Page 54

Sighing, Gideon squeezes his mate’s broad shoulder and relishes the closeness while they wait for Jay.

“I hate it, too. But we can’t all be under right now. We can’t do this in a human hotel, with no supplies and Carnell coming for us.”

They’re sound reasons, and Gideon’s not just trying to convince Leo.

His softhearted beta lets the tears come full force, his nose pressed to Gideon’s neck.

“I know you’re right. But he seemed—I don’t know—off? Not himself. Wilder, and confused.”

Gideon had witnessed that first-hand in the elevator. And that vision? That was not typical Finn.

Practical and as analytical as it was possible to be, he is a scientist to his core.

It’s a miracle that he gave the “dream” a chance.

Thank you, Goddess.

Maybe it had been because he was so close to his rut that the vision could pierce Finn’s sturdy mental walls, or maybe it was the vision itself that brought the rut on.

Gideon imagines that receiving divine intervention would trigger anyone’s wolf.

Threading his fingers through Leo’s hair, he pumps out his softest rain-soaked summer scent in an attempt to soothe away some of Leo’s sadness and drown out the scent of lush black currant seeping from under the door.

They both jump when the door springs open, and Jay stumbles through,dropping a duffle on the floor. It looks like Gideon’s, which gives him hope that there might be something in it big enough to cover Leo’s luscious ass.

Bending at the waist, their sweaty Pack Alpha heaves huge lungfuls of the hall’s antiseptic scent.

“Holy shit, I think I’m going to puke.” He doesn’t, though it’s clearly by sheer force of will.

His rotten wood smell is pervasive, and Leo retches in distress.

If it was difficult for Gideon and Leo to leave Finn, then it would take an iron will for their Pack Alpha to leave Finn on the other side of that door.

Mindful of dropping his “toga,” Leo rubs his hand over his mate’s spine, trying to soothe his stomach with as much contented cinnamon scent as he can, hoping to overpower the rotted wood.

Jay whimpers before sitting on his ass against the door, as if he can feel them on the other side.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. They’ll be fine.”

Fine.

Gideon is not prone to hyperbole, and the inanity of “fine” makes his ass itch.

Can’t people just say“We’re fucked”and fix it?

Cursing under his breath, Gideon digs through the duffle and pulls out a pair of black workout shorts, a black T-shirt, and a pair of shower flip-flops.

Thank fuck Leo won’t be barefoot.

“Put this shit on, Baby.” He hands the clothes to Leo and then holds the sheet up to block the room across the hall’s view.

When he’s done, Gideon drops the sheet in the floor’s utility room.

“Now what?” Leo asks.

“They’ve got some food and water for now, but we can’t let him rut here. What if there are other Weres on-site? That door isn’t rut-proof, that’s for sure.”

Jay rubs a hand over his face and hefts up the duffle.