CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

The smell of coffee woke Ally . . . which was odd, since she was sure she’d switched it off—

Derren’s mouth on hers. His fingers threading through her hair. His cock thrusting inside her. His teeth grazing and biting.

As the entirety of last night’s events crashed into her mind, she moaned. Although she didn’t regret any of it, she still cursed herself for being weak and giving in to him. Or, more accurately, for giving in to herself. Her wolf was extremely smug about it.

Ally was surprised he’d lingered. She’d pegged him for the type to scamper while she was sleeping and escape any morning-after awkwardness. She should have known better. Derren didn’t flee from anything. He faced everything in life head-on, almost daring the world to come at him.

She, on the other hand, would have been happy to avoid any post-one-night-stand discomfort. As a shifter, she had no hang-ups about casual sex. After all, a girl had to eat. Still, a one-night stand was new territory for her. She didn’t know the morning-after etiquette.

Did she say thanks and hint for him to leave?

Was she supposed to make him breakfast?

Were they meant to discuss it? She didn’t really see the point in postmortems.

Getting it right was important, because she’d have to see this guy every day for the next few months. She didn’t want things to be weird and uncomfortable between them from this point on.

Hoping she didn’t make an idiot out of herself by drowning in an ocean of unnecessary embarrassment, she headed inside the lodge. Fully dressed and looking unfairly presentable for a guy who had spent a huge portion of the night fucking her into oblivion, Derren was in the kitchen. His gaze met hers, filled with heat and awareness, as he offered her a mug of coffee.

“Morning,” he greeted, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. “I’m not good in the kitchen, so I didn’t even bother attempting to cook.”

No awkward vibes, no uneasy silence. Surprised, Ally took the mug. The weight of his intense gaze made a blush unexpectedly stain her cheeks. She felt . . . vulnerable, but she couldn’t explain why. She cleared her throat. “I thought you’d have left.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Did you now?”

As his gaze dropped to her neck, she remembered how he’d bitten her there. “I told you not to mark me.”

“I carry your mark too.” Derren rolled back his shoulder, reminding her how she’d dug her claws so deep in his flesh that she’d drawn blood.

Her face heated even more. “That was my wolf.” The animal had lunged for him, wanted to brand him as he’d branded her.

A smile curved his mouth. “Blaming your wolf? Tut, tut, tut.”

Yeah, that was low. And yeah, okay, it would be fair to say that she hadn’t fought her wolf’s urge to brand him. That simply pissed her off, because, dammit . . . “I’m not a possessive person.”

“Neither am I.” He skimmed his fingers along her collarbone. “But you . . . it’s different with you.”

Seeing the flare of determination in his eyes, she swallowed hard. “We agreed that it would be just one night, Derren.”

“We did. But I’ve changed my mind. I want more.”

She sighed. “Look, I’m not saying last night wasn’t good. It was—”

“Fucking amazing. And it will happen again.”

“We need to forget it ever happened. Cain will flip if he—”

“What have I told you?” He gripped her jaw. “This is about you and me. No one else.” Neither Derren nor his wolf wanted her thinking of any other guy, particularly the one who was her intended mate. Jealousy slithered through Derren every time she even said Cain’s name. “What he’ll think or feel about us makes no fucking difference to me.”

She pulled out of his hold. “It should. He’s your friend, and you’d be risking that friendship.” Cain would be pissed that his friend had “used” the girl he viewed as his little sister—that was how he’d see it.

“Yes, so that has to show you how badly I want you.”

She closed her eyes as she sifted a hand through her hair. The guy was so unbelievably stubborn it drove her crazy.

“Look at me, Ally. Be honest, this isn’t about Cain. You’re hesitating because you don’t want a repeat of what happened with Zeke. I get it. But I’m not him. I would never turn on you like that.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” she conceded. He was too loyal for that. In such a situation, he would claim his mate, yes, but he wouldn’t treat Ally like she was a stranger. He would support and defend Ally if she needed it. “But I have no wish to lose someone else to their mate. To be put aside again.”

Derren laughed, but it had a bitter edge to it. “The likelihood of me recognizing my mate is practically nonexistent.” He’d once heard a mating bond be compared to a frequency. If it were jammed by such things as doubts, fears, or an imprinting bond, the shifters would be unable to pick it up. Derren was too damn messed up inside to be able to sense his mate.

