"You've confused my little mate," he says.
Erik scoffs. "Little being the operative word," he says.
It is clearly a sensitive issue because the man bristles impressively, eyes flashing and teeth bared in a matter of seconds. He manages to get his animal in check and pull back before he attacks, but it is a close call. Erik can smell blood in his palms where he's holding his hands into tight fists. "You seem to have convinced her that if I did anything with her, I would end up in prison."
Erik grins, unrepentant. "That's good, then."
"What's your play, Alpha?" he asks. "First you come into my territory without permission, which I am fine with. You're free to do what you want. But then you hide in the trees and watch while I fuck my mate... and now, this? What are you trying to do?"
"I thought it was obvious," he says carefully. "I want what you have. I want her."
The man snarls and lunges at Erik, but he's prepared for that, side-stepping out of the way of his claws easily. The man lands on his hands and feet inside of his apartment, snarling.
"Relax," he says before things escalate. The last thing he wants to do is hurt the man who obviously means the world to the little Cat-girl. "If I intended to steal her from you, I would have done that already."
That gives Derek pause. He stands tall and stares at Erik as though seeing him for the first time. "Explain yourself," he demands.
"I've had plenty of opportunities to turn her against you, make her believe that you're only using her, but I haven't, had I? I merely told her what she already knows, what is obviously already worrying her otherwise she would not have been so easily scared. Your cubs wouldn't be recognized by the government. Your name is stated as her father in her birth certificated and in all the records that matter. What're you're doing with her is illegal."
"I'm not her father," Derek says icily. "What we do in bed is none of your concern."
"Ah, but that's not true, is it? You're her father in every way but blood, her father in all the way that counts. She's living with you and she's fully reliant on you. You are abusing your power over her."
"As if you are not," Derek says.
Erik shrugs, not seeing the point of denying what's true. He intends to take full advantage of her the moment he's given the chance. "I want to marry her," he says point blank. He has never been one to sugarcoat things. "And I don't see why you can't be in her life as well," he continues before Derek can decide whether he would rather deal with him or a dead body.
Derek freezes and his mouth opens and closes a few times. To his credit, he does not reject the idea straight away. "What do you have in mind?" he asks.
Erik grins.
Chapter Nine: Shared
Derek wouldn't say he's not jealous of how close his young charge and Erik has gotten, but he's not unhappy about it either. It was hard to even consider sharing her at first, but he knows it is his only option. After all, she is young and fertile and very much desirable. Already, he is fighting off more suitors than he can handle, forcing them off his territory and making sure that they stay away from her so she is kept safe. Having two Alphas to take care of her instead of just himself and his pack would make sure nothing bad ever happens to her.
He is intent on making sure she stays safe and happy.
As one of the few Lion Shifters left in the country, he has a lot of territories to handle, a lot of disputes to settle. He has responsibilities beyond his mate and as much as he loves his sweet little mate, she's also naive and a little of a magnet for trouble. He can't always be home and as much as he trusts his pack members, they have their own families and he doesn't want to burden them with her every time he's off chasing another suitor away.
She's a sweet little thing, too trusting for her own good. It doesn't surprise him that Erik fell for her so hard and fast. She's lovely, after all. He would have to be blind to not fall for her.
The difficult part was in the beginning, when she was worried about him giving her away. She had clung to him so desperately then, nails digging into his back and forming scratches that are deep enough that he is still wearing scars, even now. But the sex had been spectacular. She had never been particularly daring about what she wanted during sex, but at the threat of him leaving, she had pinned him underneath her and rode him like a little minx, rubbing her pussy against his cock and undulating her hips beautifully, trying to get him to come inside her as much as possible.
She had been quite a sight and he wishes he had pictures to commemorate. She had cries herself to sleep afterwards, completely wrung out and exhausted, so he busied himself pushing come back into her pussy and rimming her while she sniffles in her sleep. She is always loveliest when she's crying.
She had been terrible after he told her about what they had planned for her, Erik and him. Derek is a reasonable man. He knows that their relationship is taboo and that even though the entire town know they aren't truly related, Erik was right. He can't marry her, he can't have children with her without having the government breathe down their throats and it's impossible for their children to live normal lives.
Derek can give her that and so much more. He wants what's best for her.
Erik stays in the town, helping the new developments and construction projects that Erik has gotten rolling. He keeps himself busy and he keeps all of them busy too with all the construction workers coming in from out of town. Business has never been so good before. Ally finds work in the market near their home and she's the happiest Derek has ever seen her. With most of the new workers that Erik had brought in being part of his own pack, they didn't need to worry so much about her being led astray or tricked by anyone. Well, anyone else.
The most surprising thing about everything is just how patient the Alpha is with Ally.
Derek doesn't push, doesn't try to get her to do anything she's not ready to. He starts with fleeting kisses on her forehead, soft rubs between her ears and down her back. He lets her get used to his touch gradually and waits for her to come to him, to initiate their first kiss. Sweet little thing, she's worried about him getting jealous so she doesn't want to push, but when he tells her t
hat it's fine, that he likes seeing her kiss Erik, it's like she doesn't remember how to stop. She kisses him all the time now. She'll wake up in the morning and kiss them both, happily nestled between them.
Derek starts by watching Erik fuck her, letting her get used to his presence. She's embarrassed at first, flushing such a pretty shade of red that he can't help but fuck her harder, kiss more dark bruises on her skin and come inside her more than ever.