“What’s up? I am nearly done here,” Ezra says.
“Do you want us to wait for you to go swimming?” I ask.
“No, I won’t be long anyway, we’re just packing up,” Ezra answers.
“You sure Maddox won’t be angry and get the wrong idea?” Mateo presses, he is obviously nervous about Ezra coming over while we are both naked in the water.
“No, he is fine with it.”
“And you’re fine with it?” I ask, confused. Shit, was I fine with it?
“Kat, I am fine with anything you do as long as you’re safe and only with Mateo,” he answers, cutting off the link to him.
What the fuck did that last part mean?
“Now I’m confused. I am not sure if I am comfortable swimming, Mateo.”
“Yeah, I feel the same. Ares thinks Maddox wants to kill us, and this is the day of grace beforehand,” Mateo chuckles, but his laugh sounds nervous. “Come on, we can just run until he finds us,” Mateo suggests, and I focus back on Kora, who is still playing with Ares as they zip through the forest. I tell Kora to head toward home when it is nearly lunchtime. Ares falls in line with her as they stroll back towards the pack house when we hear movement in the forest. Ares lurches forward in front of Kora, who rolls her eyes at the protective stance and bites his tail. He nips at her face, biting her muzzle when she picks up his scent.
Ares relaxes when he picks up Maddox’s scent, only for Kora to be tackled, and she whimpers before knocking Maddox off, who falls on his side. Maddox licks her face, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, and Ares jumps on him as they wrestle in a wolf pile.
“I thought you were going swimming?” Ezra asks us, as Maddox chases after Ares. Kora chases Maddox as they all fight. Biting and tugging on each other.
“Dude, what’s wrong with Maddox? I’m not sure if he is playing or trying to hurt me?” Mateo whines as Ares gets tackled again.
“He’s mucking around,” Ezra says.
“Well, that’s a first since Kat arrived,” Mateo chuckles.
“He used to muck around with Ares all the time,” Ezra sniffs.
“Yeah, but he hasn’t in ages,” Mateo points out.
Kora gives up and lays down, watching them, resting her head on her paws.
“Do you still want to go swimming, or do you want to do something else?” Ezra asks, and Maddox comes over, flopping on his side. He nips at Kora’s ear, tugging on it until she becomes annoyed with him and nips him, making Ezra laugh.
“You guys go swimming, I still need to try to fix my car,” Mateo sighs, and Ares turns around, only for Maddox to grab his tail and jerk him back. Ares yelps, spinning around and Maddox lifts his paw, pushing Mateo to sit with him.
“Come swimming, Ezra can help you later,” Maddox’s gravelly voice invites through the link.
“Are you okay?” Kora asks, licking his face.
“Yes, Kitty.” He purrs at her, and she nips him, eyeing him suspiciously, and so am I. Did he have a brain transplant? Did his alter ego drop-dead? Ares turns around, sniffing him and me, along with Kora. I nearly choke on our spit when Maddox licks his face.
“Yeah, don’t do that again, Maddox,” Ezra coughs. Ares licks Maddox’s cheek back, making me giggle. “Okay, that’s it, give me control back, you big bastard. I am not watching you lick my friend.”
“Hey, you were the one that has been curious, not me,” Maddox growls, as he shifts back, both Ares and I are staring at him while Ezra’s face turns red as a pepperoni, which Mateo seems to love so much.
“I am not curious. He just took it out of context,” Ezra huffs. Kora jumps up, putting her paws on his chest, and he ruffles her fur.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on with him?” Mateo links me, and Kora turns her head to look at Ares before looking back at Ezra.
“No idea,” I tell him, his actions so out of the ordinary.
Kora jumps down before looking at Ares again, she sniffs him before licking him.
“Kora!” I shriek at her, horrified she would do that, especially with Ezra right there.
Ares steps away from her before he suddenly shifts back, and Mateo stumbles backward away from her. I try to force control, but she shoves me back and stares at Ezra, who sits down on the grass, watching as she stalks Mateo. It is only confusing poor Mateo and me.
“That isn’t funny, Ezra,” Mateo snaps at him. I have to agree, as I fight her for control.
“I’m not trying to be funny, Mateo, it is what it is,” Ezra replies with a shrug.
I try to pull on the veil and take back control before she does something she can’t undo. Or gets Mateo killed by Maddox. The crazy wolf jumps up at Mateo, her paws going to his chest and she knocks him on the ground.
Mateo brushes her fur while staring at Ezra, confused. I can practically see the cogs turning in his head, and they are spinning violently in mine.
Then she embarrassingly shifts back in front of both of them. I hate shifting in front of people. No one wants to be seen shifting back, and I find myself straddling Mateo’s lap. My eyes widen, and so do Mateo’s. We both move quickly, Mateo practically shoving me off him at the same time as I jump away from him.
My heart races at the position Kora put us in, and I step farther away from Mateo, suddenly feeling very exposed as I cover my breasts, which suddenly made this scenario feel even more indecent. Mateo must have thought the same thing, because he covers himself also.
Ezra’s chest presses against my back, making me glance up at him, my heart hammers in my chest as Mateo watches him cautiously, prepared to shift, if need be.
Ezra’s lips go to my shoulder before he kisses me below my ear. “I know you love him, and that is good enough for me,” Ezra whispers before gripping my wrists and pulling them away from my chest.
Mateo steps away from us, and I fight Ezra’s grip to cover myself, wondering what the fuck he is playing at. Confused by the situation and how he put me on the spot like that, I want to run.
Tears prick my eyes, I step away from them both. “Kat?” Ezra calls when I start walking away.
“No, Ezra. All day, I have been trying to figure out what the hell has gotten into you. Then you throw me under the bus, throw Mateo under it too,” I accuse, my eyes brimming with tears at the embarrassment.