CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Luke fought a smile at his mate’s humph. It was always best to stay on Blair’s good side. He’d learned that early.

Had it not been for the fact that she’d just confirmed she was ready to be claimed, he wouldn’t have it in him to smile right now. God, he was pissed. Exponentially pissed. Someone had been sending his mate gifts. Wooing her? Taunting her? He didn’t know. He knew next to nothing, because she’d kept it all from him.

More, someone had left a corpse on her goddamn doorstep. The corpse of a woman he used to fuck. A woman who’d lied to his mate that he’d betrayed her.

The entire situation was messed up.

He subtly drew in a breath, pulling Blair’s gentle feminine scent into his lungs, letting it settle him and his pacing cat. Peonies and pink pepper.

The first time he’d met her, her scent had filled him with a haunting, primal protectiveness that had been his constant companion for years. When the spice of a fully grown shifter female laced her scent, his possessiveness developed a sexual undertone—one that was exacerbated by the mating urge when it crashed into his consciousness three months ago, driving him to take her, bite her, and make her indelibly his.

Although the urge had lessened in its intensity since then, the need to claim her was still an ache in his soul. Resisting was no easier for his cat. The feline had been restless and antsy for months. Now, however, he was calm and smug as hell. This wasn’t an occasion where they were collecting their mate to spend a little time with her. No, they would be taking her to their lair, where she belonged … and she wouldn’t be leaving this time.

As he finally drove through the gates of Sylvan territory, Luke spared her a sideways glance. If she was regretting her decision to leave, it didn’t show on her face. A face so beautiful it made his chest tighten.

Someone shouldn’t be able to look both sweet and edgy at the same time, but she did. With her large ivy-green eyes, delicately pointed chin, cute little dimples, and pale blonde hair, she looked like she belonged in a choir of angels. But, even when calm, she had a steely, daring, unnerving stare that said, “fuck with me and no one will ever find your body.”

She always drank everything in with that gaze, like a lion surveying its surroundings from a distance. And when she opened her mouth, the sexiest voice came out … and you could never quite be sure what she’d say.

Tall, she was only a few inches shorter than him. Though she was slender, she had round full breasts and gently curved hips. Her ass was a thing of beauty, and those shapely legs went on for days.

The anger that right then vibrated in his bones did nothing to dim his ever-present need for her. He guessed she was having the same issue, because sexual tension bounced from him to her and back again, making the air in the vehicle thick and electric.

Said tension had hounded them for long enough. The drive to claim pulsed incessantly between them like a heartbeat. It was maddening and exhausting and drove his libido insane. He was done fighting it.

Her phone rang, but she didn’t bother to pluck it out of her pocket. She probably suspected that the caller was her mother. The woman was no doubt flipping her lid right now.

Highly controlling though Noelle might be, she wasn’t unfeeling or cruel. Her whole “I want what’s best for you” wasn’t bullshit. Luke had seen the love in her eyes as she looked at her daughter. He’d also seen the fear that was twined around that emotion. A fear of loss, of pain, of history repeating itself. A fear that drove her to make selfish decisions and not actually see that they were selfish. She truly had convinced herself that she was acting in Blair’s best interests.

Noelle had tried driving Luke away over the years. Not in obvious ways—that would have meant breaking her word. But she’d done small, subtle things to grate on his nerves, goad him into picking fights, and make things so hard that he’d decide Blair was more trouble than she was worth. Like he would ever have walked away from his mate or allowed any of that to poison his connection with her. Like he could ever have abandoned her even if he’d wanted to—she was too essential to him.

Before Blair, his mind had been a dark place. A place of roiling black clouds, bitterly cold rain, distant claps of thunder, and howling winds that uprooted his thoughts and left mental chaos in their wake. There was no shelter from the storm. Only an endless blackness. A blackness birthed from the grief, shame, and anger that had merged into a raging force inside him. A force that was dark and destructive.

