Aidan dropped his hand from Zane’ neck but kept his other hand clasped around his mate’s. Zane opened his eyes and looked at Aidan questioningly.

  “You need to rest.” Aidan turned and led Zane back into the bedroom—where an irritated Gabe and an angry looking Mika stood waiting for them. Shit! Aidan didn’t know why he suddenly felt like a kid who got busted sneaking back into the house after curfew, but he didn’t care for it one bit. Zane’s snort of laughter behind him didn’t help any, either.

  “Looks like someone’s in trouble,” Zane thought and Aidan shot him a nasty look. The smirk on Zane’s face made Aidan want to turn the man over his knee. And that thought had Aidan’s cock jerking. A hiss from Gabe drew Aidan’s gaze to him and he realised Gabe was glaring at his cock… and that he and Zane both were bare-assed naked.

  Aidan stopped so quickly Zane slammed into his back and groaned at the shock to his injured body. Aidan reached back and placed a gentle hand on Zane’s hip, trying to offer comfort with the small touch.

  “Do you mind?” Aidan arched his brows and glared at Gabe and Mika.

  Gabe started to speak but Mika shook his head. “Not very well. What the fuck is going on?”

  A soft puff of air brushed against Aidan’s neck as Zane laughed silently. “Glad you find this so amusing.” Aidan tried to keep the anger he felt from the thought. Having two nosy men glaring at him grated on his nerves. That they were doing so out of concern for his mate tempered his anger some, and Aidan vowed to try to remember that their reasons for being so…annoying were based on good intentions.

  Taking a deep breath, Aidan forced down his anger. “Would it be okay if I got dressed and Zane got back in bed before we have this discussion? His body is nearly shaking with exhaustion.”

  Gabe stepped forward, stopping only when Mika grabbed the back of his mate’s belt. “Then maybe you shouldn’t be tiring Zane out!” Anger brought red slashes to Gabe’s cheeks, but it was guilt that brought them to Aidan’s.

  Once again, he had put his body’s needs before his mate’s health. What kind of mate was he, to be so selfish? He deserved whatever ire Gabe and Mika—and Zane, for that matter—tossed his way.

  Zane tensed against Aidan’s back, and he extended a hand forward, letting it brush against Aidan’s for a brief second before dropping it back to his side. Aidan felt his mate’s confusion. Zane’s need to reassure Aidan that everything that had happened between them earlier was fine battled with his mate’s fears and self-loathing. Aidan ached to comfort the man, but now was definitely neither the time nor place, and even if it were, it would take more than a few softly murmured words from Aidan to ease Zane’s fears. And how could he do that when he was busy doubting his own actions and thoughts?

  “You,” Gabe snapped, clearly out of patience, “get dressed, then you can tell me what the hell happened to my mattress.” He turned and took Mika’s hand, leaving the bedroom so suddenly the silence seemed to ring in Aidan’s ears.

  “How’d he know about the mattress?” Zane wondered. Aidan pulled him to his side and they both looked at the now-made bed. They saw the stuffing on the floor at the same time. Twin ‘ohs’ echoed in the room.

  Zane shook his head, the movement stiff, from physical pain or emotional discomfort, Aidan couldn’t tell. “Come on, how could you not notice that when you were flipping the mattress?”

  Aidan fought the temptation to topple Zane onto said mattress. Instead, he leant over and pulled down the blanket and sheets. He pulled Zane over and, gesturing to the bed, ran his hand over Zane’s round ass.

  “I was more than a little distracted.” And am getting so again, Aidan thought as he watched Zane crawl onto the bed. Zane carefully positioned himself on his back and reached for the covers. Aidan batted his hands aside.

  “I’ll do that.” Aidan tugged the sheets and blanket up to Zane’s chest. He looked at his mate and Gabe’s accusations replayed in his mind. Aidan leant over and placed a chaste kiss on Zane’s lips. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been taking very good care of you.”

  Zane reached up and grabbed Aidan’s shoulders before he could straighten up. Surprise rippled through Aidan as Zane pulled him back down until their lips brushed together.

  “I think you’ve been taking very good care of me,” Zane murmured before slanting his mouth over Aidan’s and running his tongue over Aidan’s lips. Aidan opened and let Zane in, twining his tongue with his mate’s as need reared up and clawed at Aidan’s insides. He got tenuous control on his body and licked Zane’s lips as he ended the kiss. Zane’s pleasure was palpable, his sincerity touching Aidan in a way that he had never experienced before.

