Free Charming the Alphas (Hex My Heart, #5) by Talina Perkins

fueled with magick. Light surrounded them as a warm colored glow lit her skin. Like she said, wildfire and magick.
    “What’s going on, Lucian? What’s happening to me? To us?” Her gaze danced between her hands and him.
    “I don’t have all the answers for you, baby, but I do know we’ll take care of you. Your home is with me and with Zane. As long as you let us in, you’ll be safe.”
    Three thumps of her heart and not a vein in her body lacked the wave of lust that hit her.
    “And loved in every way your body can take us.”
    Before she could think, a deep moan slipped from her and that’s all the invitation he needed. With one hand on her bottom, he had her hauled up his body and had her legs wrapped around his middle. They let the moment carry them, and she loved how her body molded with his from to V of her sex all the way to their lips, never breaking contact.
    A sudden pinch sparked a different kind of fire and spread out from her neck until it had her pulling back. What the hell? “Stop... Lucian.” She broke their kiss. Something wasn’t right.
    Lucian grew tense beneath her. “Mara, what’s wrong? Are you worried about Zane? He went to get some food. Should be back soon.”
    She pressed a hand to her throat. “That’s not it.” She swallowed hard. Was it his mark that burned or Zane’s? The heat grew and sizzled along the tender flesh of her neck until she couldn’t tell which side burned more.
    “ARGH. We shouldn’t. I’m so sorry.” Stupid! She was so stupid letting herself get carried away in her emotions. In the rush of lust important details were shoved aside. They needed to clear their heads and find answers that would help them all out of the mess she’d created.
    Her mistakes had almost cost them their lives once already. She wasn’t about to force them to do something that could put them in harm’s way again. What if the chaos inside her spread to them when they tried to complete the mating? Then what?
    A spark of fear lit his eyes. “Ahh. I can see your beautiful mind working, but it’s not that easy, baby girl. You’re feeling our bond and wanting to complete the mating ritual. And the dragon’s blood is fighting it and your magick, I presume. God, I wish I could take the pain from you, give you firm answers but all I know right now is that we’re not leaving this room until we’re a family. Permitting you still want us.”
    Honestly, that scared her and excited her.
    Lucian nuzzled her neck and placed butterfly kisses along the slope of her shoulder and along her jaw. “I can smell your need for me. For us, Mara.” She closed her eyes, titled her head and let his words brush against her skin as he spoke. “Tell me how can we help?”
    You’ve already done so much . Lucian and Zane were her greatest weakness. Could she let them be her greatest strength? From what she understood, they’d been forced to bite her to save her. More than any of that, both men held high positions within their pack and she was a witch. Their shared history turned bloody once and cost thousands of lives. What was to say it wouldn’t happen again if the High Council wanted to twist tonight’s truth to their favor?
    Her brows pinched together. What a freaking mess. They’d taken more from her tonight—her job and now her home. Nothing survived the blaze left in their wake so the spell book was toast and all her childhood memories were ash by now.
    “Your home is with us. Let us help you make new memories, Marabelle.”
    She flinched and drew back to look into his eyes. “That makes twice you’ve done that. How?”
    “When we marked you, your emotions connected to ours. It’s not a complete bond yet where you’ll be able to read our thoughts, but if you settle your mind enough you’ll feel us too.”
    That deserved some thought and time to mull over for a while. More than she had right now, though.
    He lowered her slowly to the floor but didn’t release her from his embrace. “And I