Ally didn’t need to ask why he’d assume that. “You have issues with trust.” Not to mention that he was so preoccupied with serving Nick that he wasn’t fully living his own life. She didn’t bother asking why he felt so indebted to his Alpha. Derren shared only what he chose to share when he chose to share it, and she respected that, because she didn’t like confiding in others either.

“My point is there can’t be a repeat of what happened with Zeke,” said Derren, the latter word a growl.

Maybe, but what he didn’t realize was that it wasn’t just about how she’d lost Zeke to his mate. Ally had also lost her life the way it was. She’d suddenly found herself living alone, was more pitied than respected, and had eventually lost everything—including her status.

“Stop overthinking it, Ally. This doesn’t have to be complicated; we’re not talking permanence here. But we’re not talking some kind of empty fling either. I like you, I respect you.”

In other words, while this would be casual and temporary, it also wouldn’t be meaningless sex to him. That idea made Ally hesitate to rebuff him again. Emotionless flings weren’t something she was capable of; she wasn’t one of those people who could separate sex from feelings. If she hadn’t come to like Derren, she could never have slept with him. She could only agree to this if their temporary relationship wouldn’t be impersonal and cold.

Derren’s cell phone ringing cut off what he would have said next. He knew by the ringtone that it was Nick. Without losing eye contact with Ally, Derren dug his cell out of his jeans pocket. “Yeah?”

“Come to the main lodge.”

Hearing the urgency in his Alpha’s tone, Derren stiffened as his wolf shot to alertness. “Problem?”

“There could be.” Nick hung up.

“I have to go,” Derren told Ally, returning his phone to his pocket. He cupped her nape, pinning her gaze with his. “Understand this, Ally. There is very little I consider an obstacle when I want something. And when I want something as badly as I want you, I won’t let anything or anyone keep me from it. I marked you, and I don’t consider that a small thing. Do you? Is branding a guy something you do often?” he rumbled.

After a long moment, she confessed, “No.”

That was what he’d thought. “We both want this, Ally. Don’t we?” He needed her to admit it to both of them.

His eyes dared her to lie, but she didn’t. “Yes.”

Derren smiled. “Good girl.” He kissed her hard, pouring every bit of his hunger and resolve into it. When he finally pulled back, he brushed his thumb over the mark he’d left on her neck. “Don’t cover it up.”

Minutes later, Derren was striding into the living area of the main lodge, where most of the pack stood around. He frowned. “What’s going on?” he asked Nick.

“Fifteen minutes ago, a car pulled up outside the road leading to the main lodge,” replied his Alpha. “It didn’t cross into our territory, but it isn’t showing any signs of moving. Eli and Bracken took a closer look without approaching the vehicle. There’s one guy inside, and he’s not only covered in injuries but he’s unconscious.”

“He’s also in the passenger seat,” added Eli, “which means someone drove him there and then deserted him.”

“You’re certain he’s not dead?” Derren asked Eli.

It was Bracken who answered. “His chest is rising and falling. It’s a small movement, but it’s there.”

Shaya cuddled Willow close. “Knowing there’s a wounded guy so close who might need our help isn’t sitting well with me. I don’t like the idea of just leaving him there. But the whole thing seems . . . off to me.”

Zander nodded. “Like a trap.”

“Or a distraction,” mused Derren, his instincts stabbing at him. “Something to make us look one way while someone comes at us from another angle.”

Nick’s eyes widened. “Fuck.”

 

This doesn’t have to be complicated.

Derren was right, Ally told herself as she poured more coffee into her mug. She never would have expected it when they’d first met, but they had become friends. Not the type of friends who shared secrets or memories—their friendship wasn’t intimate like what he had with Nick and Roni; like what Ally had with Cain. But the interactions between her and Derren had evolved into a casual friendship where there was a mutual respect and regard.

A fling based on this kind of friendship could work for Ally. There would be no laying demands on each other, there would be no expectations, and there would be no need to confide about emotions, fears, ideas, or hopes. Yes, this could work out fine for both of them. Because as much as Ally was more of a commitment kind of girl, she didn’t have the emotional ability to give that to anyone right now.

However, there was no denying that there were plenty of reasons to not get involved with Derren. For one thing, Cain would go apeshit; he was very protective of her, considered her his baby sister, and wanted her to have a mate and family of her own. He knew that Ally wasn’t the casual sex type, and he’d see this situation as Derren using her. But it was impossible to explain all of that to Derren since he didn’t want to hear it.

