Chapter Forty-One

Micah

"She's asleep," I murmur, closing Faith's bedroom door.

"Must've worn her out," he says. "She's never asleep before Caleb gets home."

Maybe he'd sound more concerned if his inner alpha wasn't glowing with pride. He's been basking in it since I found him and Faith in the laundry, wondering if he needed a hand with the sheets. Knot-deep inside our omega, he smiled sheepishly and said he'd get onto it as soon as, in his words, " Faith's pussy loosens its chokehold."

I wander into the kitchen, sticking Caleb's dinner in the fridge. Then I get started on the dishes.

"So …" Jaxon drawls, grabbing a beer. "I told her."

My heart thumps. "You did?"

"Yup." He cracks the bottle open and hoists himself up on the counter. "Well, I kind of screwed it up, but we got there in the end."

"I can see that," I smirk.

"Now whose mind is in the gutter?"

I turn the water off, facing him with earnest. "That's great, Jax. I'm really happy for you."

"For us, man. I know it's not exactly the way we wanted it to go, with Caleb still out for the count, but this is good. She wants us. God knows, if she didn't, she'd have said so. Signed so?" He sips his beer. "You know what I mean."

In an ideal world, we would've sat down and talked to Caleb about this before leaping to sex-fueled confessions, but every time I broach the subject, he finds an increasingly hurtful way to shut me down.

I promised both my packmates a long time ago that I wouldn't psychoanalyze them. When I'm in the den, the psychiatrist hat is off.

But all this tension makes me wonder. For Caleb to resist like this, to even lash out … what is he so afraid of?

My phone chimes in my back pocket. I huff, staring down at my wet, sudsy hands, before shifting to Jaxon. "Could you?"

He plucks the phone from my pocket and checks the screen. "Speak of the devil …"

"Caleb?"

"Mm. Says he's gonna be late—doing some recon with Maverick."

"Huh." I go back to washing. "They've been working pretty closely these last few days, haven't they?"

Jaxon grunts. "Fucker's probably gunning for my spot."

I roll my eyes. "Not this again."

"I'm just saying. First he goes for our omega, now he's worming his way in with our head alpha." He considers. "Probably should've done it the other way around, but then, he never was the sharpest tool in the shed."

"Hey," I chide, "I thought you and Mav were on good terms now?"

"Doesn't mean I want him to join our pack—especially not if we've already got Fang to worry about."

Here we go again . Just when I think we're getting somewhere, the full reality of our situation comes swinging back around. It's not just Caleb we have to win over—it's Fang, too. Then, and only then, will Faith be able to consider us as viable mates.

"So many prerequisites …" I mutter, staring into the sink.

Jaxon perks up. "Huh?"

"I was just thinking about what it takes to be with someone. Love is great, but … it's just the beginning."

"I dunno. Seems pretty simple to me."

I smile. For all the nightmarish stuff he's seen of the world, my packmate is surprisingly childish when he wants to be.

We try to keep the noise down while Faith sleeps. I know she's annoyed about how tired she's been, but the more she rests, the faster she'll heal.

At least that's what I tell myself as I sit on the couch, reading the latest Psych Quarterly.

Jaxon is glued to the TV. Some big game is on, and I can tell it's taking everything he has to keep his voice down.

A creak in the floorboards makes us both straighten. We look up to find Faith shuffling out of her bedroom, flushed and bleary with sleep.

"Angel." I quickly cross the room to meet her. "What're you doing out of bed?"

"And without your crutches," Jaxon adds, materializing next to me.

Faith sniffles. She's shivering, I realize, though her body feels hot.

I smooth her hair back. "What's the matter? Did you have an, uh …" Wracking my brain, I do my best to mimic the gesture she showed me the other night. Nightmare?

She shakes her head, her eyes watery as she signs back, Fang.

Even Jaxon knows that one by now. He stiffens. "You missing Fang, omega?"

She hesitates, her scent tinged with shame.

Jaxon pulls her into a hug before I get the chance, lifting her off her feet. "Let's get you lying down," he purrs, "you can tell us what's going on."

We turn, heading into Faith's room. It's still dark—the bedsheets a lavender-soaked mess. It's all I can do not to cover myself in them, instantly hard at the memory of the other night. Falling asleep beneath her, inside of her, surrounded by her warmth in every conceivable way.

Jaxon lies her down, then lies himself down beside her, pulling her into his chest. She doesn't resist, but she doesn't soften either.

"You're burning up," I murmur, feeling the back of her neck.

Jaxon's scent sharpens with concern. "Feeling sick?"

