Marie Harte - Hale

“You could have been hurt or captured, dickhead. You know that area was swarming with mutants and rogue Circs just two nights ago. What the hell were you thinking?”

“That I don't need to ask permission to leave the fucking house,” Hale snarled and shoved Roane back.

Everyone stared in shock. No one challenged Roane's leadership. They never had, not in the eight years they'd been together. And especially not Hale, Roane's best friend.

But Hale couldn't contain his anger. He was pissed that Paige was in danger, that his female hadn't yet submitted more than her body. That she still clung to McKinley…

Throughout the night, Hale had been plagued with thoughts of Robbie as well. Odd, lustful, violent thoughts that made him hard and made him want to tear into someone.

He didn’t want the creature tied up in front of him. He wanted Paige. He wanted Hale.

Not blood and sex, but love. Another burst of ecstasy filled him as he released his seed…

“Hale, snap out of it, dammit.” Roane shoved him into his seat and waved his hand before his face.

“Wh-what?” All around him, his brothers looked concerned. Hale wiped a hand over his face. “What's wrong?”

“ You’re wrong,” Derrick said. “You looked ready to go toe-to-toe with Roane, and then your eyes rolled back in your head, and you nearly cracked your thick skull on the floor. Roane caught you.”

“Don't thank me,” Roane growled. He poked Hale hard in the chest and sat down next to him. The others sat as well. “You tell me every damned thing that happened last night. Now .”

“I—”

“Now, Hale,” Doc agreed as he entered the room. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot on the serving table and joined them. “This looks like a fascinating discussion.”

“I'm fine. Everything's okay,” Hale began. “Last night, after, well, after that mating heat struck, I needed to get out of here.” Thankfully, Roane nodded but said nothing. “I had planned to go downtown. Find a few friends. But instinct told me to backtrack to Paige's house. I took an alternate route to get there and found Paige.” For some odd reason, he paused, not sure whether to mention McKinley's presence. He needed to talk to Paige about him first. Not that he planned to keep anything from his family—his friends—but he felt uncomfortable discussing McKinley with anyone else just yet.

“Go on, Hale,” Doc prodded.

“Anyway, I met her just as a bunch of PPA were coming after her. We ran, then drove back here.” But not before we stopped to fuck like rabid bunnies.

Roane's eyes narrowed, as if aware Hale was holding back.

“Wait a minute. You drove back here with Paige?” Doc asked. “She's here? Now?” Hale nodded. “She's sleeping in my room. We had a rough night.”

“No shit.” Ace whistled. “So Doc's mystery niece is finally found, eh? Good job, Hale.”

“Not bad,” Zack seconded his mate.

“Is she all right? Does she need medical attention?” Doc sounded nervous.

“She's fine,” Hale reassured him. “Just tired.” He turned to Roane. “I didn't get any sleep last night either. It's been a rough couple of days. I'm sorry, about before.”

“Don't sweat it.” Roane pounded him on the shoulder. But Hale had the sense Roane wouldn't let this go. “So you've told us everything, right, playboy? Nothing else we need to know?”

Shit . Hale fought the urge to squirm. Roane always could see right through him.

“Uh, well. I can tell you she's Circ.”

“She is?” Doc should have sounded happier, but instead, he sounded distressed.

“You saw her change ?”

“Not exactly.” Hell. This was going to be embarrassing. He didn't mind admitting to sex with a beautiful woman. But this woman happened to be Doc's niece. He swallowed. “See, when we were together, in the close confines of the SUV, there was this chemistry. I'm not sure if it was because of our mating heat last night or not, but another heat struck me out in town. Really hard.” Roane blinked and sat back. He started to smile, glanced at Doc, and muted his amusement. He coughed into his hand. “So you and Paige…?”

“Yeah, me and Paige,” Hale huffed, wishing he didn't have to announce the details to everyone. Then again, there were few secrets in this tight group. Where everyone depended on everyone else, lies didn't belong.

“Oh.” Doc didn't seem upset, which put Hale at ease. He looked thoughtful. “Did you experience this the other night? A sense of sexual need?”

“Doc,” Zack complained. “Do we have to talk about sex before breakfast?”

“Yeah. Sex and Hale before coffee is just wrong.” Ace grimaced and stood to grab himself a cup.

“Kind of,” Hale answered, glaring at the pair. “There was an attraction to her scent. But nothing as potent as last night. I couldn't stop it. I tried, but it was a powerful thing.” And so damned right, he wanted to do it again.

“Interesting.” Doc took a sip of coffee. “We have three mated sets of Circs, one expectant female, and one unmated male. Your attraction might be the result of Kelly's powerful pheromones. She's throwing Caitlyn and Sabrina into early ovulation, trying to extend procreation throughout her 'family.' The more babies, the stronger the chance that you Circs will continue. As an unmated male, you're not furthering your 'species,' per se.”

“Tell me he didn't just say Caitlyn's ovulating.” Roane ran a hand over his face.

“Sabrina too?” Derrick asked, stunned.

“It's not Kelly. It's much more than that,” Hale automatically protested, then wished he hadn't.

Derrick nodded. “Has to do with those weird-ass dreams you've been having lately, I'll bet.”

“ What ?”

“You talk in your sleep, hoss. And the name Paige is one you've mumbled a time or two.”

“Hale Rogers, you and I need to have a talk.” Doc opened his mouth, no doubt to blast Hale with another lecture about full disclosure, when Paige walked into the kitchen. “Paige?” Doc whispered.

“I'm sorry. I'm intruding. I should—”

“Stay.” Hale hurried from his seat to intercept her. “Please. Come and meet Doc, so the rest of them will leave me the hell alone.” She regarded him with a curious half smile, and his beast purred with satisfaction.

She’s here, and she’s mine.

“Paige, I'd like you to meet Evan Dennis, our Doc. Doc, this is Paige Masters,” Hale said. “I believe she's your niece.”

Hale had to pull her closer to meet Doc. She ignored the other Circs, her attention riveted on her uncle.

“You know, you look exactly like your mother,” Doc whispered. Tears filled his blue eyes, and Hale felt a pang for the mild-mannered man.

“I do? I've never seen a picture of her. They wouldn't let me have one when I asked. And I used to ask a lot.”

Doc quickly stood. “I think I have one in my study. Would you like to sit down and talk for a while? Would you mind?”

Paige turned to Hale. To his relief, she didn't seem panicked or upset, just unsure of herself.

“Go on.” Hale gently pushed her toward Doc. “He can answer a lot of questions for you. And he is your uncle, you know.”

She bit her lower lip, looking at him as if he had all the answers, then turned and followed Doc from the room. Hale watched her go, his heart full at just the sight of her.

When he turned around, it was to find his friends staring at him with shit-eating grins.

“What the hell are you looking at?”

Derrick burst into laughter. “Oh man. Playboy's finally fallen. That was priceless.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Dude, you were looking at her with that lovesick expression Zack makes when he stares at Kelly,” Ace said with a chuckle.