he just shakes his head. “Don’t fuck with me, Thane. Everyone in here knows that you were once part ofThe Collective.Why do you think the council set you up at the house you’re in? One that’s a bit farther away from the rest of us? None of us fuck with that system.”
My nose scrunches up in confusion. “What system?The Collectiveisn’t a…”
“Yes, Thane, it is. And the only reason I’m telling you this is because you got caught trying to rip it apart from the inside. Not all of the packs here think you’re clean, but I know better. Theproblem is that a system doesn’t always unravel all that easily. All I know is that something fucked up is going on and this place has nothing to do with rehabilitation. It’s like they’re slowly building a civilization here, hoping we won’t notice until we’re too comfortable in here.”
Well, damn.
I blow out a breath, my nostrils flaring slightly as I catch a whiff of Malik’s scent. It’s stronger than it usually is, or maybe I’m just more in tune with my pack than before. “Beck, you’re not wrong about the fucked up bullshit they’re doing in here. They’ve never asked us to bond an Omega and definitely not aFeralone. I don’t know much, but when I have more, I’ll let you know.”
Beck steps back and resumes watching his little Alpha as Monet picks up a second cucumber, another rare smile breaking across his face. Then he rushes over to Beck as the larger Alpha grins and opens one of the bags before Monet drops the cucumbers inside and darts back to the cart.
“That’s so fucking adorable.”
Beck’s cheeks flush lightly, his eyes following Monet. “It’s the only time I get any real reaction from him. Like he’s looking for acceptance or praise, I’m not sure. This is genuinely my favorite part of the week, but it doesn’t always happen.” Beck’s expression hardens a little just as Monet starts moving down the small pathway to a different cart. “Oh, that’s my cue to go. See you around, Thane.”
I throw him a small wave, waiting until Malik is done smelling the fucking fruit. A few moments later, he strides up, obnoxiously chomping on an apple. Some of the juice runs down his chin, and my gaze follows the trickle. Unable to help myself, I reach forward to wipe it off and stick my thumb into his mouth, much to his amusement.
“You’re a fucking mess, Leek.”
He just laughs at me. “I’ve got everything we need, I think. Stop staring at my lips, Alpha. Both of us know it’s not going to happen, regardless of how much sexual tension there is in that goddamn house.” His voice has that lighthearted teasing it always does, but there’s a spark in the bond, a challenge that makes my skin heat.
“It could.” I spit back at him, testing the waters as I lean closer.
Malik’s eyes narrow at me, the amusement slowly fading away. “But it wouldn’t. I’m not sure any of us would enjoy that.” He takes another bite of the apple as we start heading back to the house.
I grab one of his bags from his hands, needing something to hold onto as I work through what’s going on in my head. “You keep saying it won’t work, but we’ve never tried it.” That same bit of curiosity from earlier has grown; the need to see this through, even though it doesn’t make sense. I’ve always known that Malik and I wouldn’t be a thing. We throw around banter and we might share a kiss because it gets Preston hot, but I’m now thinking aboutverydifferent scenarios.
And it’s a need.
Not a want.
Malik’s steps slow as he twists toward me, his gaze locking with mine. “We’re not mates. Do you even like me like that?” His voice is quieter now, a hint of vulnerability breaking through the sass.
“Do you?” He clears his throat, his cheeks reddening slightly as I press against his side. “I’ll put this shit to bed if you let me fuck you once.” The words surprise me just as much as him, the gravelly edge to my voice mixing with the heat growing in my belly. Whatever this is, I need it to stop before I do something I regret.
“Why is this so fucking important to you?”
“All you have to do is tell me to fuck off, but you haven’t. Why?”
I wrap my arm around his shoulder, my hand sliding to the front of his neck before capturing his lips in a hard kiss, my tongue pushing past his teeth. Malik shoves me back, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with shock as he glares at me.
He drags his free hand across his mouth before dropping the bags and closing the distance between us. We crash back together, a flurry of kisses, lips clashing, and tongues tangling in a desperate mess. Malik grips my waist, his fingers digging into my sides as I drop the bag I took and hold his face in my hands, my thumbs brushing his jaw, desperate to keep him close.
My cock hardens against his belly, straining against my jeans, his cock pressing against my thigh, just as hard, sending a jolt through me. This almost feels like the beginning of Preston’s heat, when emotions and need run higher than everything else. The difference is that I haven’t ever wanted to bend Malik over and fuck him until he screams for mercy.
I snap back to reality when a brief chill runs down my spine, remembering that we’re out in the open and not in the safety of the house. Out here, someone is always watching and cataloguing our movements. I tear myself away from Malik, despite how much my instincts are screaming at me to take him now. He looks just as confused and turned on as I feel, my nostrils flaring as his scent boldens a little more and then fades away to its natural level.
What. The. Fuck.
“Let’s get home,” I mutter. He hesitates before we start picking up the bags and shoveling apples and chips back into them.