Even surrounded by people, he’d been lonely; never sad, never happy—just numb. Numb and alone, lost in a fog with no way out. And God, he’d been tired. So goddamn tired—physically, emotionally, mentally. Sleep had been his only escape.

While existing in that shadowy fog that simply wouldn’t shift, he’d watched as everyone else had gone about their lives. He’d felt utterly disconnected from everything and everyone. Like he’d been sleepwalking. He hadn’t felt like a person. Hadn’t felt real.

Not many people had noticed. He’d smiled. Laughed. Bantered. But it had been a performance, nothing more. He’d found no true joy or pleasure in anything.

A constant weight had sat on his chest. There had been times when every breath had felt like a strain on his lungs. But then, six years ago, he’d looked into Blair’s eyes … and he’d taken his first real breath in what felt like too long. The fog around him had shifted, the blackness had dimmed, and the sheet of glass through which he viewed the world had cracked.

Intellectually, he’d known that living without the other half of his soul meant he wasn’t complete. But he hadn’t truly grasped that until he’d found her.

She’d changed everything. Changed him. From then on, he no longer felt like he operated on autopilot. She’d given him purpose. A reason for being. A reason to live rather than merely exist. More, she’d brought him back to himself.

There were times since meeting her when the mental tempest started up again. Times when clouds began to gather and a thick fog tried to surround him. But he could call Blair, hear her voice, and then the storm would ease off. Because she restored his balance. She soothed him, filled him up, quenched that craving to feel something.

Watching her grow, mature, and develop into the person she was today—someone strong enough to go toe-to-toe with him when necessary, despite being twelve years his junior and not a born alpha like him—had been magical. He loved that he’d been able to guide, support, and watch over her all these years. He loved that she’d always known she was valued and that her true mate waited for her; known that she’d never be alone and he’d always be there when she needed him.

She’d sensed the anger he carried, she’d asked about it, but she’d let him get away with only telling her dribs and drabs. That would change when they mated. Blair would never stand for anything less than all of him. But that was okay, because he’d expect the same from her. And he’d get it.

There would be nothing easy for her about having him as a mate. He felt for her. He did. Because he was a stubborn motherfucker who wasn’t always rational when it came to the subject of her safety. Not controlling in his efforts to shelter her, though, which he suspected was the only reason she’d never clawed him for it.

Luke didn’t like that he was going to his mate saddled with so much emotional baggage. He didn’t want her to see all that he hid inside, but he had no way to spare her that other than to walk away. That he could never do. He needed her more than she needed him—he’d always known that.

He had no balance without her. She was the only thing that brought him peace; that quieted the storm inside him. Like his cat, he adored her. Was so totally gone for her it was almost embarrassing.

He didn’t worry that she’d struggle to take on the position of Beta female. She might only be eighteen, but there was nothing immature about her. Never had been, really. Mitch once told him she was born forty and had pinned people with that steely stare even when in the cradle. Luke could believe it.

Also, she was highly dominant. And so damn fierce. Cunning as hell, too.

Nonetheless, some of his pride mates doubted that someone so young could truly make a good Beta. They might go as far as to test her. Which would be a massive mistake. She knew how to handle herself—he’d made sure of it. Plus, she was used to dealing with difficult characters. How she handled them, well, that was always interesting.

Card-carrying members of the “Ramifications Don’t Interest Me” party, bush dogs weren’t quite the same brand of crazy as pallas cats. Luke’s kind didn’t give one solitary fuck. Bush dogs? They gave a fuck. They just didn’t give a fuck about you. In fact, they were happy to pretend that everyone outside their pack didn’t exist. If you made them notice you by screwing them over, they would in turn make it their mission to scar you for life.

They liked to play. With your ego. Mostly by crushing it. If there was a color-coded scale for Self-Esteem Assassins, Blair’s kind would be at Level Red.

