Demon Dreams by Misha Paige

wanted to stay and talk to Samuel.
    We had wandered around for an hour before heading back home.
    I slowed my steps. “Alec, what am I doing wrong?”
    “What do you mean?” He held out a hand to help as we started down a steep drop.
    “Samuel. I’m hurting him and I don’t know how.” I bit my lip.
    Alec sighed down at me. “Why aren’t you talking to him about it, Becca?”
    “I’ve tried to, but he just says he’s happy.”
    “He is. We both are.” Alec pulled me into his arms, and I held on to him tightly. “But you hold yourself back from him in ways you don’t with me.”
    I shook my head. “That’s not true,” I insisted.
    Alec stroked my hair. “You weigh every word you say with him. You stop and think before you touch him. That is very different than the way you are with me.” He sighed. “I don’t think he believes you have truly accepted him.”
    I pulled away from Alec and threw my hands in the air. “What else do I have to do?”
    “I don’t really know. Soon that asshole will be taken care of and we can take you away. Maybe once you aren’t trapped here with us he’ll believe…” Alec winced at my snarl.
    “He thinks I am only here because of fucking David?” I was pissed now. “He thinks I’m lying about the way I feel?”
    Alec’s eyes narrowed at me. “How do you feel, Becca? You never say the words.”
    I drew back, a bit shocked at the anger in his words. “I…” I gulped up at him as I wondered if maybe I had it all wrong. “I tried to show you, both of you. Words can be easy so I…”
    “Yeah, but as good as the sex is, it’s not all we need.” Alec shrugged.
    I looked at him, horrified. “I didn’t mean sex.”
    Alec’s eyes widened. “Oh hell.” He swallowed before he asked gently, “Baby, explain it to me.”
    “I’ve tried to show you both how much I appreciate you, not just what you’re doing by hiding me.” I shrugged at him, at a loss to put into words just how I’d attempted to do it. When he just kept staring at me patiently, I had to try to explain. “I’m not fond of cooking. That’s why I’m a waitress instead of a cook.”
    Alec tilted his head. “Then why have you been doing it so often?”
    “Because I like taking care of you both. I want to hold your hands and cuddle on the sofa. If I’m walking past either of you, I have to reach out and brush my hand down your arm. Bump your arm with my shoulder. Cup your cheek and give you a peck on the lips,” I continued in a whisper. “I’ve never been a touchy-feely person before, but I like it with you and Samuel. I always want to touch you even if there isn’t going to be sex right then.” Then I looked at him wide eyed as I realized how that could sound. “But I love that I only have to touch either of you and you want me.”
    “Oh fuck,” Alec swore under his breath. “We never thought…” His gaze softened. “We’re so used to hiding ourselves away unless Samuel had to feed.”
    And they thought sex was the only thing that I wanted from them. “We need to find Samuel and get this…”
    “Becca, get down!”
    Alec’s shout shocked me, and I froze as he lunged closer. His strong arms wrapped around me, taking me to the ground before the several sharp cracks of sound even registered. Then we were up and running through the trees as I realized what I had heard.
    Gunshots. 
    I ran as hard and fast as I could, somehow managing not to trip as Alec pulled me with him, quicker than I could hope to move on my own. But it wasn’t too long before he slowed down and to my horror, fell to his knees.
    “Alec!” I tried to pull him back up.
    Alec was struggling for breath as he pushed me away. “Run, Becca! Hide until Samuel finds you. He’s on his way.”
    The metallic smell that suddenly registered to my brain had me clutching at him. “No! Shift!” Alec would start to heal and maybe David would ignore an injured wolf. Especially if I led him away from Alec.
    Alec shook his