Another reason to steer clear of a temporary relationship with Derren was the not-so-simple fact that she hadn’t been able to fight her wolf’s desire to brand him. Not when Ally herself had wanted to leave a mark of possession on him to make it clear to other females, to him, and to his wolf that she didn’t share.

Ally sighed at the beeping of her cell phone. No doubt it was Zeke again. And that right there was yet another reason to avoid a fling with Derren: it could end very fucking badly. Ignoring the beep, she took her mug and settled on the porch step. Zeke had also sent her a message around midnight, which she’d only noticed after Derren had left. It wasn’t until she’d read that message, wherein Zeke had claimed to miss her, that she’d begun to wonder if just maybe Derren was right. Maybe Zeke was finding it hard to let go.

Shifter males were possessive. Dominant males were even more so. Zeke had almost been as possessive of her as Derren was growing to be. Although Zeke would choose his mate over Ally any day of the week, he and his wolf could still be finding his abrupt separation with Ally hard to adjust to.

That would explain why he hadn’t wanted to get her a transfer from the pack when she’d asked. If that were the case, the best thing she could do was continue to ignore his attempts to speak to her. What worried her was that it might drive him to come and see her.

Snapped out of her musings by a loud high-pitched sound, Ally put down her mug and jumped to her feet. It was a cry . . . a baby’s cry. Willow. Without thought or hesitation, she sprinted into the forest, tracking the frightened cry. Her mind distantly registered that she was heading in the direction of Kent and Caleb’s lodge, but Ally’s focus was solely on getting to the baby. Willow’s wails got louder and louder as Ally came closer to the opening in the trees she could see up ahead. Ally burst into the small clearing and—

“Ally, no!” The choked-out warning came from Caleb, who was sprawled on the ground with Kent. Both were badly injured, and both were covered in blood. What the fuck?

Ally’s head snapped in the direction of Willow’s cry . . . only to find that there was no Willow there, and a fucking cougar shifter was leaping off a tree branch, its feline gaze trained on Ally with—

Flinching as heat scalded her fingers, Ally dropped the coffeepotback onto the counter. Understanding quickly dawned. “Fuck!” Snatching her cell from the end of the counter, she dialed Caleb’s number.

He answered after only two rings. “Hey, Ally, how’s—”

“Don’t leave your lodge! Whatever happens, whatever you think you hear, do not leave your lodge. It’s not Willow, it’s a trap.” Ending the call, she quickly called Derren. The phone kept ringing and ringing, and she cursed. “Come on, come on.”

Then there was his voice. “Baby, I can’t talk right now—”

“Cougars.”

“What?”

“There are cougar shifters on our territory!” Cougar screams could often sound like babies wailing or women screaming. “I had a vision! They’re near Kent and Caleb’s lodge!” The predator in her wanted to track the felines and rip them all a new asshole for trespassing on Mercury territory with the intention to kill.

“Ally, don’t move. Don’t go after them alone.”

She wouldn’t, because that would give the cougars what they wanted. But she wasn’t going to hole up at her lodge either.

“I mean it, Ally. I need you to stay there. We’re bringing Shaya and Willow to you.”

“What? Why?” But he’d already hung up. By the time she’d quickly washed and replaced her long shirt with a white, long-sleeved T-shirt and her faded blue jeans, the pack arrived at the lodge. Only Derren, Bracken, Kathy, and Shaya with Willow in her arms filed inside.

“What’s happening?” Ally asked them.

“We weren’t prepared to leave anyone at the main lodge, considering what’s parked outside the border,” replied Derren.

That didn’t make a lick of sense to Ally.

Derren pinned her with a determined look. “Lock the doors and stay inside. Don’t split up—not for anything.” His wolf didn’t want to leave her, but even the animal understood that the need to protect the pack was vital. Wanting his head firmly on the threat on their territory, Derren ignored the urge to kiss her and forced his mind to the current issue.

Ally watched as Derren joined the rest of the pack outside. As one, they all shifted into their wolf forms and charged into the forest. Confused, she turned to Shaya. “What was he talking about?” As Derren requested, Ally secured the locks.

“Someone parked a car outside the road leading to the main lodge.” The Alpha female was slowly pacing, her daughter balanced on her hip. “There was an injured, unconscious guy in the passenger seat.”

“Decoy,” Ally guessed.

“I called an ambulance,” interjected Kathy from the sofa. “EMTs were taking him away when we left the lodge.”

“My guess is the cougars were using the vehicle as a distraction.” Bracken’s gaze was scanning his surroundings through the windows. “They had to know that Nick would summon his Beta and enforcers to the main lodge to tell them what’s going on.”