As for their inner animals … they were like miniature bears. Courtesy of their inborn Napoleon complexes that no one talked about aloud, they could be overly aggressive. Unlike pallas cats, they wouldn’t strike hard, fast, and first. They’d feign submission; whine and simper and give you big doggy eyes, doing a perfect imitation of man’s best friend to melt your heart.

Then they’d snack on you like raging cannibals.

And if you were up against a group of them, you were quite simply fucked. Because a bunch of bush dogs could overpower anything.

Another way they differed from pallas cats was that, unless the situation warranted it, they didn’t fight until someone was dead. No, they’d let you live so that you’d forever suffer the shame of being brought down by Corgi-sized balls of lunacy.

To bush dogs, the meaning of fair fight meant “we will blindside you, maul you, humiliate you, and leave scars on your soul.”

So, yeah, Luke wasn’t worried that Blair would struggle to handle anyone from his pride who dared test her strength. Still, he’d be pissed to all hell about it.

Finally, he pulled into the parking lot outside his apartment building. Much like the neighboring complex and the nearby cul-de-sac, it homed his pride mates and belonged to the pride itself. Unlike most breeds of shifter, pallas cats rarely claimed territories. However, they often grouped together for protection.

There was an additional apartment building that was strictly for lone shifters. His brother’s mate, Havana, and her tiny unofficial pack that consisted of various breeds of shifter had resided there before joining the pride.

Luke whipped the SUV into his usual parking space and switched off the engine. Once he’d grabbed Blair’s duffel from the trunk, he took her hand and led her into the complex. After an upward elevator ride, they reached his floor.

Inside his apartment, Luke closed the door … and slammed her up against it. He took her mouth in a hot, wet kiss, growling when she fisted his shirt and dragged him closer. He thrust his tongue deeper, feeding on her taste, so hungry for her it all but slayed him.

His Blair was no passive participant. She kissed him back just as urgently, hooking her leg over his hip. She arched into him, grinding against his throbbing cock.

Inwardly cursing, he tore his mouth free, planted his hands on the door either side of her head, and inched his body away from hers. “Don’t,” he said when she would have yanked him to her. “My control is not at its best.”

“I’ve noticed. I’m trying to take advantage of it. Hush. Don’t interfere.”

“Blair …”

“Shh, it’s all good, it won’t hurt, I promise.”

He bit her lip. “We’re not doing this tonight.”

“Why not? You’re hard. I’m wet. It makes sense to do something about it. I could make myself come but, well, I’m far more acquainted with my fingers than I care to be at this point.”

His eyes briefly drifted shut. She liked to tease him with little comments like that, and they never failed to make his cock twitch. “Demure” she was not. His girl was bold as brass and went after what she wanted—something that made him proud. But … “You know I’d never manage to fuck you without also claiming you, and I’m not claiming you tonight.”

She pouted. “You always make me feel like a villain trying to divest an innocent of their virtue.”

One side of his mouth kicked up. “I’ll be doing the divesting. But not tonight.” He nuzzled her, dragging that scent into his lungs that called specifically to him, rousing every possessive instinct in his system, awakening his need to protect and shield and claim. When the scent of her filled and surrounded him, he felt like he was home; like all was right in his world. “Now come on. We need to talk.”

Sobering in an instant, Blair sighed as she let him pull her further into his apartment. It wasn’t a regular bachelor pad. How could it be, when she’d played a part in selecting the décor? He’d roped her into helping him choose the warm, earthy paint colors and the stylish pine furnishings when she was younger, feeling it was her right; knowing she’d want to leave her touch on his personal slice of territory. He’d also wanted her to view it as her home.

He sank onto the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. She easily settled there, planting her hands on his chest. She’d straddled him like this countless times as they made out for what felt like hours. Shame they wouldn’t be doing that now.

He gave her hips a squeeze. “You should have told me that Macy went to see you.”

