Wolf's Pack (Wolves Next Door #3) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,74

grunted like I was a complete idiot. "Marriage, Pax. First comes love, then comes marriage. Pretty sure you know the rhyme. And if you don't think that's where Ian's going with this, you're a damned moron. He's already asked me once where we're at. Seth's made it clear that he's all in. We know Lane's there. Ian was wondering if we're on this ride or just kinda spectating - and he's honestly fine either way."

"I'm on this ride," I assured him.

Trent just nodded. "Yeah, that's what I told him. Let him know that we're right there, but it's a little more complicated when working as a pair. He said he understood; he just didn't want us to feel pressured."

I reached for the remote, turning the TV back on. "You think he'd cut us if we couldn't love her?"

"No," Trent assured me. "I also think he'd be fine with us fucking her, so long as she's into it. Look, all he wants is for us to be honest. If you need more time with her, just tell him that. He'll make Lane back off, or tell the big guy to expect us to crash his party. And if that's what you want, I'm there. I just know that what we really need is a little time alone with her where the pack isn't in the middle of one crisis or another. Just an hour or two so we can be sure the conversation won't run dry, the looks won't get awkward, and that this isn't all because she's absolutely amazing in bed."

"Yeah," I decided. "You're right." Then I sighed. "I need to stop over at the office more. Find reasons to just be with her. We aren't Ian's only betas, so there's nothing wrong with taking a few minutes off, right?"

"Exactly," Trent agreed. "I'm right there with you." He snatched the remote from my hand and changed to view only the romance movies. "What do you say about stopping in to have lunch with her tomorrow?"

"Oh," I said when the selection lit up a movie that didn't look completely boring. "That one. And lunch sounds good. Maybe we can even ask her to dinner? I know a pretty nice steakhouse."

"For a date?" Trent asked. "No, we should go nicer. Like, I dunno, seafood?"

I groaned. "Too normal. Besides, she's a wolf who's building her muscles. She'll be craving red meat. So long as it's not Mexican, I don't care, because I do not want her to think we're complaining about her cooking."

"Italian?" he suggested.

"Protein, Trent," I said again. "Hell, Lane would probably have an idea."

Then we both looked at each other as the same idea hit us both. "Ashley," we said in unison.

And Trent pressed play, because that woman would definitely know not only where Elena would like to go, but what places would be nice enough. One item off the list. Next up, a little relaxation where I could think about my woman, sit beside my best friend, and not get laughed at for being just a bit of a sap and sniffling at the sad part of the movie.

But even the best laid plans had a way of getting thwarted lately. Trent and I showed up to the office the next day to see Seth's little truck parked out front, along with a beat-up old half ton. The two of us shared a look as we headed inside, and the moment I opened the door, I knew our happy little moment had just been postponed.

Even from the back, I recognized the Alpha of the Hidden Forest pack. Then there was Elena, standing at the corner of her desk. Ashley was just behind her, and Seth was braced before her protectively. Damon stood at least four inches taller than Seth, but the beta was not about to back down. Not with his mate behind him.

"You act like you were born to these people," Damon snarled.

Seth just narrowed his eyes. "No, they just picked me up after you slung me aside."

"What?" Elena asked.

Ashley grabbed her arm before our mate could storm into the man's face. "Leave it," she hissed.

But that was all I needed to hear. "Why are you in our territory, Damon?" I asked.

He turned, but it wasn't fast. The man who'd constantly chased our social circles looked first at Trent and then to me. I watched as his jaw clenched in anger, but he was now outnumbered, and the fool didn't realize that the most dangerous beast here wasn't one