  Aidan rested his forehead on Zane’s and rubbed their noses together before he realised what he was doing and stopped. What kind of a mushy idiot was he? And when had he become one? Aidan stood and pushed the thoughts away. He studied Zane, felt his mate doing the same to him in return. The wound on Zane’s shoulder was much better, and the bruises on the man had faded even more since this morning. The bags under his eyes, however, fuelled Aidan’s guilt.

  “Get some sleep. I’ll be back with lunch for you in a bit.” Aidan waited until Zane nodded. He left the bedside and found his clothes. They were rather dirty but Aidan hadn’t thought to grab his bag from the truck. Well, there was no help for it right now. He kicked aside his underwear and pulled on his jeans. Glancing at the shirt, Aidan decided not to wear it. He would see if Mika and Gabe would let him use their washing machine…if they weren’t intent on kicking him out, anyway.

  Grinning as he walked to the bedroom door, Aidan thought that if they did want him to leave, at least he and Zane would go somewhere they would have some privacy. One thing was for certain—there was no way that Aidan would leave here without his mate.

  Chapter Ten

  The sound of angry voices woke Zane from a light sleep. That, and the anger and amusement he felt coming from Aidan. The man couldn’t seem to decide which feeling was the most appropriate. Zane opened his mind fully and felt the fondness Aidan had for Gabe, the bit of envy for Mika and admiration for both men. The irritation Aidan felt over the ass-chewing he was getting, along with the jealousy Zane felt over his mate appreciating Mika’s ‘feisty’ and ‘sexy’ mate had Zane rising out of the bed. He looked around and decided clothes were too much trouble. Wrapping the blanket around his waist, Zane groaned as the movement taxed his already sore body. Tough shit, he thought. He wasn’t going to lay back while Aidan assaulted him, unintentionally or not, with his feelings about Gabriel Staley.

  Zane opened the door and snuck down the hall. He knew they would scent him soon enough, or at least Mika and Aidan would.

  “That doesn’t mean you should be mauling the man! Damn it, Aidan, he looked like he was at death’s door less than twenty-four hours ago!” Gabe’s voice rang with accusation.

  “Not to mention the fact that he might not be a willing participant, not if he was healthy—” Mika sounded protective and disgusted. How he managed it, Zane had no idea, but he’d already heard enough. He sped up and stumbled into the kitchen when the edge of the blanket slipped from his grasp.

  Aidan, Mika and Gabe all ran towards him, but it was Aidan who pushed to the front and caught Zane, holding him tightly with one hand and grabbing the blanket with the other. Zane could feel the intense glare from his mate. He looked up and met Aidan’s eyes.

  “I told you to get some sleep.” Aidan’s voice was closer to a growl than anything else.

  Zane shrugged and winced. By the time he remembered that his shoulder was injured, it would probably be healed. “I’m not your bitch.”

  Anger sparked in Aidan’s eyes as his lips thinned with displeasure. Too bad. Zane might submit to the man sexually—okay, he did submit to the man sexually and loved it—but that didn’t mean Aidan was going to control everything else in Zane’s life.

  “Enough, you two.” Mika stepped to their sides and pushed them apart. Gabe slipped in and looped an arm around Zane’s waist and led him to a chair. Zane shot Aidan a quick glare and slapped Gabe’s prodding hand away. Mika’s growl was a warning not to do it again, and Zane nodded in acknowledgement of that fact.

  “Stop it, Gabe, before I piss Mika off any more.” Zane tried to lean away from Gabe’s questing hand as the man reached for Zane’s sore ribs.

  “I’m just checking to see how you’re healing, geez. Chill out.” Gabe’s exasperation showed in his touch, which wasn’t as gentle as it could have been. Zane grunted, and Aidan’s head snapped up and his shoulders stiffened. Zane wanted to laugh. It was like a roomful of testosterone-crazed alphas…and that could be dangerous, because it wasn’t like, it was. And two of those alphas, Aidan and Mika, were definitely ready to butt heads. Add to that their mates touching another man and it could be an explosive situation. Zane darted a glance at Mika and saw the tensing of the man’s muscles. A quick glimpse of Aidan and Zane felt a trill of fear.