Shaya nodded. “The cougars were able to cross the border without being noticed, and it left the other members of our pack who were scattered around our territory vulnerable to them.”

“They were mimicking Willow’s cry,” Ally told them. “In the vision, I mean.”

Bracken briefly glanced at her. “Smart. It’s a trick cougar shifters sometimes use. No shifter—submissive or dominant—would ignore the cry of an infant. They’d rush right in to help.”

That was exactly what Ally had done. “In my vision, I didn’t even think to call for help. All I could think about was getting to Willow.”

Bracken didn’t appear surprised. “When they use this particular lure, that’s what they count on. If their intention was to mimic Willow’s cries, they were probably hoping to draw any of the pack members that weren’t in the main lodge to them.”

“Getting rid of the pack, little by little.” Cougar shifters really were tricky fuckers. “Kent and Caleb were dying in my vision. I would have been next.”

A muscle in Bracken’s jaw ticked. “When you have a small pack, the loss of three members makes a big difference in a battle.”

“And it’s an emotional blow that can make you act out in rage,” Shaya pointed out.

“How many cougars are out there?” Bracken asked Ally as she came to stand next to him, watching for any threats.

Ally shrugged. “I only saw one in my vision.” But she highly doubted one cougar was working alone, given that Caleb and Kent had been so brutally attacked. They could have held their own against one cougar.

Bracken shot her an odd look before asking quietly, “So, want to tell me why this place smells of you, Derren, and sex?” At her scowl, his expression turned innocent. “It was just a question.”

 

When his Alpha male halted a safe distance away from the clearing, the black wolf did the same. It had been easy for the pack to track the cougars. They had simply followed the fake cries. His Alpha looked at the black wolf and jerked his head to the left before then going in the opposite direction. The black wolf understood the order. He led half of the wolves one way, while his Alpha led the others another. Stealthily and silently, the pack moved to loosely circle the clearing. Surrounding and trapping their prey was a tactic they had used before.

The black wolf sensed the presence of five cougar shifters. The felines were not on the ground. Each one was positioned on a tree branch.

As his Alpha shifted before him, and the gray-white wolf—Eli—flanked him, the black wolf sensed that Derren wanted dominance. He drew back and gave his human half control.

“One of us needs to lure them out of the trees,” Nick whispered to Derren and Eli when they shifted. “If we don’t, they’ll just climb as high as they can and hop from tree to fucking tree.”

Derren agreed. Keeping his voice low, he said, “Me and Eli will drop back and then noisily bolt into the clearing, as if in a panic.”

Eli nodded. “I counted five of them. There are eight of us. The odds are in our favor.”

Cougar shifters had the advantage in a one-to-one fight, as they were much stronger than wolves. But a pack of eight against a pride of five could potentially win, but not without serious injuries.

“Everyone but me will pair up,” said Nick. “Two wolves versus one cougar should come out on top.” Not prepared to waste any time, Derren shifted. Eli followed his lead.

The black wolf and the gray-white wolf ran a distance away before loudly rushing through the forest. They burst into the clearing, instantly going back-to-back as they scanned the trees. Ambushes were typical of cougar shifters.

The fake cries stopped instantly. Five cougars leaped out of the trees, hissing and snarling. All were males, and all were dominant. The black wolf curled back his lips, exposing fangs and gums, as he growled in warning at the trespassers that wanted to hurt his pack. The cougar before him, bulkier than the others, took a single step forward. The wolf’s hackles raised, and his ears flattened as he again bared his teeth with a growl. Each of the cougars snarled in response.

A howl split the air, making the cougars freeze. The rest of the pack hiding in the trees rushed into the clearing. They attacked without hesitation. Four of the cougars twisted to defend themselves. But the fifth was focused on the black wolf.

The gray-white wolf lightly brushed his body against the black wolf. Growling, the two wolves circled the hissing cougar. Then the wolves lunged and slammed into the cougar’s sides. A heavy paw batted the black wolf’s muzzle, raking him with sharp claws. The scent of blood filled the air. The black wolf jerked back, shaking his head.

The cougar twisted and pounced on the other wolf, snapping his jaws. The Head Enforcer yelped, and blood sprayed on the ground. Anger surged through the black wolf, and he leaped onto the cougar’s back. The feline shrieked as claws and teeth sank into him. The gray-white wolf mercilessly ripped off the cougar’s ear. Another shriek.

