Free Circe's Recruits 4: Hale by Marie Harte Page A

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