26

BYRON

"So you're a shifter—spy?"

"Was. I'm in semi-retirement." I keep my eyes on the road.

"So you were a shifter spy?"

"Something like that."

"Is you being exceptionally vague right now a part of the whole shifter spy thing?"

I glance at Aida to find her watching me with narrowed eyes and a smirk.

My lips quirk, but I turn my gaze forward.

We're still hours away from the prison where Delon is being held, so I guess this is as good a time as any to fill Aida in on the life I led for most of my adulthood.

"It's called the Consortium. The compound where we went after Genesis is the North American base. Kofi is the current leader, though only by technicality since he's unmated."

"Why technicality?" Aida has that look she gets when she's learning something new or presented with unusual information.

It's open and receptive and sexy as hell.

"Hyaena are matriarchal. While Kofi can lead, it's not the natural order for his clan."

"Hm, wolves lead in pairs. Is that why Valeena and Godwin are both chiefs?"

I nod. "Although either could rule on their own if they were unmated."

"So what does the Consortium do exactly."

" Exactly , we do a lot of things. Mostly, we assess risks to the shifter community, such as what Genesis was doing. We handle inter-clan conflict. We eliminate threats."

"And by ‘eliminate threats,' you mean."

"We kill people who mean to bring us harm."

She's pensive for a moment. I keep my eyes on the road, but her gaze stays on me. "So at Genesis, when I asked if you'd killed anyone, and you said yes—"

"I wasn't lying. The veil between shifters and humans has been getting thinner and thinner. We've integrated into society, but that's only created more opportunities for our discovery. And the fact is humans can't be trusted. We don't trust them; when they move against us, we move faster, deadlier, and more precisely. It's necessary."

"I understand."

The glance I give her must show my surprise because she places a hand on my thigh and squeezes. Beneath my sweats, my skin itches, the contact going straight to my wolf, who sits up and nudges my dick.

"Do you want to elaborate on that understanding?"

"No," she shakes her head. "I'm still a person of science and reason, and the evidence I've seen so far tells me that people like Genesis should be stopped without question."

I nod, relieved that this won't become a point of contention. While I haven't worked for Kofi much lately, there may be a time when I'll be needed again.

"Hey," I cover her hand on my thigh. "We should stop somewhere, a nice hotel, and have a little honeymoon."

"Honeymoon?" She looks amused.

"Yeah, why not?"

"I don't know. We're on our way to confront my insane ex-husband. Doesn't seem like the time for a holiday."

Squeezing her leg, I smirk when she remains unconvinced. "Trust me. This is the best time."

***

"Holy crap, this is nice."

I snort a chuckle as I follow Aida into our hotel room. "It's our honeymoon, and you deserve a break."

Her eyes roam over the suite as she nods in appreciation.

I drop our bags near the wardrobe and walk over to where she stands at the window overlooking downtown. "I was thinking that we can get room service, rent some movies, see what that tub's looking like."

"Ooh, room service and movies. Sounds romantic." Aida turns into my arms, circling my waist with a teasing smirk. "That sounds wonderful. Throw in a massage, and you've got a deal."

Two hours later, we reenter the room following a complete package of spa treatments and massages at the hotel spa.

Aida sighs indulgently, her eyes widening when they land on the spread of food waiting for us.

"I timed it so it would still be hot when we're done."

Her mouth turns down.

"What?" I move close and smooth a hand up her robed back, my fingers itching to peel it off so my eyes can feast on her while she eats her meal.

She doesn't seem too keen on sampling any of the food I've ordered. She stares at the covered dishes with her disturbed little frown.

"If nothing looks good, we can get something else."

She blinks, and the salt of her tears bursts in the air as one fat tear, and another falls down her cheeks.

"Baby. Come here." I pull her around so I can wrap her in my arms, holding her tight while she sobs against my chest.

I dropped my robe the second we got into the room.

"Sorry." She sniffles and tries to compose herself, only to end up sobbing again.

"Don't apologize. Whatever you're feeling, even if it's because of me, let it out. Right here, with my arms around you, you're free to do this. So cry, scream, flip this fucking table over. I can afford the extra charges, and I love you, so."

She laughs as I hoped she would. I wait patiently until she raises her head to peer sheepishly at me. Her eyes are puffy, and her nose is wet with snot, but she looks beautiful. Her face is fresh and glowing from our cubs.

"Sorry," she offers again, and I kiss my teeth.

"I thought I said no apologizing. Now, did I really miscalculate my menu selections, or did you see this and go down some rabbit hole of what we have being too good to be true?"

She snorts, dropping her chin. Her plump twists, damp and piled on top of her head, fan the sweet scent of blueberries as she shakes her head back and forth. "I know it's stupid, but what if—"

"I'm a psycho who's going to break your heart? What if I'm like Delon? I could be offended, but I get why doubt's starting to creep in."

"It shouldn't. It's just that this is perfect, and that's scary." Her tone is sad with this admission, but I nod.

"Do you remember what I said to you in the lab the day after we appeared in the dream together?" I raise my brows, but she doesn't answer. "I said it couldn't be you. But even then, when I thought you were my enemy, I knew it was you. You've been speaking to my heart since before I saw your face. I'm willing to wager everything on that surety."

She swallows, blinking back fresh tears. Finally, she clears her throat, mustering the strength I know she's had to shoulder since Delon blew up her life. "I'm sorry. I'm fine."