A heavy weight suddenly crashed into the black wolf, making him lose his purchase on the cougar and slam into the ground. Then a second cougar was standing over him, snarling. He went to slice open the wolf’s exposed stomach, but a blur of dark gray barreled into the cougar, knocking him aside.

Quickly the black wolf righted himself and moved to aid the female—Roni—who had helped him. But her mate had now reached her side. Confident the female didn’t need his aid, the black wolf turned back to his initial opponent. The cougar was trying to wrap his jaws around the gray-white wolf’s head. The black wolf knew that such a move could crush his pack mate’s skull. Just in time, the Head Enforcer jerked back and avoided the jaws. Then both wolves slammed into the cougar again.

The feline shrieked as two sets of teeth and claws sank into him. He turned just enough to swipe the black wolf’s flank, claws tearing away fur and skin. But neither wolf released him. Together, they wrestled the feline to the ground and onto his back. Straddling the cougar, the black wolf tore out his throat as he slashed open his stomach with his claws. Both wolves howled their victory.

As the black wolf turned, he saw his pack mates stood around, their sides heaving as blood oozed from several wounds. He too was bleeding and panting. In pain. Tired.

Four maimed, lifeless cougars were sprawled on the ground. The fifth was back in his human form, as was the black wolf’s Alpha. Sensing that Derren wanted dominance, the black wolf ceded control.

Derren hissed through gritted teeth as he stood upright. He was bleeding and aching like a son of a bitch—especially with the fucking slashes on his face and down his sides—but he shelved the pain. Approaching Nick, Derren realized that the fifth cougar was dying; blood poured from several wounds and trickled from his mouth.

“Who was it?” Nick demanded, crouched beside the shifter.

The shifter’s upper lip curled. “I wouldn’t tell you even if I knew,” he wheezed angrily.

“You don’t like that your friends here are dead? Then you shouldn’t have come after me and my pack. You should have known better.”

“He doesn’t know who put the hit out on us?” asked Derren.

“So he says.”

“Do you think he’s telling the truth?” panted Jesse. With the harsh bite mark on his ear and the very deep gashes on his chest and back, he’d suffered the worst injuries.

Nick nodded. “Whoever’s behind all this wants to remain anonymous. If they didn’t, we’d know who it is by now. But Donovan still can’t find out. And Donovan can find out anything.”

“People will keep coming,” the cougar wheezed, an ugly smirk surfacing on his sweating face. “They have a hundred thousand reasons to do it.”

Nick glanced down at him. “But now you know it wasn’t worth the risk, don’t you? And so will anyone else who comes.” He turned to the pack. “Let’s go. My mate is going insane with worry.” Nick would be able to feel it through their mating bond.

When they were near Ally’s lodge, Shaya came racing out and threw herself at Nick. He held her tight, whispering in her ear. Derren pulled on the clothes he’d left on the porch—which hurt like a motherfucker as the material rubbed against his wounds—and headed inside. His gaze went helplessly to Ally, whose eyes widened at the sight of him. Yeah, he knew his face had to look a mess. She made a beeline for him, and he knew she was about to heal him. “Don’t.” She halted, looking . . . hurt. As if he’d rejected her. “I’m not the one who needs your help.”

At that moment, Zander supported Jesse’s weight as they both stumbled inside.

Bracken blinked at his fellow enforcer and friend. “Shit, Jesse.”

Ally winced, no doubt in sympathy at how deep the enforcer’s wounds were. “Sit him down, Zander.”

When Ally moved to sit in front of a naked Jesse, Derren grabbed her arm. “Wait.” He whipped off his own T-shirt and threw it at the enforcer. Understanding, Jesse covered his groin, a small smile on his face. Rolling her eyes, Ally knelt in front of Jesse and placed her hands over his chest. Derren couldn’t help but tense at the sight. He didn’t like her touching another guy—especially a naked guy—but Derren wouldn’t begrudge his pack mate a healing. Not totally, anyway.

Seeing her face pinch in pain as Jesse’s agony flowed into her, Derren placed his hands on her shoulders to comfort and steady her. His wolf hated that she was hurting, wanted to shift and soothe her somehow.

Kathy laid out drinks and sandwiches. “All of you eat. You need your strength.” She gave her daughter a pointed look. “Roni, sandwich. Marcus, leave some for the others.”

Flashing a charming smile at Kathy, Marcus took three sandwiches for himself while his mate called Caleb and Kent with her cell phone, summoning them to Ally’s lodge. It took the males a mere minute to arrive.

