31

Ranger

“How is she doing?” I stood at the end of the hall, watching as Trenton closed the door to Aspen’s hotel room. There was no reason for me to be on this floor, but now that I had an idea of what was happening, I couldn’t seem to force myself to stay away. And I could feel it. The ache that tugged at the center of my being. I had no choice but to give into my wolf’s need to be closer to her.

“That’s none of your business.” Trenton tried to bow up as he stared me down.

I about had it with this fucking kid.

“You don’t tell me what my business is.” I let my wolf flash in my eyes, daring him to challenge me. “Is Aspen alright?”

Trenton hesitated, looking between me and the door. “Why do you care? I thought you wanted her off the show.”

I rubbed my forehead to ease the building headache. “Speaking of business, don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. Does she need anything?”

“For you to stay away from her.” I saw his power move before he acted, watching in slow motion as he stormed past and tried to shoulder check me.

Kill him.

Not yet.

I stepped to the side, letting Trenton stumble from his own body weight. “That’s not going to happen.”

He spun around to face me with his fists clenched at his sides. “You want her? Good luck with that. Aspen doesn’t give a shit about finding a mate.”

That’s what this was.

I had a feeling when he didn’t vote for Aspen during the other trials, but I wasn’t sure why until now.

“She hurt you.” I folded my arms over my chest. My beast cocked his head to the side, listening. Trenton was never a threat, but now we understood why. Aspen hadn’t chosen him.

The color drained from Trenton’s face as a muscle twitched in his cheek. “Don’t think you’re anything special. She’ll hurt you too.”

*

I kept the video feed of Aspen’s room minimized on the left corner of the screen so I could keep an eye on her throughout the night. She didn’t make any calls or leave her room for dinner. I sent Fallon down there with a plate of food and now owed my sister a shopping trip when we got back home.

“I don’t like playing catch up,” Mattox muttered over the phone.

“I apologize.” And I sincerely meant it. None of the pack wanted me to come here alone, but when twisting the Alpha Games in my favor had been the only goal, I didn’t see the need to waste the resources.

Everything was different now.

“They’ve already got their security positions filled for the season so we can’t get as many shifters on the team as I’d like.” Mattox just wanted to hear himself talk. I was already painfully aware of this and my mistake.

“Ivan is falsifying some records now. We should have a position or two open up in the next few days,” I explained to ease his worries.

“I don’t want to wait that long.” Mattox spoke to someone in the other room. I leaned into my Alpha senses, feeling the connection between each member of my pack even though it was slightly muted by the distance. “What’s Ava doing there?”

Mattox’s embarrassed cough told me enough.

I smiled.

“Alright,” he continued, “we’re going old school. I should have a team in the mountains by tomorrow night to set up camp.”

“Sounds good, Mattox. And thank you.”

“No worries, boss.” My beta took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure if he was preparing himself or me for his next statement. “To clarify, for the rest of the pack of course, this mission is to protect our new Luna.”

“That’s the plan.” I leaned back in the chair, watching as she slept curled into a nest of soft blankets and pillows on the gray-scale video image. “I just have to convince her of that first.”