Chapter 35

"Dash, what was that smell?" I asked as I caressed his chest.

"Hmm?"

He toyed with the inside of my thigh. He got teasingly close to my folds then drew back devastatingly.

"That was a power surge. Means the Alpha's mated a power wolf in this case his girlfriend."

"So I was smelling Gunner and Lilah's orgasm? Gross!"

He barked out a laugh. He leaned close and kissed my cheek then my neck.

"Forget him. He's moved on but Kaleb's moving in."

"Stop. Why do you have to be so possessive?"

"I'm a wolf, Zora. Of course, I'm going to be possessive."

I wanted to ask him why he was so hot and cold too but it was hard with his mouth on my neck.

"Can't you share?" I blurted out.

Dash sat up and raised a brow. "Share you? Like Oliver and Russel?"

"Umm, yeah?" I didn't realize I said that until the words were out of my mouth.

"Sweetheart. Alpha wolves don't share. It's taking everything in me not to knock his teeth out."

"I'm not your girlfriend though."

"I can't commit knowing I can't mark you and you have a mate out there."

I crossed my arms and puffed. I don't even know who the hell he is or if he's even real.

Dash pulled my chin so I faced him. "I wanted us to talk. You avoided me."

"We're talking now, right?"

"Yeah, but I want to do more than talk besides, I have work to take care of. Stupid of Gunner to pick the mating moon to pull an operation like this."

Dash leaned in to kiss me. I watched him adjust his sweats and leave. Now I had to find Cassidy.

***

Someone was pounding on my head. Wait, that's the door. The front door.

I pushed the blanket over my head and Cassidy squirmed beside me.

"Call the police," she murmured.

"Why would I do that?" I yawned.

"No one should be visiting at six in the morning," she moaned.

I looked around and grabbed my phone. It wasn't six in the morning it was nine in the morning. The sun blazed into my room.

I wasn't at Kaleb's house either. I was at my house. How did we end up here?

My room smelled like booze and something someone smoked last night. I slipped into a robe and ran downstairs.

I opened the door to two Alpha men on the other side.

Crap.

"Dash… Kaleb… come in."

"Why the hell would you come here? We had an agreement, Zora," Kaleb barked.

"I'm sorry. We got carried away last night I don't even remember getting home."

"My sister's here, isn't she? She's done it now."

I cringed. "Can we go to the living room? She wanted me to call the police on you guys. Did you only show up to make sure I was here?"

"That and Gunner's coming over," Dash said as we settled in the living room.

We startled the dust bunnies when we sat on the chairs.

Well, this was awkward. I needed to stop I couldn't keep stringing them along. I loved only one and I could only give myself wholly to one man. They both offered something different a fresh start and a taste of a beautiful but painful past.

"Why's he coming over?" I asked, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Apparently, you too have a deal?" Dash asked, accusation dripping from his tone.

Right, the birth certificate. I didn't think he'd get back to me so soon.

A knock came at the door. My heart skipped a beat. He's here. Oh my gosh, what did he find?

I was slightly shaking.

Since I didn't make a move, Kaleb got up to answer the door.

Dash leaned forward. "You're making deals with Gunner now? Didn't he ban you from the pack house?"

"It's not like that. I'm getting paid to help him."

Or at least I think he's serious about paying me.

"I've been helping you," he hissed.

"You've been busy. You need to find out who killed your Dad too."

Gunner and Kaleb walked into the living room. Every time these three men were in the same room my palms became sweaty and my heart pounded faster than normal.

"Zora," Gunner said before he sat.

"You work quickly," I said nervously.

He didn't have a folder or anything. He wore his usual checked shirt and dark blue jeans. I couldn't believe I inhaled his orgasm last night.

"What'd you find?" Dash asked, irritated.

"Well, I found a doctor's assistant old enough to be my Grandfather. Apparently, he worked for your doctor. Your Doctor Mr Fleming-"

I remembered the name. Mom and I visited him twice a month until I was sixteen.

"…skipped town after a confrontation with a man who didn't leave a name. Coincidentally or not he was asking about you," Gunner explained.

My eyes went wide.

"Anyway, that's not the best of it. He confirmed Mr Fleming solicited your adoption. He gave me one name. Astra Dean."

I stood and paced to the dining room where all my Mom's antiques lay cold and dusty.

"I know that name. I saw it on the old folk's home register. She came to visit someone."

"Well, Zora, that's the woman who gave you up for adoption."

I gripped my chest. My biological Mother. She visited Mr Dean. She's alive.

"Is that all?" My heart was thundering.

"No, the guys we picked up last night mentioned the Pandora. Yet again the only person with information is Mr Dean. Now it seems there's a connection between Mr Dean and you Zora."

"Gunner, you're not using Zora as bait," Dash stood.

Irritation and frustration dripped off him.

"I told you he's paying me," I said through clenched teeth.

"I am?" Gunner knitted his brows together.

"Yes, you are. If we don't find out what's going on first they'll just get to us first and that doesn't sound good," I replied.

"I don't like the idea either, dude, but Zora's right. The sooner we figure out who's hunting this Pandora the better. Then everyone will be safe," Kaleb said, his eyes saying a lot more than his mouth.

"You're not doing this alone; you know that right?" Dash asked softly.

I nodded.

It was awkward between us but I knew they had my back. Even the stubborn, arrogant and crazy Gunner.

"Let's do this then," I said.