Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

Kael

H er scent hit me like a battering ram. I gripped the coffee table, holding on for dear life as Callista's perfume filled my lungs.

My pulse pounded in my ears. This wasn't right. It was supposed to be Callista who got her panties in a twist when she was in my presence, not the other way around.

I flexed my fingers, wood splintering under my palms.

"Easy on the table, eh?" Bill's voice was a distant hum, barely registering through the chaos in my head. I forced myself to nod, even though every nerve screamed at me to turn back and find her.

She was right there. Just down the hall. In heat.

I clenched my teeth, resisting the urge to tear into the kitchen and pin her to the floor. What the hell was wrong with me?

My nostrils flared as I inhaled deeply, my heightened senses picking up every nuance of Callista's scent. It was like walking into a bakery and being assaulted by the aroma of fresh bread, except this was a hundred times more potent.

I'd never been one to lose my cool, not since I was a kid, but Callista's scent was a siren call I couldn't ignore. It was intoxicating, a heady mix of warmth and spice that made my blood boil. I could almost taste it on my tongue, and the thought of it drove me to the brink of madness.

I could hear every whisper of her breath, every rustle of fabric as she moved. My mind conjured images of her, her skin flushed, her eyes half-lidded with need. My muscles tensed, and my wolf clawed at the surface, demanding to take control.

I'd never felt this way about anyone, not even during my teenage years when hormones raged like wildfire. This was different. Intense. Supernatural.

It had to be the dagger. Break that bond, and I was free of whatever the hell this was.

Lana stormed back into the room, her eyes blazing. "We need to find a place where she can rest."

I gripped the arms of the chair, my knuckles white. "A place where she can rest?" I repeated the words, my voice strained.

"Yes, Kael. Rest. As in, hiding her away so a wolf like you can't ravage her in the middle of the living room." Lana's voice was like ice water on a flame.

I exhaled. "I wasn't—" But I was. Every muscle in my body was coiled, ready to spring. I couldn't lie to her.

"There's a guest room down the hall. I don't think it's been used since the nineties, but it should be fine." Bill shoved his hands in his pockets. "There's a washroom across the hall. Probably best to get her some water, too."

Lana brushed past me, and I heard her voice down the hall. "Come on, love. Let's get you settled."

When Callista was behind a closed door, the heat inside me lessened, but not by much. I ran a hand through my hair.

Bill chuckled. "Seen that look before, pup." He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Back in the day, when the she-wolves went into heat, it was like a damn circus. You couldn't walk two feet without tripping over a pair of wolves going at it like rabbits."

I shot him a look. "Thanks for that visual."

He grinned. "Just trying to lighten the mood, eh?"

I barely registered his words. The scent of Callista still lingered in the air, and I clenched my fists to keep from following it. From tearing down the hallway and finding her.

Bill's expression softened. "You know, there's one surefire way to ease the pain of the dagger. Until you can find a way to break that bond."

I exhaled through my nose, my hands landing on my hips. "What are you talking about?"

Bill met my eyes. "Mating, Kael. If you mated her, you could share the curse. Hell, it might even heal her."

I barked out a laugh. "That's not happening. I won't take a mate just because the dagger is messing with my instincts."

Bill raised an eyebrow. "You sure it's only the dagger?"

I shot him a glare. "What the hell else would it be?"

Bill shrugged. "I don't know, but you're not the one wielding it now, are you?"

I shook my head, my jaw working. "No, Lana has it."

Bill nodded. "And she said she'd neutralized the magic. So, if that's the case, why are you about to rip through your jeans?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, Bill. Maybe it's because it's still close by? Or maybe it's because I've had it for the past week?"

Bill held up a hand. "I'm not saying I know the answer, but I do know this. Mating isn't something to take lightly. It's a bond, a connection that's deeper than anything else you'll experience. And if you think this is just the dagger making you crazy, you're missing the bigger picture."

"Which is what, exactly?"

Bill leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. "You've always worked alone, Kael. Maybe your wolf is trying to teach you something."