“And pull your attention away from all that was happening around you back then? No. Your focus needed to be on ridding your pride of the danger that hovered over it.” When he went to argue, she added, “I’m not saying you don’t have a right to be angry that I kept it from you. In your position, I wouldn’t like it either. But I’d be lying if I said that I was sorry, so I’m not going to.”

His jaw hardened. “The danger to the pride passed three weeks ago. I told you that.”

“You did, but I didn’t trust that you weren’t merely trying to keep me from worrying. You’ve never once had a problem with me visiting your dad on his birthday. Every year, you take me to see him and then a bunch of us go to a restaurant. But this year, you were opposed to it.” Luke had instead brought Vinnie and a bunch of others to Sylvan territory, and they’d had a celebratory meal in her damn cabin. No one had given her a straight answer as to why.

“It wasn’t that all the problems weren’t truly resolved. We simply have a new, though much more minor, issue.”

Her inner animal snapped up her head. “Which is?”

“You’ll remember I told you about one of our new pride mates, Camden. When he shifted into his tiger form outside this complex to fight with his uncle, it didn’t go unnoticed by humans. Since then, a human male has been hanging around asking the people who work in the pride-owned shops about the ‘lone tiger shifter’ who lives nearby.”

At least they’d assumed that Camden was a loner rather than part of a pride. Pallas cats had no intention of coming out of the shifter closet and posed as humans. “Why?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I discreetly took a photo of the human and passed it onto River,” he added, referring to a member of the pride who worked for the police. “He ran a background check on him that came up clean. We’d figured he might be a journalist or something, but he works at a pawn shop and by all appearances has nothing to do with shifters or anti-shifter extremists. It could just be that he was simply curious. Still, I don’t like it. I didn’t want to put you in his sights in case there was something shady going on.”

“You didn’t have Camden question him? It would have looked weird if you or any of your other pride-mates-posing-as-humans did, but not the tiger.”

“We thought about having Camden nab the guy, but then he stopped coming around. We haven’t seen anything of the human over the last four days.”

“You could have just told me. Why didn’t you?”

He stroked her hip. “You know why.”

“I do. But I want you to say it, because then you can’t give me grief when I say the same to you after you fire all kinds of questions at me about my own situation.”

He sighed. “I didn’t want to worry you when there was every chance that there was no real need for anyone to worry,” he admitted. “I intended to tell you once I had all the facts.”

“Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Now it’s my turn to ask questions. What exactly did Macy say to you?”

Feeling her claws pricking the inside of her fingertips, Blair replied, “That you were sleeping with her. That it had been going on for six months, and that you’d bedded other females before her while waiting for me to grow up.”

A growl rattled in his chest. “You didn’t believe her,” he sensed.

“Of course I didn’t.”

“What else did she say?”

“Quite a few things. She said you weren’t sure if you wanted to claim me; that you were having doubts because of the age gap. She called me naïve and gullible for assuming that I had what it took to be Beta female. She then went on to criticize my figure, proclaiming that I wasn’t curvy enough for your tastes.

“Believe it or not, she also bashed my breed whileon bush dog territory, declaring that we’d put off any male just by being what we are.She then said she didn’t believe you’d claim me because, in her opinion, you needed a real woman—not a young girl who wouldn’t have a clue how to satisfy the needs of a man like you. That was the point at which I knocked her clean out, so I’m not sure if she had anything else to say.”

His mouth tightening, he curled her hair behind her ear. “You know everything she said was utter bullshit, right?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. And you’d be lacking a spleen.”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “That’s my girl. What did you do after knocking her clean out?”

“Had some fun, of course,” Blair expanded, relaying all she’d done.

His smile widened. “You went right for the ego, huh.”

“It was only fair. She went for mine, trying to play on whatever insecurities she thought I might have. It didn’t work, though, because I don’t worry that my age bothers you or that I’m not perfectly capable of acting as Beta female. Nor do I ponder over whether I have enough curves to rev your engines. Coming at me like that was a waste of her time.”