"You're not," I reject the lie. "And that's okay. I have the rest of my life to show you, so let me start by feeding you and those cubs and then generously letting you pick the movie."

I don't flash her the smile that makes her flush and get wet. I wait until she nods and slips into one of the seats around the table. Lifting the lid on a stack of blueberry-ricotta pancakes, hunger settles over her features.

"Are we sharing?"

I laugh and take a seat, too. "I don't know. That was the idea, but the way you're looking at those pancakes, I'm guessing you want them for yourself."

Her mouth tilts up as she pours a healthy puddle of syrup over the stack and digs in, moaning when she takes her first bite.

Lifting another lid, I reveal a pile of crispy bacon that has her snatching one up and folding it between her lips. "God, don't tell Zora I'm enjoying this so much. I'll never hear the end of it."

"It's the cubs," I chuckle. "They're going to have a preference for meat. I'll have to make you my famous elk stew. See if they like it."

After brunch, we cuddle on the bed and watch some new-release action movie with dinosaurs. Aida falls asleep before we're twenty minutes in, and I hold her, letting the exhaustion I can smell seeping from her pores pull her under.

She's still safe in my arms when I let sleep take me.

"Fuuuuck." My eyes are grainy as I peel them open. My head raises at the same time to see Aida kneeling between my legs on the bed, her lush lips stretched around my dick.

I groan and fall back as she bends forward to take me deep, lodging my length in the hot grasp of her throat before gagging off in a slick slip of saliva.

"Awake?"

I chuckle and inhale, letting my chest flex up on a stretch. "Awake? I'm about to cum down your throat."

She moans, swirling her tongue around my tip as her hands stroke languidly over my shaft.

Taking me deep again, she sets a steady rhythm of bobbing up and down, taking me deep every time, her throat clenching around these little choking sounds that have my body tensing with the need to explode.

I grip her hair, bracing my knuckles against her scalp, and hinge my hips up. She gags but grips my thighs, urging me deeper as I start to come, spurting into her rolling swallow.

She slurps off, and I take her shoulders, flipping her around onto her hands and knees. My movements are jerky as I kick her legs apart.

I grip the lush rounds of her ass, pulling them apart to reveal her slick center before I aim my dick at that dripping place and fuck up.

"Byron!" Her shout is accompanied by the clench of her pussy, and her chest drops as she shakes out an orgasm.

I've just come, but watching her come apart on my dick triggers a nearly painful tremor through my pelvis, and I'm flooding her once again.

"Those pancakes must have been good."

She slaps my chest, and I feel her roll her eyes. "They were good, but that's not what that was. I just love you, and I'm thankful for you, and I'm hoping that the whole scent thing goes both ways, and you'll smell like me when we go see Delon today."

"Oooh, okay. I'm down with making that shit jealous." I chuckle, and she sucks her teeth, her disdain for him evident from the acrid edge her scent takes on.

"No, I just want to be clear that you're mine, and I chose you. We've chosen each other."

Wrapping my arms around her, I squeeze. "You're damn right."

***

"If you get uncomfortable at any time, get up and we're gone."

"Same for you." Aida peeks at me as she hands over her personal items to the guard at the facility where Delon is being held.

"I'm more likely to end up an inmate here if he says some slick shit to you."

She makes a face but steps close to me after we've been cleared and let through to be led to the visiting center. "I'm almost surprised he agreed to see us."

The meeting was a special request that had to be cleared, so the facility is empty when we arrive.

"I'm not." When she glances back at me in confusion, I shift my eyes. "If there's anything Delon likes, it's attention."

"Yeah, that's true," she mumbles as the door opens.

Her hand clenches and unclenches at her side, and I take the trembling fist in mine, keeping her at my side.

As we enter, my eyes dart to the observation points in the room. As expected, cameras are stationed at various points, but something's off.

"Wait here." The guard's gruff voice draws my attention from the cameras, and when he walks away, leaving through a side door, the echoing click tells me what my eyes are searching for.

It's too quiet in here.

There are cameras, but the mechanical whir that should accompany their active status is missing. The guard's exit has also left us alone.

Closing my eyes, I inhale, and the sweet scent of a sedative is noticeable in the air.

Damn.

"This is weird." Aida turns to me, her eyes already going hazy.

Taking her face, I force her to focus, even as her body starts to sway. "I'm not going to leave you. You'll be fine. Don't panic. You trust me, don't you, baby?"

She blinks, the movement delayed. "You're the only one I trust."

I smile, battling the desire to take in the sight of her beautiful face for the last time.

It won't be the last time. It can't be.

I'm not going to learn what the smell of her death is today.

"You're going to go to sleep now, Aida, but I'll be there when you wake up. I promise."

She nods, then her eyes roll back, and her knees buckle.

I ease her to the floor just as the side door opens, and the rush of boots signals men filing in.

I don't need to look up to know they have guns or to see the man whose voice sounds out a moment later.

I said I wouldn't forget his scent, and I haven't.

"Mr. McCanty," Umansky snorts, "or whatever your name is. I see you've decided to join us again." His gaze shifts to Aida, and I bare my teeth. "Hm, and you've brought us a gift."

A thousand threats roll to the tip of my tongue, but there's only one I need to voice.

"You're dead."

He pales, and then the butt of a gun smashing down on my temple knocks me out.