I slept like a baby and woke up like one too, wrapped in Terry’s big strong arms that held me tight like a vice. Before I opened my eyes, I focused on the strong beat of his heart against my back. We hadn’t shifted in our sleep—I was still the small spoon to his big one.

Waking up to his scent was better than waking up to the world’s best smelling coffee. It was still as intense and overwhelming as the first time I smelled it.

I wonder if that will ever wear off, I thought as I shifted in his arms. Or would I always be driven crazy by him every day, as though it was the first day we met all over again.

The sun was shining through the window. Terry didn’t appear to have a clock in his room, and of course I’d forgotten my phone back at the apartment, which was probably a good thing, but it appeared to be just around dawn.

Terry was sporting some serious morning wood, and I could feel it pressing against my cheeks. Slowly, I started to move against him, doing my best to coax him out of sleep in the sexiest way possible. Nothing better to wake up to, right?

“Mmmm,” Terry groaned. He moved back against me, but I couldn’t tell whether he was awake yet or just doing it in his sleep.

“Hey, baby,” I whispered.

“Mmmm,” he groaned again.

Definitely still sleeping.

Okay, I thought mischievously. Let’s step things up a notch…

I shifted forward slightly, putting a tiny bit of room between us. Then, I slid my hand behind him and grabbed his cock. I felt his sharp intake of breath as he stirred against me.

That did it.

“You’re naughty,” he moaned softly, kissing my ear as I started to stroke him.

“I saw you woke up with a little problem,” I replied. “Thought I might be able to help you with it.”

“We’re going to wear each other out,” he said, pressing his erection between my thighs.

I pushed back against him, readying myself to accept his massive girth again, but before I could, I heard a noise from outside.

A car engine. Voices. People racing outside.

“Wh—what is that?” I asked, but before I could finish, Terry was up on his feet and racing outside.

“Baby, wait!” I shouted, but he was already out the door. I threw myself out of bed and quickly slid into my shorts and raced out after him. More alphas were spilling outside, the rest of his pack, ones I’d never met. But none of them even glanced at me as they ran out the front door.

As I made my way out behind them, a scent hit my nose and I felt my heart sink as I realized what had happened. As the alphas in front of me took their positions, a space formed between then, and I came face to face with exactly what I’d feared—my brother.

“There he is!” Brad roared, aiming a finger at me. “Scotty, get your fucking ass over here now!”

“What the fuck is going on here!?” Terry shouted back.

“You!” Bradford snarled. “I bring you back to my house and you fucking run off with my kid brother!?”

“He’s my fated mate!” Terry replied. Despite the dangerous nature of the situation, my heart still swelled with pride at his words.

“Oh, puh—lease!” Brad scoffed. He wasn’t one for romance or sentiment. “He’s just a piece of ass to you, and you know it. And now he’s coming home with us.”

“Bullshit he is!” Terry roared.

But Brad had three alphas with him. I recognized Gregory, but the other two I didn’t know. But they were big.

On the other hand, Terry had three alphas with him. I could see how loyal they were. If this turned ugly, we’d have a huge fight on our hands. I may not have been the biggest fan of my brother, but he was still family and the last thing I wanted was my fated mate and my brother facing off in a fight to the death over me.

“Listen here, motherfucker,” Bradford shouted back. “This is just a taste of the shitstorm I’m going to bring down on you and your friends if you don’t step aside. Do you know who the fuck I am?”

“I do,” one of Terry’s pack growled from beside me. I could just tell by the way he carried himself that he was the leader. He was tall, thick and muscled, with dark curls on his head and chest. He was wearing a simple pair of sweat pant shorts and nothing else. He placed a hand on Terry’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him. “You’re Bradford Vanderton.”

Hushed whispers broke out from the rest of his pack. My family’s name was well known in these parts, but I could tell there was a special significance to this pack.

“You must be Preston,” Brad replied, crossing his arms. “After we let you assholes slide you really wanna fuck with us again?”

“I’m just learning about this, Brad,” Preston said slowly. He turned to me and eyed me with part suspicion and part protection. “This is your brother?”

“Sure is,” he replied. “And he’s under strict supervision. Pops will not be happy if word of this gets out.”

I felt like a spotlight was being shone on me from somewhere high above. All eyes were on me and there was nowhere to hide. I wanted to crawl under a rock.

“He’s my fated mate!” Terry protested again.

“Blah, blah, blah,” Brad retorted. “We’ve got plans for Scotty and let me tell you something—they don’t include you!”

Terry was ready to shift. I could feel it. And that couldn’t happen. I had to do something, and despite everything that I felt inside, I knew what decision I had to make—so I made it.