He rubbed the back of his head. “I can’t understand why she did it.”

“It could have been a jealousy thing. I mean, you did used to sleep with her. It was before I came along, I know, but still.”

He squinted. “And how is it you know about that?”

“I saw her once when I was sixteen. I was with Elle at the time—she was taking me to see a movie. We bumped into Macy, who asked Elle how you were and made a few comments that suggested you used to shake the sheets with her.” Blair’s animal had wanted to bite her ear clean off. “Elle confirmed it for me but made it clear that you hadn’t touched any woman since finding me. I believed her.”

“Elle never mentioned it to me. Neither did you.”

“At that point, I was used to crossing paths with women from your past. I mean, some are even part of the pride. None ever bitched at me, came to my territory, or actively sought me out. Honestly … I think my mother might have put Macy up to it. I don’t wantthat to be the case. But as much as I like to tell myself that Macy probably did it out of jealousy, I really didn’t get the sense that she was holding a candle for you or anything.”

“I’d like to say that your mother wouldn’t go that far to come between us.”

“So would I. But we both know it would be a lie. If she did put Macy up to it, she also unknowingly put Macy in the sights of someone who saw total sense in killing her either for me or because of me—I don’t know.”

Something dark moved behind his eyes. “Tell me about the calls you’ve been getting and the gifts you received. You didn’t give me many details when we spoke earlier.”

“The calls started first. The first one came a couple of months ago. It usually happens twice a week. The caller never says anything. I hear light breathing, but that’s all. They hang up after five seconds or so.”

“You said you thought it was being done via a spoofing site. Why?”

“The caller comes up on my screen as someone I know, like my mother or friend or brother or another pack mate.”

Luke swore. “For them to know the numbers of the people close to you, this person either knows them or has ways of obtaining such information.”

“And might very well be from the pack, I know. Don’t think that hasn’t played on my mind. Anyway, I got the weird-ass underwear bouquet about a week after the very first call. The box of sex toys came two weeks later—there was all sorts of kinky shit in there. The jar of coupons came about three weeks after that.”

His mouth set into a hard line. “You should have contacted me the minute you received that damn bouquet. No, you should have contacted me after you got the first strange call.”

“I thought it was the juveniles in the beginning. They were doing all kinds of dares back then and pulling pranks on people—including making dirty calls to some of the females. I only dismissed the theory when the juveniles quieted down and yet my calls and gifts kept coming. Then I suspected it was Noelle; that she’d asked a male to pretend to court me simply to piss you off. It’s the sort of thing she’d do.”

“If you believed she was playing games, why didn’t you say anything to me? You know I’d have wanted to be made aware of it.”

Blair folded her arms. “You didn’t tell me that she was trying to convince you to postpone claiming me. I can guess why you kept it from me. You were set on keeping the peace. Am I right?” His expression confirmed that she’d guessed correctly. “That was what I was trying to do.”

He grunted. “What made you think it might not be Noelle?”

“We had a huge row after she brought Macy to see me. I told her I would never forgive her for actively trying to come between you and me like that. I even accused her of being behind the gifts, which she flatly denied. I refused to speak to her for days. The last thing she would have done while on paper-thin ice was have someone send me another gift. And yet, the jar of coupons came. There were no other gifts, unless you count Macy.”

He rubbed his jaw. “I don’t like that you kept all this from me. I’m your mate, Blair. It’s my right to help you ease even the smallest of burdens.”

“I know. But I’ve already explained why I never mentioned it.”

As much as Luke wished that she’d told him everything sooner, he could understand why she hadn’t. He was just too pissed to make the concession out loud.

“Yesterday, I made the official decision to tell you about everything, but I knew your pride was throwing a mating ceremony today—I wanted to wait until after it was over before I dragged all my shit into your pride’s world.”