“So what happened out there?” Bracken asked Nick.

Ally only half listened to Nick’s recounting of the tale, most of her concentration on healing Jesse. How the guy smiled in that kind of agony, she’d never understand. Once she was done, she turned to Zander, ready to offer her help. But then Derren was tugging her away.

“They’re all fine, Ally,” insisted Derren, knowing she was weak from their pain. “Their wounds are already healing.”

“Yeah, and I can speed up the process. Jesse’s injuries were deep but not extensive. I’ve got enough energy to offer more help.”

Driving Derren slowly insane, the stubborn female then went on to heal Zander, Roni, and Eli. As Marcus and Nick were well on their way to being fully healed, they politely declined her offer to heal them. That was when Ally turned back to Derren, her pale face a mask of resolve. Even tired from healing the others, she was still determined to help him. “Save your strength, Ally, I’m fine.”

Her gaze studied the slashes on his face that had torn into his lips. “No, you’re not.” And he’d scar badly if he was left to heal on his own. She also didn’t miss the claw marks on his sides.

“It looks worse than it is.”

“Then it won’t take much energy for me to heal you, will it?” Ally frowned as a sandwich was suddenly stuffed into her hand.

“You have to eat,” stated Kathy before stalking off.

“I was thinking,” began Shaya, garnering everyone’s attention. “It’s not good that everyone lives so far apart. Caleb, Kent, Roni, and Marcus should move into the main lodge for a while. Their lodges are the farthest away from there, which makes them the most vulnerable against any kind of attack.”

Roni seemed about to object, but then she sighed in resignation. “And if we were attacked, the pack would have to separate to get to us.”

“Exactly. We have plenty of guest rooms.” Shaya pursed her lips. “It might actually be a good idea for everyone to either stay there temporarily or share the lodges that are closest to the main one. For Willow’s sake, if nothing else. I want her surrounded by people who will protect her.”

“Zander can bunk in my lodge,” said Eli. “Bracken can stay with Jesse.”

Jesse scowled at Eli. “You’re sticking him with me?” Bracken seemed to find Jesse’s frustration funny.

Eli shrugged. “You’re the only one he doesn’t constantly irritate.”

Derren offered, “I’ll move into Ally’s lodge so she’s not alone.”

Beside him, she stiffened. “That’s okay, I’m—”

“Or you could just stay at the main lodge,” Derren proposed. “With all these people. With all the noise and a constant bombardment of emotions. I’m sure you’d love sharing space and having a total lack of privacy, so—”

“Fine,” Ally bit out. “Derren will stay with me.”

Shaya smiled. “Excellent. That means no one’s ever alone.”

So low that only Derren heard, Ally whispered, “You can have my bed, since I never use it.”

“Oh, we’ll be using it,” he said with a smile.

“I don’t like to sleep inside.”

“Who said we’d be sleeping?”

She shook her head at him. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Derren,” Nick called out. “Can we talk a minute?” It wasn’t a request.

Derren followed his Alpha outside onto the porch. He knew Nick well enough to know what this was about, so he didn’t bother playing dumb.

“You slept with Ally.”

“Yes.” Even if he’d wanted to deny it, he couldn’t. His scent and the smell of sex was all over the damn lodge. His wolf liked it, considered it a territorial marking.

“Do you really think it was the best idea to fuck Cain’s mate?”

“She’s not his.” The denial was sharp and instant. “If he doesn’t want to claim her that makes her free.”

Nick scrubbed a hand down his face. “It’s not that simple, Derren.” No, it wasn’t. “Cain will see this as a betrayal, especially since he entrusted her safety to you. He’ll think you took advantage of that trust.”

“Are you telling me not to touch her again?”

“There’s no point,” said Nick. “No one can get you to do anything you don’t want to. But think about what you’ll be risking. Cain’s been a good friend to you, in the only way a sociopath can be. Do you really want to fuck up that friendship? Do you really want to find yourself on the receiving end of his fury?”

“This isn’t about him. It’s about me and Ally.”

“Yeah, you and his mate.”

His wolf growled. “She’s not his mate.”

“In another life, where Cain was normal, she might have been. And that’s close enough to count.”

“She’s been dating other guys for years.”

“Yeah, but you’re not dating her. You’re fucking her. That’s different. And it will make a world of difference to Cain. Just think about whether sleeping with her is worth the storm that will head your way if you don’t put an end to it now.”

