Chapter Thirty-Six

“How do you manage to ever leave this bed?” Vex said hours later, his voice in a low, satisfied, and supremely happy tone.

The six of us were in a happy pile, draped over each other with me in the center. The best place to be. Sun still shone through the windows, but I knew it was getting late because, as if in answer to Vex, my stomach rumbled.

“That's how,” Rath said as he unwound his limbs and extricated his hair from the sprawled mass of muscles, smiling faces, and spent shafts. Once he was free, he reached back in for me. “Come on, love. Let's get some food in you.”

“As opposed to everything else we've put in him,” Keltyr joked.

“Not your best,” Taroc said.

“Hey, I'm working with post multiple orgasm brain here,” Kel said. “I can't be expected to be as witty as usual.”

“Don't worry,” Xae drawled and sat up. “Our expectations of you are low.”

“Did Xae just out-joke you?” I asked Kel.

Keltyr shot out of bed, tail lashing and cock swinging. “Absolutely not! I won't have it! I am the funny one in this group.”

“This pack,” I corrected with a grin at Xae. “We're a pack.”

“A pack,” Vexen tested the words, then groaned as he sat up. “I like that. A pack with extended connections. We have my clan, Taroc's, and Xaedren's.”

Xae's face twitched, but he didn't say anything, just headed into the dressing room.

“Xae's family was killed in the war,” I whispered.

Vex blinked. “His entire family?”

“Yes. And nearly his entire village. There is still the Wolf Clan, of course, and all their sub-clans—what they call packs. But his pack, the Fenren Pack, is practically gone. The survivors split up. Probably joined other packs. All except for Xae.”

“Fenren,” Vex said. “I know that village. It's . . . they say it's haunted.”

“It's not haunted!” Xae growled as he came out of the dressing room in pants and boots, holding his tunic in his fist. “It's just abandoned. It's . . . sad.”

“Xae,” I whispered and hurried over to hug him. “We could go back if you want. Build a home there. Rebuild your pack like we did for Fress.”

Xae's expression immediately softened, and he bent his head to kiss me. “I've already rebuilt my pack. I don't need that place and its sadness. I want to look forward, not back.”

“Then that's what we'll do,” Rath said as he passed by us on the way to the dressing room. He patted Xae's thick shoulder.

“I love you, my not-so-lone wolf,” I said.

Xaedren grinned. “I know.” He smacked my bare ass, pushing me after Rath, then pulled his tunic on. “Now, put on some damn clothes so we can eat. You're not the only one who's starving.”