“Why?” Even though it revealed her vulnerability, she couldn’t suppress the word.
“Why am I fascinated by you?” He sounded disbelieving, so she turned around, dislodging his arms in the process. He moved his hands to the rail and stared into her eyes as he waited for her to reply.
“You can have any woman you want. Enya was hostile until she realized we were in sync.”
“Enya was likely hostile because we’re in sync.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that she wants you.” He didn’t deny it, so she went on. “Are you leader of your clan?”
“Yes.”
He seemed reluctant to elaborate, but she wasn’t in the mood for evasions. “Explain how all this works. Why is Ian annoyed by our connection? Was he hoping to bond with me?”
“The most powerful male in each clan becomes alpha. The twelve most powerful alphas serve on the Alpha Council. All the clans are organized into four networks. Quinn and I belong to the Rocky Mountain Feline Network. There is a Southern Feline Network, Canine Network and the Minority Network. The most powerful alpha from each of these four networks becomes their network’s Prime.”
“Why are there two feline networks?”
“Because there are more feline shifters in RMFN than all the other networks combined. I don’t know why we’ve fared better than the other Therians, but it’s been that way for a very long time.”
“Are you your network’s Prime?” She’d had no idea it was this well organized, but she’d sensed authority in both men, the sort of confidence that only came with power.
“I am and so is Ian. And you’re right. He’s hoping you’ll join with him and become part of the Minority Network.”
“Does that mean it’s still my choice to make?”
“Of course.” He sighed, removing one of his hands from the rail as he brushed his hair back from his face. “Nothing will be forced on you, ever. Even if you don’t choose me, I’ll make sure no one harms you or pressures you needlessly.”
“If I don’t choose you?” Her mind stalled on the phrase, unable to move beyond the concept. “You want me to…bond with you permanently?”
He ran his knuckles across her cheek and smiled. “Don’t panic, sunshine. You know damn well I want you, but any permanent decision is a long way off. You don’t have to be afraid any longer. Any one of us would give our lives to protect you.”
“How very medieval of you.”
Despite her grumbling response, he chuckled then tilted her chin up and searched her gaze. “The concept might be antiquated, but I mean it literally. We are sworn to the Omni Prime. Your life and the life of anyone within your bloodline is more important than ours.”
“I refuse to accept—”
He placed his fingers on her lips, halting her words. “It doesn’t matter what you accept. The choice was ours to make. And when you are ready—regardless of how long that takes—you will choose the male who best meets your needs and balances your abilities.” His fingertips brushed over her face as he drew his hand away.
“I won’t have abilities of any importance until I’m defined.”
He nodded, his gaze lingering on her mouth. “That decision must be made sooner, but you still have time. Relax. Allow yourself to adjust to all these changes.”
Carissa hadn’t needed time to adjust. She’d learned all the secrets their mother had hidden from them and chosen her new life path while Ava ran and hid like a frightened rabbit.
Erin slid the door open and called, “Pizza’s almost ready.”
“We’ll be right in,” Kyle told her.
The warmth in his gaze made Ava smile. “Have you and your mother always been close?”
“Yes, but we became especially so after my father died.”
She nodded. “Death seems to do that to the ones left behind.” She’d thought she was close with Carissa until their mother died. Then they became inseparable, having no other family but each other. Or so they’d believed at the time.
Ava sat across from her sister as Erin set two steaming pizzas on the kitchen table. The men waited as Erin served the younger women then they attacked the rest of the gooey slices. They spoke of people Ava didn’t know and it made her feel even more like an outsider when she realized Carissa understood the references. Erin tried to include her in the exchange, but the conversation quickly became too lively to control.
Quinn and Kyle enjoyed exchanging playful insults while Ian remained quiet and watchful, his gaze frequently straying to Ava. He was handsome and imposing, but she felt no attraction, no elemental connection like the one she felt with Kyle. So it wasn’t Therian males as opposed to human men. She hadn’t felt the overwhelming urge to jump Jake’s bones. It was only Kyle who made her irrationally…horny. She’d always hated the word, but nothing else expressed the continual restlessness only his touch quieted.