Love of Enemies

Locked And Loaded

I've never felt so thoroughly used and adored. Literally, ever. It's weird, but I don't hate it.

I come to, and Axel is on his back, one arm around my shoulders, with me pressed to his side.

"Welcome back, princess."

"Hi," I murmur, stretching my bones.

Nash has his body flush with mine, chin resting on my upper arm and hand on my hip. Luca is sitting by my feet, his legs under Axel's, mine across his lap. Bowie exhales loudly and drops by Axel's head, leaning over and planting a kiss on the top of mine.

"I was serious about getting a different couch," Luca says gently, rubbing my ankle.

My pulse freezes. Damn it.

"Been telling you to trash that thing for years," Axel rumbles with a chuckle, bouncing my head. "Who knew all it would take is a pretty face?"

"We should get a sectional." Bowie threads his fingers through my hair, freeing a few tangles.

"If we get one oversized chair, she'd be forced to sit on our laps," Nash murmurs, giving my arm a languid kiss.

"Yeah, but then I'd have to touch you." Luca gags exaggeratedly, and Nash pops up. That skin-on-skin thwack happens again, and everyone laughs. Everyone but me.

I can't swallow around...whatever emotion this is. Fear? Is this emotional fear? Absofuckly not.

Launching to my feet and employing my fastest vampire speed, I get redressed before they fully react.

Axel sits up first, brow low. "What are you doing, princess?"

"You're all talking like I give one shit what you do with your furniture," I shout, finally locating my jacket and jerking it on.

"Like I'm—like we're—"

"If you think you and our marks are going anywhere other than home with us, you're delusional." Axel is on his feet and in my face the next second.

"Me?" I scoff a laugh so loud it hurts my own ears. "I'm the delusional one? You really think I, one of The Monarch's top regulators, am going to just upend my life and move into a sweaty, disgusting wolf den just because you're the best fucks I've ever had and probably ever will?"

"We're more than that, pretty girl, and you know it. I can tell you love us just like we love you. We can all tell." Nash stands, but doesn't come near me. Good decision. I sniffle.

Axel is less cloyingly sweet with his reaction. He grabs my throat and shoves me against the wall again, but this time, it's an attack. There's fear in his eyes and anger in the curl of his lip. I claw at his skin, fighting for freedom even as tears break loose.

His body presses against mine painfully, driving me into the plaster. My heart dives into my shoes and flips back over my head, and I hate it. I hate the way I need this. The way I want this. Him. Them. It's not possible. Sex, sure. Love?

I can't even think that word.

"You think I waited my whole fucking life to be slammed over the head with a mate bond," he snarls through gritted teeth, nose jammed against mine, "only to let the one person to ever get a piece of my heart walk away?"

"This can't be a thing. You said so yourself. Region-wide nightmare. That's me. Literally my middle—"

My eyes widen. Ammunition locked and loaded, I shove him back with all my might, kneeing him in the nuts in the process.

"God damnit," Axel wheezes, bending at the waist with a slight sway.

"Fucking shifters." I wipe my face with a grunt as the other three rally around Axel's hunched form. "Love. You love me, huh? What's my name? Hmm? Tell me that!"