He ground his teeth, again understanding her choice but not liking it. “So what made you decide to finally tell me? Something else happened, didn’t it?”

She bit down on her lip. “I received an email yesterday. It wasn’t signed and it came through a spoofing site, so I don’t know who sent it.”

His entire body went rigid. “Show me.”

She pulled her cell out of her pocket, brought up the email, and then handed him the phone. It read: I wish I could say all this openly, but I know your mother would try to keep us apart. You know she would, too. That’s why you’ve never told me how you feel—yes, I understand. I’ve always understood, I’m not mad.

The only thing I don’t get is why you’re going around asking people who sent the gifts I gave you. You know it was me. I hope you liked them. I know they were a little ‘out there,’ but you would have rolled your eyes at typical romantic gestures like flowers or chocolates.

I didn’t think it would be necessary to romance you, if I’m honest. I really thought you’d come to me when you turned eighteen. I waited and I waited … and then I realized that you needed me to make the first move. It should have occurred to me sooner that being a virgin would make you too nervous to come to me.

I love that you’ve kept yourself pure for me, I really do. I’ll always treasure that, and I’ll prove that to you very soon.

Luke’s hand clenched tight around the phone as red-hot rage coursed through his blood. Motherfucker. His cat let out a furious hiss, his hackles rising in a rush. “You showed this to anyone else?” he asked, a guttural edge to his voice.

She shook her head. “I wanted to show it to you first. My original plan was to invite you to my cabin tomorrow, spill everything to you, and for us both to then report the email to Embry. That plan got derailed tonight.”

Staring at her cell, he ground his teeth again, his nostrils flaring. “Whoever sent you this … they’re clearly obsessed with you. They talk like you belong to them; like it was always a given that you’d be theirs. And, going by what they said and the way they said it, I think they’re from the pack.”

“So do I,” she said, her eyes dulling.

He soothingly rubbed her thigh, knowing how much the theory had to hurt her.

“I also think it’s highly possible that they killed Macy,” she added.

“I’d have to agree. They said they wanted to prove to you just how much they treasured you staying ‘pure.’ Maybe, to them, ending the life of a woman who so thoroughly insulted you was proof.”

“Sick freak,” Blair muttered before blowing out a shaky breath. “I don’t know who it could be, Luke. I can’t think of a single person in the pack who ever gave me the creeps.”

“People like that often wear masks. You wouldn’t know they were fucked up unless they wanted you to.” He tugged her closer and slid a hand up her back. “Did anyone in the pack ever come onto you?”

“No. I would have told you if they had.”

“Have any tried to get close to you in what might have seemed like a platonic way?”

She shook her head.

“No guys ever do things to get your attention?”

“Nope. Ever since I read that email, I’ve done nothing but ask myself who could have sent it. But I just don’t know.” She licked her lips. “My mother has a theory as to who might be leaving me gifts, but I don’t know if I agree with it.”

“What theory?”

She shifted slightly. “I don’t think I ever told you about Gabriel, did I?”

Luke felt his brows knit. “Gabriel? No.”

“He was my friend when I was a kid. He was … well, he was different. Super serious and a little morbid. Obsessed with death. If he found a dead animal, he’d cut it open and dissect it as easily as you’d carve into a watermelon. So when his parents were shot by an intruder when he was ten, a lot of people—my mother included—thought he’d had something to do with it. He was ostracized by Embry. Some thought it right, some didn’t.”

“What about you? What do you think?”

“I think it was unfair that they pointed fingers at him. He wasn’t exactly close to his parents, but he did love them. He had no motivation to kill them. But his uncle—who’s human and took him in after his parents’ death—is an avid gun collector and taught him how to shoot. That went against Gabriel, even though he didn’t own a gun and none were found in his home. It didn’t help his cause that he didn’t appear to grieve his parents. But I don’t doubt that he was in pain. He just wasn’t the type to show emotion in front of others.”

