Page 48 of Conner's Luna

Mine

The feeling washes over me. He wants Bailey safe, wants to protect her, hold her close to us. Possession and greed swell in his feral brain. His human female. Fuuuck. He's... he's claiming Bailey. Closer than pack, just as close as amate.

I can't agree with his sentiment. I can't do that to her. Bailey is no chew toy. She is not meant to be Trey's leftovers. She will never be his, but she can't be ours. We can't Claim her. Not... not likethat.

The panic leaks out of him and into me. His anger ebbs, but I still feel like I've been thrown into the maelstrom. I don't understand his feelings. I'm attracted to Bailey and I've liked her personality from nearly the first instant I met her. That's different. The human sides of us are fucking whores. The wolf in us...

His tail thuds. He wants to keep her. How the hell did that happen? We can't. She isn't ours. Our friend, yes, but not our mate.

"Let me make some phone calls, Ballet. Go inside with Braxton and let your dad know that I am handling this, OK?" I try to keep my voice level, to keep the inner earthquake inside where it belongs. I don't want to scare Bailey. I need her to leave before I lose it.

She nods, her head bowed, her cheeks glistening with tears. I want to comfort her, but I can't move, struck dumb by my wolf's sudden assertion of ownership.

Braxton slings his arm around her shoulders, head bent low to whisper in her ear. I fantasize for a moment about breaking his arm, right at the elbow. See how well he can cling to my - to Bailey, then.

When Bailey and Braxton disappear into the garage I take a deep breath. My hands are shaking. I toss the empty pack of cigarettes from my pocket down the street and jam my fingers through my hair. I could use a cigarette. Fuck, I won't smoke again. Not now that Bailey wrinkled that pert little nose at me. A small grin crosses my face as I think about her. The smile fades as I replay her words. She doesn't like Trey. He's pushed his mate away and he probably doesn't even realize that she's done. She'll never be his.

Will Lydia ever be mine?

Mine.

Shut up! I seethe at my wolf, not that the fucker gives two shits.

I have to think of something else. Anything else. Taking a page from Bailey's book of wisdom I tried to objectively look at the two girls side-by-side. Lydia had a polish, a perfection, in her hair, her clothes, that Bailey lacked, but overall their beauty was pretty equal. I guess if you like silky dark brunettes instead of Bailey's wild reddish-blond-brown curls then you can say that Lydia was prettier.

My wolf whined a little. To him, Lydia was the most beautiful creature alive. Her dark hair and porcelain skin, her big green eyes. I pushed the image of my mate away. Objectivity, I reminded myself and him.

Bailey's face swims in front of me. Her hair is usually a mess but all I see is just-fucked-hair. It puts ideas in my head whenever I look at her. Those eyes. So many colors. Greens and browns and that tint of light gold that makes me think of wolves, ironically. Lydia's color is shockingly precise, it holds your attention. Lydia's eyes are the ones I want to wake up to in the morning, but Bailey's are still... damn fucking gorgeous.

Their bodies... Shit. I have to stop pacing to adjust myself. Lydia's lean body, her long, endless legs, fucking perfect. Her skin, the way she smells, made for me. My stomach twinges as my wolf stretches, claws out. Our mate's scent is tainted by another male.

Bailey. Objectivity. My wolf wags his tail. His human smells like honeysuckle. It's a scent he could roll in all day. Fuck.

Bailey’s lips. Goddess, those lips. I would fucking prostrate myself at her feet if she agreed to lay those lips over every inch of my body. There are no lips more perfect. I couldn't resist kissing them this morning. Who could?

Bailey is shorter, a little plump. I could hold those curves of hers in both hands. Her ass and tits are soft and luscious. Her body and mine would make the best contrast in the sack. My wolf pants, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Suddenly, I realize what we are doing. She is our friend; I snap in my head.

Our responsibility.

Yeah. So no picturing Bailey naked. No patting her on her ass or kissing those lips. Definitely, no picturing having sex with those curves of hers. Or fucking her from behind with that gorgeous hair clenched in my fist so that I could watch my cock sink between those plump ass cheeks...

I grab my dick and squeeze it hard enough to hurt. Maybe I can kiss Bailey a little - no, no it'll confuse her, hurt her.

I snort out loud at the sorry face of my wolf. Hormonal fucker. Bailey's been hurt enough. No using her. He growls at the thought of harming Bailey. At least we are on the same page as far as that goes.

Bailey is smarter. No contest there. My little genius puts everyone to shame with her smarts. Lydia is... a little gentler? I think of how often Bailey soothes my pain, then be kind of a jerk when I get into fights and end up bruised and bloody. Somehow I knew that Lydia would always show concern, no matter why I got hurt. I get lost in thinking about how good that would feel, having Lydia tend to me.

A low growl cut those thoughts off. My wolf agrees, but he likes the way Bailey takes care of us. He is a strong alpha; maybe Lydia's smothering would be annoying.

Bailey is good with Sean and Sarj. They really like her. They're not at all fond of Lydia, but why would they be? As far as they're concerned she betrayed me and the entire pack by rejecting our bond. Bailey helped me, even after I was a jerk to her. She is sweet and loving andloyal.

I think about the plan. Steal Lydia at the end of the year, take her to my pack, and mark and mate her before Trey can mount an offense. It wouldn't be easy; he guards her well. Fucker. He protects my mate and lets his own get beat on.

I have to stop pacing in the middle of the driveway to breathe. My wolf is itching to break out and tear into Trey. He encourages his own mate's bullying. Bailey, who wouldn't hurt a fly. She won't even curse. Hell, she's a vegetarian! That motherfucker. I should have just killed him this past summer.

Mine

Yeah, Yeah, I know.

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