At least twenty minutes went by before everybody left. Twenty minutes in which Derren chewed on what Nick had said. Cain would see him being with Ally as a betrayal. Derren prided himself on being loyal, especially to those who’d earned that loyalty. Cain was one of those people.

Ally approached him, eyes narrowed. “You’re thinking pretty hard over here. There are so many emotions tormenting you right now.” Her hands cupped his face, and then a loop between them opened as she pushed healing energy into him.

“Ally,” he admonished.

“Shut the fuck up.” There was no heat in the words. “I can’t kiss you if it’ll hurt, can I?”

Derren snaked his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. And he knew that, yes, being with herwasworth whatever trouble it might cause him. He needed her on a level he didn’t understand, couldn’t begin to explain, and chose not to overthink.

His wounds tingled as they healed—a soothing hum in his bones. She then used a wet cloth to gently clean his face. “Thank you, baby.” His mouth devoured hers, licking, biting, and sucking on her bottom lip. Sliding his hands under her thighs, he lifted her; she curled her limbs around him. “Shower.”

She smiled, flashing a dimple he hadn’t before noticed. “Any excuse to get me naked.”

He returned the smile. “Of course.”

After taking her against the shower wall, her legs locked around his waist, he left to go join Nick and the others to discuss how best to tighten the pack’s security measures. As such, it wasn’t until Ally arrived at the main lodge much later to watch a football game in Nick’s game room that she saw Derren again.

She’d literally taken three steps inside the main lodge when he appeared before her, his expression strained. She was about to ask him what was wrong—particularly since his hands landed on her hips and literally began urging her backward—when he forced a smile and said, “Maybe you should go back to the lodge.”

Ally frowned. “Why? What’s wrong?” She inhaled deeply, picking up a collection of scents: Roni, Marcus, Jaime, Dante, Dominic, Tao, and . . . someone else. Someone unfamiliar.

“Is that her?” a loud, witchy voice shouted.

Derren sighed. Dropping a kiss on Ally’s mouth, he said, “Brace yourself.”

To Ally’s confusion, he turned to stand protectively in front of her. Rolling her eyes, she moved to his side . . . and that was when an old female wolf came out of the living area into the hallway, a snarl fixed on her face. The other six wolves followed. Roni and Jaime looked frustrated, but Marcus, Dante, Tao, and Dominic seemed amused.

The old woman huffed. “This must be the infamous Ally,” she mocked. Hostility, sourness, and indignation flowed from her, leaving a tart taste in Ally’s mouth.

Jaime smiled apologetically at Ally. “This is Greta. She’s Trey’s grandmother.” Ah. Jaime had mentioned Greta during their Skype conversations. Apparently she was very antisocial, a little psychotic, extremely prudish, and very possessive of “her boys”—otherwise known as Trey, Dante, Tao, and the Phoenix enforcers. She also had a serious problem with Seers, because Trey had had a bad upbringing, thanks to a particular premonition.

Greta’s upper lip curled briefly. “I’d thank you for healing my Roni, but I know Seers—you have an agenda.”

Ally arched a brow. “An agenda?”

“Seers always do,” she spat.

“Really?”

“Your kind can’t be trusted. It’s a well-known fact.”

“Greta, Ally’s visions and healing skills have been invaluable,” maintained Derren, a growl seeping into his voice.

Greta looked at him. “Oh, I’ll bet they have. She’s helping because she’s trying to win you all over so you’ll let her stay here. Can’t you see she’s manipulating all of you?”

“That’s not what’s happening.” Roni sighed tiredly. “There’s no agenda. No manipulation. No conspiracy.”

“Yes, there is, sweetheart.” Greta’s tone didn’t invite argument. “You just can’t see it yet. I’ve warned Shaya and Nick, but have they listened to me?Noooo.She’s still here. You’ve all got enough trouble to deal with right now. This little hussy will make that worse!”

“Hussy?” echoed Ally. Should she be entertained by this? She figured she should be offended, but instead Ally strangely found herself wanting to laugh.

Ignoring her, Greta went on, “In my opinion, you’re all mad to let her stay. You don’t owe her anything just because she healed you and had some visions. I’ll bet she’s made no other contribution to the pack.”

“That’s not true. She makes the best chocolate cake ever,” stressed Roni.

An exasperated flush crept up Greta’s neck and face. “She’s a Seer!”

“Who makes the best chocolate cake ever,” repeated Roni. “You’re missing what’s important.” Marcus and Dominic chuckled.