“Okay.” Luke paused. “Even though he was ‘different,’ as you call it, I don’t see why Noelle would think that he might be the one harassing you.”

She pulled a face. “He used to strip and disfigure my dolls. He also sneaks onto pack territory sometimes. He leaves playing cards on my porch.”

The little hairs on Luke’s nape stirred. “Because you liked to build houses of cards when you were a kid?”

She nodded. “He never left me what you’d consider real gifts, though.”

“No, but you’re eighteen now. Old enough to be claimed, if that’s what’s on his mind. This would be the right time for him to make a move.”

She sighed. “Yeah, I guess. But I don’t feel comfortable laying the blame on him without any real reason to do so. I don’t even know him. I knew him when we were kids; that’s different.”

“He’s a potential suspect, though. You have to concede that much.”

She slightly inclined her head. “Okay. Yes. But I’m not sold on this theory.”

“Noted. I’m not leaving any stone unturned, though. Do you know where he lives?”

“No. But his uncle probably does.”

“The human who took him in?”

“Yes. His name is Quincy Rendell. He lives somewhere near the outlet mall not far from Sylvan territory. That’s all I know.”

“It’s enough for now.” He’d have River dig up the rest of the information. Tossing her phone aside, Luke caught her face in his hands, forcing himself to be gentle when all he wanted was to hunt down whoever sent that email and evisceratethem. “You won’t be going anywhere alone for a while.”

“I think—”

“Don’t argue, hear me out. This email … it doesn’t scare you, I see that. But if the sender did kill Macy, he’s already shown what he’s capable of. And here’s the thing, his fantasy world where you’ll be his forever is about to fall apart around him. You left the pack. You came home with me. You’ll very soon be claimed by me. In his head, you’ve betrayed him. He may choose to ‘punish’ you. That can’t happen. No one can fucking touch you.”

She gently cuffed his wrists with her hands. “I’m not planning to make things easy for this bastard.”

“Then you’ll agree to take precautions and not go anywhere alone.”

“I wasn’t going to argue with you about it. You just assumed I would. I might not like the idea of being guarded—dominant females generally don’t. But I’m not too proud to accept protection when it’s needed.”

A relieved sigh slipped out of him. “Good. Now here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to forward this email to Embry. I can’t envision him not taking it seriously. Whatever the case, we will.”

“Embry won’t permit you to question everyone in the pack. It would be seen as him submitting to you; seen as a sign of weakness.”

“I know,” he grumbled. “In the reverse situation, Tate wouldn’t allow it for the same reasons. But we don’t need to worry that our boy will lay low and remain out of our reach. He’s going to show himself because he won’t be able to cope with you being away from him. Then we’ll snatch the prick, and I’ll question him all I damn want—and more. In the meantime, it’s imperative that you be careful, Blair.”

“I know. And I will be. I promise.”

Exhaling heavily, he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

Luke kissed her, licking into her mouth. That easily, his system calmed. Her taste, her smell, her size, her weight, the feel of her—soft, warm, toned, curvy—all filled him with a sense of rightness.

He gorged himself on her, letting her chase away the rage that purred beneath his skin. His cat pressed against her, needing the contact.

Long minutes went by before Luke pulled back. His gut clenched at the glazed look she wore. He sank his fingers into her hair, flitting his gaze all over her face. “You’re finally here. Where you belong.”

“And yet, you’re not inside me. Lame.”

“I’m not going to claim you while anger is riding me.” Even though his instincts to possess and take her were on fucking fire on hearing that another man thought he had rights to her. “You deserve better than that. And I do not want thoughts of that sick bastard in your head when I claim you anyway.”

She stroked his chest. “I don’t like that anger’s riding you. That’s my job.”

He groaned. “Witch.”

Her lips curled. “I can get another kiss, though, right?”

“One more. Then bed.” For the first time, his mate would be in his bed, sleeping beside him. And there would never again be a time when she didn’t.