A Man’s Worth(Brac Pack 31)(23)

“Aren’t all of your sons mated?” Ahm asked. The question made him think of Bryce. If Abe flirted with Bryce, he was going to show the small fey what it meant to mess with a Shadow’s elf’s mate.

“Everyone knows Abe doesn’t make it personal. They guy is infatuated with someone new every week. I take it he’s got his sights set on you.” It wasn’t a question, which told Ahm that Malcolm—and the rest of the family—saw Abe’s actions as normal.

It wasn’t normal. How could anyone attach himself to a mated man? In his tribe, that was grounds for death. But the bears ignored Abe’s advances. What a strange family. He liked the Lakelands, but in Ahm’s eyes, they were a little too lenient with Abe. The man needed to be taught his place.

“I see you’re feeling better,” Malcolm said.

“A little sore,” Ahm admitted. “But well enough to get out of bed.” He wanted to ask where Bryce had gone off to, but Ahm’s pride wouldn’t allow him. He didn’t want to seem like he was chasing after the bear. He chased after no one. Although, secretly, Ahm was relieved Bryce was giving him another chance.

“Good, then I could use a hand outside.”

“Manual labor?”

Malcolm pinned Ahm with a questioning stare. “Afraid to get your hands dirty?”

Ahm bristled at the way Malcolm had phrased his question. As if Ahm was too soft to work hard. “I am very accustomed to hard work.”

A wide grin broke across Malcolm’s face. The look reminded Ahm of Bryce. And then he thought about the kiss they had shared upstairs. As badly as Ahm wanted the kiss to advance to more pleasurable things, he wasn’t going to beg. Bryce had backed away. Ahm had let him.

“Come on, the day’s already half over.”

It was only ten in the morning. How was it half over? Ahm was starting to wonder about these bears. They lived a very different lifestyle than the Shadow elves.

Stepping outside, Ahm’s eyes zeroed in on the horse that was corralled all by himself. He was large, black, and reminded Ahm of a noble warrior.

“This is Hell Raiser.” Malcolm waved a large and beefy hand toward the black horse. “He is going to make a fine breeding horse. The problem is, he is a little too frisky with the ladies. So, it’s come down to getting what we need from him and fertilizing the mares ourselves.”

Ahm gaped at Malcolm. “You want to teach your horse about sex?”

The knowing grin on Malcolm’s face made a chill race up Ahm’s spine. “No, Ahm. We are going to collect his sperm and use it to impregnate two handpicked mares.”

Ahm backed away. Visions he wished he never had again in life entered his mind and he wanted to scrub them away with a fucking scouring pad. “You’ve got to be joking!”

“I thought you said you weren’t afraid to get your hands dirty.”

“That’s disgusting.” Ahm was not…no, he wasn’t…hell no!

“Stop looking as if you are going to pass out. I just need you to hold him steady while the man I hired extracts his sperm. Do you know how valuable his little soldiers are?”

Ahm felt a little queasy. “You want me to hold his head while someone… Is there something else around here I can do?” Pride be damned.

Malcolm gave a booming laugh. “Go help Riley in the barn.”

Ahm quickly turned. He had to force himself not to run. He wasn’t only running from the idea of holding the horse’s head, but being anywhere close when the extraction began. That was just too damn bizarre.

As he entered the shady and cool barn, Ahm spotted the eldest brother on the far end. He was on his knees, leaning inside one of the stalls. The guy glanced up when Ahm approached him.

“Feeling better?” Riley asked.

“Much.” Ahm glanced down to see a goat lying down, its stomach extended. It was very clear the animal was pregnant. “Malcolm suggested I come in here to lend a hand.”

Riley waved Ahm closer. “Good. Rags is having a hard delivery. I’ll need some help.”

Ahm did not move closer. The goat made a strange noise, her head moving up, and then she laid it back down again.

“How are you going to help her?” Ahm asked.

“I need you to hold her head while I shove my hands up into her uterus and assist the kid down the birthing canal.”

Ahm quickly covered his mouth, bile rising to the back of his throat. He swallowed, and then swallowed again, hard. “You want me to hold her head while you do what?”

Fighting each and every sentinel in his tribe was starting to look promising.

“Just get in here and hold her head.” Riley moved the goat’s legs apart, and Ahm nearly lost his stomach contents. He had always considered himself a very brave man, but holding a goat’s head while Riley… Ahm felt a bit dizzy.