Tentatively, I lie down, sandwiching her between us. Faith's breathing slows, like it's calming to have us both here, holding her. She turns around, pushing her ass against Jaxon's waist, before locking eyes with me.

Fang , she signs again.

My heart clenches. "Were you dreaming about him, sweetheart?"

Every … night.

I sigh, kissing her forehead. "That's understandable. I can't imagine how hard it is, being away from him."

Jaxon cuts me a glare, probably wondering where I'm going with this. But he said it himself—no amount of time, love, and sex is going to make Faith forget about her mate. He's a part of her. Which makes him a part of us, too.

"What's he like?" I ask quietly.

Now Jaxon is really on edge, a soft growl entering his breath. I keep my pheromones perfectly level, not wanting to set his alpha off.

Faith considers. Finally, she signs, Tall.

"Tall, huh? Like … me tall, or Caleb tall?"

A tiny smile graces her lips. She tilts her head back, gesturing to Jaxon.

He rumbles approvingly. "So Fang's like me, huh? You've got good taste, omega."

Faith's body shakes in what I can only describe as laughter—no sound comes out, but I can feel it. The lightness, the warmth, radiating off of her in waves.

It's the prettiest non-sound I've ever heard.

Fang … strong, she signs, touching her bicep. Then she taps her temple. Smart .

"Tall, strong, and smart," I recite, checking I've understood her. "Sounds like the complete package."

She blushes, snuggling closer into me—pushing her hips deeper into Jaxon's waist. I don't know if it's because she has two alphas draped over her, neither of us hiding how much we want her, or because she's talking about her mate, but her scent thickens hotly.

"Tell us more," Jaxon breathes.

She smiles mischievously. He's … she signs something I can't pick, making a twisted face.

"Spell it out for me," I request. I might not have many adjectives in my sign language vocabulary, but I have been brushing up on my alphabet.

Faith shows me the letters, one after the other. S … C … A … R …

My eyes widen. "Scary? He's scary? "

Jaxon laughs. "Well at least he'll be in good company."

Curious, Faith glances between me and my packmate with the question in her eyes. I sense Jaxon is about to leap to the punchline— join our pack, omega, and bring your mate, too !—so I cut in before he gets a chance.

"You're pretty fierce yourself, omega. I'm sure Fang is just trying to keep up."

It's one thing for me and Jax to confess our feelings without Caleb's approval—but to invite Faith, and her mate, into the pack? It's not our place.

"You're still hot," Jaxon murmurs, sliding his hand down her side. "Must've been some dream."

Faith shifts her pretty little hips back even more, making Jaxon growl.

"You get these dreams every night?" I dare to ask. "My poor, sweet girl. No wonder you're so pent up."

She hisses, but the glint in her eyes lets me know she's playing.

"How did that even work?" Jaxon wonders. "You and Fang … sneaking around … fucking in secret."

Faith's breath hitches.

I hold her steady as Jaxon grabs her waist, pinning her to his cock. "Did he take you like this, slipping into your pussy when you thought no-one was watching …?"

"I bet he couldn't keep his hands off of you," I whisper, peppering kisses over her face.

Faith shudders, nodding dreamily.

"Good," Jaxon grunts. "M'glad someone was taking care of you down there. Keeping you well … fucked."

He slips her underwear down, leaving her in nothing but my shirt. I love how much it doesn't fit her—swimming around her, surrounding her with me.

She clings to my chest and, finding the fabric there, gives an unhappy chuff.

I smile. "Here, angel, let me get that for you—" I lift my shirt off in one swift motion. "That better?"

She answers by putting her lips on my sternum, kissing upwards. I try not to buck my hips, wanting nothing more than to slide my cock in between those slick, trembling thighs.

When I toss the shirt aside, Faith suddenly snarls. Jaxon looks up.

"What is it?" he asks.

She snarls again, her eyes flicking behind me.

"Oh." My chest warms. "I'm sorry, angel." Carefully, I reach back, finding my discarded shirt on the edge of the bed. "Here you go."

She stuffs it under her head with a satisfied huff. Inside, my alpha is ecstatic. This is the first indication she's shown toward making a nest, and the fact she chose my shirt to start is more than an honor.

It's a goddamn revelation.

"I want to fuck you, baby girl," Jaxon says. "Think you can take me again?"

Faith tilts her head back until she finds Jaxon's lips. She threads a hand through his hair. Then, just when I think my own cock is about to explode, she pushes her hips back, thrusting onto him.

Jaxon groans loudly. He curls himself into her, so deep that his forehead nearly meets mine.

We lock eyes over Faith's hot, sweet body, our hearts thudding.

More together, more a pack, than we've ever been.