“You didn’t even tell me you had one staying with you! How could you keep this from me, Roni?”

Dante spoke then, his voice dry. “I think Roni was worried you’d overreact; clearly it was a pointless concern.” Tao snickered.

Marching up to Derren, Greta told him, after shooting a withering scowl at Ally, “She doesn’t belong here! And I don’t want her around my Roni!”

“And I just don’t care, Greta.” Derren’s tone wasn’t harsh, but it was firm. “Ally’s staying. That’s it. Now stop with all this, because she’s done nothing to deserve it.”

“He’s right,” said Jaime, but Greta ignored her and spoke again to Derren.

“I’m not surprisedyou’redefending her. I can smell her on you. I thought you had more sense than to get involved with a Seer.”

Ally smiled, leaning into Derren. “Once you’ve had a Seer, you’ll never go back.” There was an amused snort that might have come from Dominic.

“No wonder Taryn likes you.” Wearing a superior look, Greta studied Ally from head to toe. “You’re just like her—common, disrespectful, slutty.”

“They’re some of my best qualities.” It was taking everything Ally had not to laugh her ass off. The old dragon was priceless.

Greta humphed. “Well, Taryn, Jaime, and my Roni might like you, but I don’t.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel, what? Devastated?”

Eyes practically swirling with anger, Greta turned back to Derren. “See, she has no respect for her elders!”

“Respect has to be earned,” he said simply. “And it’s not like you’re being respectful to her, is it?”

“Why would I respect her? She’s a Seer!”

“And she’s staying. Let it go,” Derren ordered.

Straightening, Greta inhaled deeply—her chest seemed to puff up. “If you want to have her here, fine. But mark my words, you’re making a mistake.” Her face twisted into a fierce scowl that locked on Ally as she continued, “You might have them fooled, hussy, but I can see right through you. So I’ll warn you now, your cards are marked.”

Ally smiled. “So happy we’re not letting this fester.” With another humph, the old dragon stormed out of the lodge. Looking at Jaime, Ally raised her brows. “Wow.”

The Beta female sighed. “Yeah.”

Derren spoke to Dante. “I’m surprised you left your territory.”

“We caught her trying to sneak out to see for herself that Roni was fine.” Dante shook his head in exasperation. “It was either bring her here or watch her attempt to sneak away again. If she’d gone out alone, she could have been hurt or taken.”

“They’d have brought her back within the hour,” mumbled Jaime. “She’d have made them crazy.”

Dominic took a step toward Ally with a roguish smile—only to be halted when Tao grabbed him and Derren released a warning growl. “What?” the blond asked innocently.

“Dom, no,” said Dante.

“I was just going to—”

“No.”

Catching Ally’s confused expression, Tao explained, “He was going to use a cheesy line on you.”

“I was not.” Dominic sounded appropriately offended. “I was just going to—”

“No,”Dante again burst out.

The blond enforcer sighed. “Fine, Jaime, I’ll ask you.”

Dante got in his face. “You will fucking not.” Dominic just laughed, looking delighted by his Beta’s frustration.

“So, basically, he just likes to drive his friends insane?” guessed Ally.

Smiling, Jaime nodded. “Trick, another of our enforcers, is the worst tease ever. But Dominic takes supreme joy in winding up males—especially mated ones—by flirting with their females. So, either he has the IQ of a Cheerio or some kind of death wish. We’re not yet sure.”

“We’d better go, we shouldn’t stay away from our territory too long.” Jaime gave Ally a tight hug. “Take care, sweetie.”

Ally patted her back gently. “You too.” She thought Derren was going to lunge at Dominic when the blond stepped forward to hug her. “Ignore him,” Ally advised Derren, chuckling.

“Don’t test me, blondie,” drawled Derren, glaring. The threat didn’t seem to bother Dominic one little bit.

Derren and Ally walked the Phoenix wolves to the parking lot. Dominic was just about to get into the Chevy when he shouted, “Hey, Ally, do you know the difference between a hamburger and a blow job?” At her frown, he asked, “No? Wanna have lunch sometime?”

“Oh my God.”Dante shoved him into the vehicle before shooting an apologetic glance at a laughing Ally and a homicidal-lookingDerren. “I wish I had an excuse for him, but I don’t.”

Watching the Phoenix wolves drive away, Derren growled at the sight of Dominic waving out of the window. “You know,” he said to Ally conversationally, “one day I might just kill him.” She laughed again.