Chapter 176: Chapter 175

Xander Lanie and Malachi walked into the cabin just as things were kicking off with Braden.

“I'm gonna f ucking kill you, Xander!” he cried. “I leave for one day, and you're already tearing apart my cabin?”

we were currently He jerked his hand toward the sheets hanging from the ceiling and the stack of wood we fitting to nail to the wall that the living room shared with the bedroom.

“| plan on living here again someday” Braden said, “But | can’t if you and Zane demolish it.”

“What the hell is all this?” Malachi asked as he walked in. | rolled my eyes and put down the piece of wood | was holding.

Now the room was crowded with vampires and their smell was filling the air, even overpowering Lanie’s. | fought the urge to plug my nose.

This place needs to be soundproofed,” | snapped. “Or else | can’t sleep here another f ucking night.”

Mason walked in then, and | cut my eyes at him.

“You can tear the wood down when we leave,” Zane said, backing me up..

“Come on, you guys are being ridiculous,” Lanie said, But she had no idea how tortuous it was listening to her and Mason go at it. It would be even worse now that they were mates.

“| agree,” Malachi said. Like | cared what this s tupid old guy thought. Not that he looked old. He looked annoyingly hot and young, actually.

“None of you own Lanie,” he continued, gesturing toward her, “Why don’t you try asking her what she wants instead of pulling her every which way for a change.”

| opened my mouth, then closed it again, | looked at Zane, and his lips pursed into a tight line. Mason looked annoyed, but even he had nothing to say to that.

Lanie, on the other hand, crossed her arms, and the barest hint of a smile tugged at her lips. She was enjoying this.

“Now, Braden and | have more news to gather,” Malachi said, clapping his hands together. “We'll return soon, and this time, we better not see anyone out of bounds.”

They both turned and swept out of the cabin, Braden yanking the hammer out of Xander’s hand before he could protest “Where the f uck do they get off bossing us around like that?” | grumbled.

Tm the dinha” Maenn mumbled under his breath in a markinn unice: “I knew batte 1/3 than avarinne What was that?

“Nothing.” Mason said airily.

“| know what you're doing, and it won’t f ucking work, | sneered.

He was pushing me, probably trying to get me to leave for good this time.

“Not this shi t again,” Lanie snapped. “I’m taking a shower. No one bother me.”

She marched off to the bathroom after her announcement, leaving the three of us there alone.

Lanie | turned on the water as hot as | could stand and let it scald my skin..

This whole situation was ridiculous. Orion was out there, trying to steal my baby to build an army of unkillable wolves and we couldn’t keep the peace for three seconds in this house.

It was the sexual tension, and it was only going to get worse. | was already hornier than I’d been since before Stella was born...

My heat cycle was starting, and everyone was acting psychotic.

| thought back to what Malachi had told me: “Keep the doors open.”

If | leaned into the feelings | still had for Xander and Zane then maybe it would take care of some of the tension that was blowing up the house, but wouldn’t that hurt Mason? Wouldn't that be more trouble than it was worth?

| turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, slinging a towel around myself. As soon as |

stepped out, | bumped straight into Xander in the short, narrow hallway.

“Oh, sorry,” | said as he grabbed my arms to steady me, but then he didn’t let go.

Instead, he steered me backward until | was pressed against the wall.

He planted his hands against the wall on either side of me, caging me in.

“Wh-where is everyone?” | whispered.

“Outside,” Xander said. His voice was low and raspy. “I’m sorry, Lanie. | know I’ve been a huge a ss hole, but it’s just because |

can’t stand not being close to you. | can’t stand not touching you...not being inside you.”

My heart pounded, but I wasn’t scared. | was so turned on, | couldn’t think straight. My breathing turned heavy, and my eyelids drooped.

Xander’s nostrils flared, and he pressed himself against me, groaning into my ear.

His hard c ck twitched against my stomach. | wanted to drop the towel so badly, | wanted to unzip his pants and climb onto him, slide him inside of me.....

F uck, what was | thinking? | wasn’t, | couldn’t, my head was spinning...

He leaned down and nipped at my neck, the same place Mason had bitten me the night before.

“| f ucking need you, Lanie. I’m starving for you.”