“Okay?” Aaron asked, his breath puffing warmly against Marshall’s ear, and that tingle of desire went through him again. He nodded, and together they stepped into the hallway. A few feet away, Saint was in a defensive stance, facing two large identical looking men, who were, in turn, shielding Darcy and an older woman.
Sam was between them, glaring at them all, all façade of a gentle giant gone.
“Stand down!” Sam told them. “This is my clinic, and I will not have any fighting in here.”
“The kitty cat started it,” one of the men said, dark blue eyes boring into Saint.
Marshall didn’t need to be standing next to Saint to see his friend’s lip curl as he replied.
“I protect what’s mine. You came in here like some avenging angels, looking for trouble,” Saint snarled back.
“This is Pack property, and we protect the Pack from any and all threats.”
The air grew thick with tension as the shifters faced off against each other. Marshall didn’t need this to escalate any further.
“Saint, stand down,” he called.
Saint didn’t even flinch. Marshall sighed, running a hand down his face. What a fucking day! Drawing himself up as best he could, he put on his best commanding officer’s voice. “Saint! Stand the fuck down, or so help me, I’ll put you down myself.”
“You and what army, Marsh?”
The reply stabbed at Marshall. He knew his friend wasn’t deliberately pointing out Marshall’s weakness. It had always been a joking reply just before he and Marshall had gone onto the mats.
Before Marshall could yell at his friend though, Aaron let out a low growl that reverberated along the corridor. Goosebumps raised on Marshall’s skin, and he flicked a glance at the man next to him. Amber eyes were molten as Aaron glared at the men.
The twins immediately relaxed their stance and dropped their heads to the side, baring their necks in submission. Even Saint straightened and took a few steps back.
“Thank you,” Sam said with a nod to Aaron. Turning his attention back to the men in front of him. “Now, what the hell is going on? You two know better than to come into my clinic and cause a scene, especially when I have patients.”
One of the men went to speak, but a hand in his face stopped him. “And, when one of those patients is our Alpha, I certainly expect better behavior from the both of you.”
Marshall was amused to see that both men—who looked like they could easily put the doctor on the ground in seconds—nodded meekly and mumbled apologies.
“I apologize, Doc,” Saint said, dipping his head at Sam. “They came in and took me by surprise. I immediately went into defensive mode. I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”
“Thank you, Saint. I completely understand. You weren’t to know who they are, and you’ve been looking out for Marshall for a while now.”
Marshall was proud of his friend for apologizing, but it still annoyed him that Saint had to look out for him. A wave of dizziness swept through him. Strong hands grabbed his upper arm, steadying him. At Aaron’s touch, goosebumps rose on Marshall’s skin as what felt like an electric current raced through him, making him gasp.
“Come on, let’s get back to bed.” Aaron’s voice was low, and images of them both in a very different type of bed flashed unbidden in Marshall’s head.
Marshall nodded and leaned against Aaron and let himself be led back to the bed. He crawled in and dropped his head back wearily. The sheet was pulled over him, and he cracked his eyes open to find Aaron smoothing out the cover. He was vaguely aware of voices outside the room before the sound of heavy boots clomped away.
“Thanks,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” Aaron told him with a small smile. Something flickered in his eyes before he stepped back. Marshall grabbed his hand, stopping his retreat. Warmth spread through him, and Marshall saw a flare of heat on Aaron’s features.
“Alpha West, I apologize for my behavior.” Saint’s voice broke the moment.
Aaron tore his gaze away from Marshall’s, leaving a sense of loss. “No apologies required, Saint. The twins are my head enforcers. They tend to act first and ask questions later. You’re an unknown shifter on Pack property.”
“Still, we’re here on your invitation….”
“It’s okay. I’ll deal with them later.”
Saint nodded before he faced Marshall. “Marsh, I’m sorry to you too. I should never have said what I did. It was unthinking and cruel.”
“No, it’s alright. I know you didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” Marshall took pity on his oldest friend. He smirked. “Besides, in normal circumstances, I don’t need an army to take you down.”