Possession (The Mate Games 3)

“So it’s a boy?” Kingston asked, hope brightening his voice.

“Hey, girls can be Alphas too. Remember?” I said, poking him hard in the ribs.

“Ouch,” Kingston winced, playfully rubbing his side.

Doc used that moment as an opportunity to get out from under Ronin’s disapproving stare. “I’d better see to that daughter of yours. She’s not letting me stitch up her wound. Stubborn as her mama.”

Diana sighed. “She was waiting for Sunday to be in the clear before letting you help her. Go on, she’s in the kitchen with her sisters. Tessa is dutifully putting pressure on the gash.”

“Good girl. At least someone here has their head on straight.”

As soon as Doc and Diana left, the mood changed, and Ronin leveled his gaze on Kingston and me.

“Tell me about the fae,” he ordered, pinning me with a hard stare.

“They came out of the trees. Two of them. They didn’t say much, but it was clear they meant to take me.”

He growled. “The absolute fucking nerve. Coming onto our land. Stealing what’s ours.”

Kingston threaded our fingers as he took the seat next to me on the couch. “Dad, how did they even get here?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. I have a call to make. Excuse me.”

Ronin left as quickly as he’d come in. Kingston and I exchanged wary but amused glances.

“Is he always like that?”

Still staring in the direction his father had gone, Kingston shook his head. “No. Not even a little.”

“Well, we leave tomorrow. Maybe this has been stressful for him. I know it has been for me.”

That got Kingston’s attention. He squeezed my hand tight. “I’m sorry about that, Sunshine. This was supposed to be a break from all that bullshit. A little bit of happy after all the crap you’ve been dealing with.”

I cupped his cheek, giving him a soft kiss. “It was. Honestly. Even the Phe stuff wasn’t so bad. I think we cleared the air, and if we’re not exactly friends now, we’re at least on speaking terms, so that’s a win, right?”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Right.”

I hesitated, the other things she said to me echoing in my mind. I looked away, biting my lip.

“I know that look. What’s on your mind, baby?”

Taking a steadying breath, I steeled myself to broach the subject. “She told me how bad it was right after I said no.”

His gaze went hard. “She shouldn’t have told you that.”

“No, she shouldn’t have.Youshould have.”

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m past it. We’re together.”

“But you were so–”

“Drop it, Sunday.”

That shut me up. But knowing the truth made every single moment we had together more precious. I’d never take him for granted again.

“Fine, but if you ever want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

He looked at me, an odd sort of anxious energy radiating out of him and making his eyes burn bright.