  “Gabe, stop.”

  Gabe’s eyes met his, narrowed with irritation then widened when Gabe finally realised their mates were pulsing with anger. He nodded and dropped his hands from Zane’s side and stepped back. Spinning around, Gabe pointed to Mika.

  “Cut it out, caveman. Your chest-thumping is gonna get you a night on the couch.” Mika’s eyes widened in alarm, then he lunged for Gabe and pulled him to his side. A loud grunt left Mika as an elbow from his mate smacked into his ribs.

  “You will pay for that and the threat both,” Mika promised as he stared at his mate.

  Gabe grinned so big Zane thought it looked painful. “I’m counting on it.”

  Okay, so he could maybe see why Aidan was a bit envious. Damn it. Aidan inhaled sharply and Zane had a sinking feeling he hadn’t blocked that thought like he should have. Not daring to look at his mate just yet, Zane instead looked at Mika.

  “What is the problem? Is it just that you think I’m too fucked up to know what I’m doing? Both mentally and physically?” Zane watched Mika’s mouth do a fine imitation of a goldfish. “Or is it just one of the two?”

  Gabe squeaked when Mika tightened his arm around him to keep Gabe quiet. “So what, Zane? I’m supposed to think the man who kicked me out of his pack for being gay just suddenly decided to be gay himself?” Mika snorted and shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way.”

  No, he knew it didn’t work that way. He felt Aidan watching him and would have bet the man was standing with his arms crossed over his chest. A quick glimpse told Zane he was right. He sighed as he realised he was going to have to explain everything, and not just to Aidan. Mika—and Gabe as well—also deserved to know the truth. If after that, Mika and Gabe wanted him to leave, he would do so immediately. And if it humiliated him to tell the tale, it was no worse than he deserved.

  Zane had been so focused on his own thoughts that he hadn’t heard Aidan approach. Aidan stepped in front of Zane and bent at the waist. He cupped Zane’s cheeks and tipped his head up. “You do not have to explain anything to them.”

  “Just to you?” That came out a bit bitchy and Zane hadn’t meant it to be. He smiled at Aidan, trying to soften the words. “Yeah, I do. They deserve it, and more importantly, so do you.”

  Aidan studied him intently. “Are you sure? We can leave. I can have Marcus send someone for us, or rent a car and we can go home.”

  Home? Zane wasn’t sure where that was any more. His doubt must have shown on his face, because Aidan’s expression hardened.

  “My home, Zane. You’re my mate; that makes it your home, too.” Zane felt Aidan battering at his mental shield again and had to struggle to keep the man out. He didn’t want Aidan knowing what a confused mess he was. Probably too late for that, but right now, there was too much racing around in his head for him to comfortably share.

  Zane looked over Aidan’s shoulder. “Can everyone sit down so I don’t have to keep looking up at you all?”

  Mika and Gabe walked over to the table and sat. Aidan stood and scooted Zane’s chair around—like he couldn’t do it himself, Zane fumed. He was injured, not a freaking invalid.

  “Wow, you look pretty pissed for someone whose mate was trying to be considerate,” Gabe pointed out. And why was the man taking up for Aidan now when only moments ago he’d been reaming him? Zane shook his head and gave up trying to figure out Mika’s mate.

  “I can turn my own damn chair around,” Zane said and wanted to smack himself for that bitchy tone that permeated his voice. Again.

  Mika snorted and Gabe rolled his eyes. Aidan clenched his jaw and just looked at Zane, frustration evident in his stance.

  “Fine.” Zane raised his hands up in surrender. “I’m an asshole, but that’s nothing new.” Aidan’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Zane. Sighing, Zane let his hands drop to the table. “Will you just sit down?” He looked at his hands and fisted them. “Please.”

  He saw Aidan move out of the corner of his eye, but the hand that squeezed his uninjured shoulder still startled him. Zane wasn’t expecting the touch or the feelings it stirred up inside him. Sure, he was Aidan’s mate, but that didn’t mean the man had to be kind, compassionate, protective, or anything like that. Did it? He couldn’t figure it out, and trying to frustrated the hell out of him.

