Chapter Two

Glass

I stalked up the stairs. This was going to be a long day with Mr. Frostypants sitting next to me.

Talk nicely to him, Crimson said. He's your mate, Crimson said. Be gentle, Crimson said. He'll come around. He wants you really, they… fucking… said.

How was that working for me?

There was more chance of it snowing in August than the lion climbing off his high horse and… wait. Did they have a horse in the pride? Whatever, the wretched lion wasn't going to admit he was behaving like a teenager. That wretched lion. My wretched lion. Whatever happened, Apollo was mine. I knew it. The pride knew it. The whole of Valentine knew it. Now I had to convince him I wanted him, and that my initial shock was not rejection.

Great Rhu, life was definitely easier without a mate.

The wave of hurt in my mind nearly made me stumble. What the hell was wrong with me? I hadn't shielded my thoughts, and I cursed under my breath. A baby stalk could shield better than me. Now I was going to have to do more damage control. Like I didn't have enough of a stalk issue without adding to it!

I took a deep breath, flung open the attic door, and groaned. The room was so small, we'd be stalk to loin—sorry lion—as we watched the monitors. Tim had to be the one who'd decided the smallest room in the house was the one to spend hours in close proximity. Because why wouldn't I want to be tormented more than I already was?

"The room ain't going to get any bigger, rhubarb," Apollo muttered from behind me.

Gritting my teeth at the sarcastic tone, because my mate was asking for a spanking and I'd willingly be the one to give it to him, I flung my bag on one seat and studied the screens in front of me. I had to give Maximus credit; the alpha knew how to get things done, and quickly. He had connections, so it seemed. The pride had installed cameras around the town. Every street was covered by a surveillance camera. They had stayed out of the private areas, such as the sleeping beds, but the town were still convinced the cameras had been installed to report on everything they did.

Even old Bart had complained, "A stalk can't take a leak without someone watching."

Believe me, I had no desire to see him take a leak.

Tim had attempted to reassure everyone there were no cameras in the bathrooms or the bedrooms of their homes. Twirlie could talk sense when he had to.

Don't call me Twirlie.

I ignored Tim because that was never going to happen and focused on the screens. The town was quiet, as usual. I couldn't see anything out of place as I flicked from one screen to the next.

"Are you gonna sit or just loom for eight hours?" Back was the sarcastic tone that made my palm itch to bend him over my knee and…

Not helping!

I turned on him, pleased to see him take a step back at maybe what was playing out in my head. Although he was the lion and I was the rhubarb, in our human form, I was the bigger man, with broader shoulders and longer legs. I got an urge to run my hands through his mane of curls and drag him up against me, my hands cupping his tight butt I so wanted to warm.

I didn't miss the quiet hitch of breath. Someone was definitely paying attention. Why could I shield from everyone except Apollo?

You think you're shielding? How sweet.

I growled. Now I had Ricky's unwanted opinion.

Go away!

Tim laughed maniacally in my head. Brother, you're screwed if you think you can keep your thoughts to yourself while you woo Apollo. Want me to sing to remind you?

I can eulogize about Burke's balls, Ricky added, with far too much glee.

I clapped my hands over my ears, ignoring the wide-eyed stare Apollo gave me. What the hell stalky torture was this? It had been bad enough listening to Tim's endless rhubarb ballads and seventies disco soundtrack as he wooed Maximus. Even worse had been Ricky's rapturous thoughts about Burke's nuts.

Ricky coughed. Balls.

What?

He has balls, not nuts. Squirrels have nuts. Burke's balls could never be classed as mere nuts.

That's it. As soon as I'm released from this prison, you're both going in the c-r-u-m-b-l-e pan.

From their derisive laughter, neither of them took me seriously. What had I done to deserve this? I was the alpha.

In your dreams!

What did I do to end up with Twirlie as a brother?

"Do I want to know what's going on in your head?" Apollo asked, still by the door, as if he were ready to bolt.

I wanted to join him if it escaped the madness in my head. "Squirrels," I said shortly and sat on one of the seats, turning to face the screens. That was better than looking at my lion when I couldn't touch him.

"You have squirrels in your head? Ooohh-kay then," Apollo murmured, in a way that suggested I was batting ten on the stalk-o-meter of crazy.

I twisted to look at Apollo, giving him my best sad eyed look. "Two really annoying ones called Twirlie and Ricky."

Apollo's lips twitched for the first time. "Is your parcel giving you a hard time, too?"

"Who's giving you a hard time?" I demanded, my anger flaring, leaping to my feet, my attempts at making him feel sorry for me forgotten. "Tell me who it is, and I'll deal with them right now."

How dare they!

Two stalks' crazy laughter echoed in my head as Apollo was back to staring at me with wide eyes. He walked over and pushed me back into my seat.

"Easy, rhubarb. It's just my pride."

I forgot how to breathe, the touch of his hand on my shoulder sent lightning bolts to my cock. What were we talking about?

"I don't care," I said shortly. "If anyone gives you a hard time, you come to me."

You're the only one I want to give me a hard time.

I heard that loud and clear. We regarded each other for a long moment, then Apollo gave a little sigh and slipped into the chair next to me, our thighs pressed against each other. Could he be thawing towards me?

"Could Tim have picked a smaller table?" I grumbled.

Is that a challenge? Twirlie inquired, revealing I'd failed once more to block the stalk.

C-r-u-m-b-l-e pan.

He chuckled and then was thankfully gone.

Apollo sighed glumly. "Is it always going to be like this?"

"Like what?" I gave him all my attention, trying to figure what else I'd done to upset him. The list was growing.

"Threeways. You, me, and the squirrel in your head. Or should that be fourways?"

I coughed and choked, spluttering and heaving as he openly laughed at me. Yeah, I made an idiot of myself, but by the time I could breathe again, it seemed the tension had eased between us. We had seven hours and forty-five minutes to go. What did we do next?

"What's in the bag?" Apollo asked, searching, as I was, for something to talk about.

I'd forgotten about that. Grateful for any distraction, I hunted for the bag he'd placed on the floor to take the seat. Leaning over to pick it up, I reached inside for the first thing without looking.

"Oh. My. God."

I dragged my eyes away from my mate and looked at what I'd taken out. Ground, please swallow me whole.