Page 24

He lets the wolf out, and they catch their rival enigma on the patio.

The wolf’s vision is sharp, and he sees Nix and Gideon’s footprints in the snow, but they aren’t who the wolf is thinking about.

Right now, Grayson is thinking about showing Rowan’s wolf who is strongest.

Grayson knows enough not to let the wolf pit himself against their Pack Alpha for fear they might win, but Rowan is so much bigger and stronger than ever.

When in the past Grayson had always refused to fight, it wasn’t because he feared failure; it had been because the wolf just couldn’t be bothered.

It had been in existence for two years before Jay’s wolf, and Rowan had presented not even two years ago; Grayson’s wolf has had nothing to prove until now.

The patio is slick with ice from the sun melting some of the snow cover, and then, as the sun moves along the horizon, it freezes again.

Grayson tackles Rowan to the ground, and the momentum forces them across the slick surface of the patio and directly into the icy cold of the partially drained pool. It’s covered for winter, only half full of water, but they somehow slip under the weighted vinyl cover.

The cold burns at Grayson’s skin, tearing at his lungs as his weight drags both him and Rowan further under the soft cover. It’s so shocking that it lets him get the wolf under control once again.

It must work the same for Rowan, because he can feel his mate’s large hands pulling him to the surface. The cover is so heavy that it keeps trying to push them back under. He can’t feel his feet to gain purchase on the slimy side, but he can get his hands over his head to hold up the cover while Rowan treads water holding them afloat.

Suddenly, the cover is ripped off, and the light is blinding.

Jay has his hand in the back of Grayson’s dress shirt, helping him out of the pool, while Leo is doing the same for Rowan.

On the other side of the pool, Luca is holding two pieces of the pool cover in his hands, clearly having pulled it clean off. The tiny beta is shaking with fear and cold, but he hasn’t let that stop him.

“F–fuck-kk. That’s c-c-old,” Rowan whines.

Pulling them into the living room, Luca disappears upstairs while Leo starts pulling Grayson’s clothes off and chucking them back out the door.

“Shit, you two. You took ten years off my life. Fuck.” Jay has Rowan naked in an instant, and for some reason, it occurs to Grayson thatthatis the smallest he has ever seen Rowan’s cock in the entire two years he’s been looking at it.

It makes him snort out a bark of laughter.

Luca appears with purple towels from his towel warmer, and they almost burn when Leo wraps one around his shoulders and another around his hips.

His laugh gets Rowan’s attention after a minute, and he figures outveryquickly what has Grayson laughing.

Of course, near-death experience aside, gallows humor would be the first thing out of Rowan’s mouth, but he settles with: “Listen, asshole. Mine is still bigger than yours, even after that frigid dump.”

Leo starts taking his clothes off when Luca returns a second time, this time with blankets from the nest.

Nodding, Jay does the same thing. “Good idea. Okay, the couch, you two. Luc, sweater off.”

Jay sits on the couch and pulls Grayson down on one side of him. The touch of Jay’s warm, bare skin burns, but it won’t be long before their Were physiology gets them warmed up.

Especially with Leo on his other side and Luca sitting naked in Rowan’s lap, his legs thrown over the top of Grayson’s.

Under the multitude of pack-scented blankets, Jay’s smooth skin does more than warm him; it offers comfort that Grayson has taken for grantedthese past few months. He realizes that the wolf has largely eschewed seeking physical contact with his other mates except for Nix and in fights for dominance, Rowan.

His chest burns with shame at having neglected them, especially when he had always prided himself on loving each of them individually, separate from the group.

“I’m sorry,” he chokes out, and puts his wet head on Jay’s shoulder, unsure about how to better verbalize his regrets.

“I’m okay, Grayson,” Rowan says, his voice muffled from his spot in Luca’s armpit.

Grayson gives a watery laugh. “I know, Ro. Besides, that was your own damn fault.”

“He’s right, though. Fuck, Rowan. You could have drowned,” Luca whispers and runs a soft hand over Grayson’s cheek.