  Aidan pulled his chair up beside Zane’s, close enough that their shoulders bumped. That innocent touch sent a jolt straight to Zane’s prick, and he closed his eyes, trying to will away the erection that had sprung up. A hand closed over his and he opened his eyes to find Aidan entwining their fingers, bringing their palms together on the table top.

  That simple, comforting touch had Zane’s eyes stinging, and he blinked away the sensation. He would not be a weeping wuss, for shit’s sake. Aidan squeezed Zane’s hand and leant in to press his lips to Zane’s cheek. The stinging kicked back in and Zane blinked furiously.

  “You don’t have to do this,” Aidan’s voice was barely even a whisper against Zane’s ear.

  “Yes, I think he does,” Gabe butted in before Zane could answer. “Mika deserves to know, and it would really help me to make up my mind whether or not I like Zane. Right now, I keep bouncing back and forth between feeling protective of him and wanting to kick his ass.”

  Aidan started to rise but Zane used his grip on the man’s hand to pull him back down.

  “Stop, okay? He has every right.” Zane gave in to his impulse and reached for Aidan with their link. Instead of the instant rush of Aidan’s presence in his mind, Zane only felt a reassuring presence, as though Aidan was holding back in an attempt not to intrude. Zane sent him a small smile before facing Mika and Gabe.

  “Gabe,” Zane shook his head. “It doesn’t matter why, really. I still did what I did, so you can stick with the ‘wanting to kick his ass’ thing.” He held Gabe’s gaze, refusing to look away from the man’s probing eyes. Mika murmured something in Gabe’s ear, and Gabe shook his head, never breaking eye contact with Zane.

  Finally, Gabe leant forward and placed his elbows on the table, bringing his hands palms up to rest his cheeks on. “I reserve the right to do just that if you don’t have a fucking brilliant reason for what you did. Then again, if you hadn’t…” Gabe turned to look at Mika, giving him a once-over before facing Zane again. “I wouldn’t have found Mika, so maybe I won’t kick your ass either way.”

  Zane shook his head. Gabe finding Mika was a stroke of luck, or maybe it was Fate, but it wasn’t because of Zane. Clearing his throat, Zane tried to compose his thoughts and figure out where to begin.

  “Just start at the beginning. With your mother’s death.” Aidan’s calm thoughts helped Zane to settle his nerves.

  “I don’t know that it’s necessary to go that far back—”

  “It is,” Aidan interrupted out loud. “You just don’t realise it yet.”

  What the hell did that mean? And how could Aidan know that if Zane didn’t know it himself? Then again, Zane knew it wasn’t as though he had a lot to lose.

  “Aidan seems to think I should start way back with my mother’s death.” Zane looked at Mika. “I don’t know that I need to go back that far.”

  “I think you do.” Mika didn’t even hesitate to give his opinion. Gabe nodded as well.

  Zane leant back in his chair. He owed these people, his mate included.

  “When I was three, my mother fell to her death off one of the cliffs at Gila. She was found by her brother, my Uncle John.” Zane thought about the bandage Aidan had ripped off in one quick move. Maybe he could make this experience as brief. “My father was alpha. When I was four, he put a gun to his head and killed himself.” Images of the terrifying scene rushed through Zane’s head. He heard Aidan’s sharp gasp and quickly tried to shut him out. Those were memories he wouldn’t wish on anyone.

  “No!” Aidan’s harsh command startled Zane enough that he quit trying to force the man out of his head. He looked at Aidan and wanted to argue that it was his head. One glance of the determination in Aidan’s deep brown eyes and Zane rethought his position.

  “You didn’t tell me you were there.” Aidan kept Zane’s hand in his. With his other hand, he reached over and stroked Zane’s thigh. It wasn’t a sexual touch. Zane could have handled that easily. But that damned attempt to comfort had Zane feeling things he didn’t have a right to feel.

  Zane turned back to face Mika and Gabe.

  “I remember.” Mika’s eyes narrowed as he studied Zane. “Didn’t your uncle find him, too?”

  A bitter smile twisted Zane’s lips. “Yeah, sure did. I had been asleep in my bed. A loud noise woke me up and I wanted my father.” Zane couldn’t repress the shudder the memory caused. “I got out of bed and went to his bedroom, but he wasn’t there. Then I went into his office…and there was my father. And Uncle John.”