“Ryker? Talk to me. You’re kind of freaking me out,” I say, grabbing his hand. He allows it but doesn’t squeeze back; his hand feels stiff, distant in mine. “Mindlink me if you can’t say it out loud.” As we slip away from the shadows behind the building, the sun is dipping low, painting the sky with a deep orange glow. I feel irritation bubbling up but remind myself not to risk anything if he’s tracking or listening for danger.
The atmosphere in the cab is heavy, too tense for me to relax or fall asleep.
After what feels like forever, I catch snippets of their mindlink conversation.
“That was close, boss,” Brian mutters, but then silence falls again as they resume scanning our surroundings. Their vigilance is subtle; if I hadn’t been so restless, I might never have noticed.
“Can I get a quick rundown? Or should I start guessing?” I fold my arms, mimicking a child throwing a tantrum.
“I’ll explain later,” Ryker says, his tone calm enough to ease some of my anxiety. Still, I’m frustrated by the lack of answers.
I tug on his arm, coaxing him to lean back in the seat. He looks puzzled, but I return the favor of silence, settling in comfortably by tucking my legs up and resting my head on his shoulder. He drapes his arm over my knees, and that’s the last thing I remember.
I blink away sleep as gentle motion rocks me. Taking a deep breath, the scent of rosemary and mint hits me like a jolt of energy.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Rest up. We just got in,” Ryker whispers as I stir, moving to free myself from his embrace.
Ryker
“Don’t even think about moving, little lamb. I’ve got you.” My voice was low but firm, and I couldn’t bear to have her any farther away right now. That drive felt endless**every mile stretching on like a test of my patience. Thank the Goddess that Claude and his idiots took the bait.
After the second attempt on Kennedy’s life here, Josh and I scoured our territories for a she-wolf who resembled her closely enough to serve as a decoy. That’s when we found Mia, a fierce warrior who was more than willing to pose as Kennedy’s double. The two attacks, plus Claude’s unexpected appearance today, told me this was no coincidence. Something far bigger was unfolding. Claude didn’t flinch when he saw us, even though he’d been actively avoiding me for months. He seemed caught off guard by Kennedy being with me and didn’t come near us for the rest of the time at Rory’s. Still, he shadowed us through the party**tracking him wasn’t difficult.
About an hour after we got there, Danny arrived with Mia in a second car. Whenever Kennedy danced with Bennet, I made it a point to leave the room**and without fail, Claude followed me. Josh and I dropped subtle hints about ‘Kennedy’s vehicle’ whenever Claude was within earshot. I also spoke with a few other alphas about the safety measures they had in place for their mates. When it was time to leave, our entire team gathered around us. This allowed me to move Kennedy safely and slip Mia into her place. Then we split up quickly. Bennet, Danny, and Josh accompanied Mia, making it look like they were on Luna duty. It wasn’t a foolproof plan, but it was the best we could improvise on the spot. And it worked**Claude took the bait. Mia’s car was attacked. Thankfully, all my warriors came out mostly unscathed, with only minor injuries. I can’t even bear to imagine what might have happened if the plan had failed or something went wrong.
I’m incredibly relieved that Kennedy sensed something was off and didn’t cause trouble as we left. She’s usually stubborn when she doesn’t get answers to her questions, but this time she stayed quiet. It hadn’t even occurred to me to mindlink her about what was happening until she asked. By then, the attack was over, and it didn’t matter. She curled into me and finally drifted off to sleep, which has to mean she isn’t too mad at me. Of course, she won’t just let it go, so I’m hoping she stays asleep long enough for me to come up with a better explanation than “I forgot you can mindlink now” by morning.
I wake up suddenly, turn over, and panic when I realize the space beside me is empty**the sheets feel cold. She hasn’t been here for a while. Sitting up quickly, I throw the covers off and scan the room, struggling to keep my breath steady. Kennedy never gets up before me. She’s a morning person, yes, but she always sneaks in a few extra minutes wrapped in blankets while I get ready.
As I search for clues about where she might have gone, I catch the faint sound of soft, rhythmic breaths coming from outside. Moving toward the door, my throat instantly tightens. There she is**on all fours on the deck, her back arching and lowering slowly in a fluid motion. She’s wearing the tiniest pair of pink shorts I’ve ever seen, hugging every curve of her defined ass. She shouldn’t be out here like this, where anyone could see her, but I’m frozen in place, unable to stop watching.
She shifts onto her toes, lifting her hips toward the sky in a slow, tantalizing stretch. The thin fabric reveals the full outline of her pussy, and if I were a wise man, I’d drop to my knees right behind her and worship every inch with my tongue. But I remain rooted to the spot. She dips forward, pressing her hips to the ground as she gazes at the sky, then pushes back up to repeat the arching movement. Only then do I blink, quietly slide the door open, and step outside for a better view.
I know she heard me come out, but she doesn’t even glance my way. Instead, she continues moving, teasing me like a forbidden fruit just out of reach. When she lifts her hips again, I’m right behind her, closer than I even realized I’d gotten. There’s no way I’m putting space between us now.
“Ken…” I manage to croak, my voice rough from desire.
She wiggles her hips in response. “What?” Her breathy whisper sends a shiver straight down to my cock.
“You know what,” I say, flexing and unclenching my hands, fighting the urge to touch her, to pull her against me. Resisting her is going to kill me.
“Hmm. Too bad,” she murmurs, pressing back into me. Somehow, she manages to stand gracefully while grinding that luscious ass against my throbbing length. Then, with a sly smile, she turns and walks away, leaving me breathless and aching.
I need to figure this out**fast. The question is simple on the surface: will marking her cause her harm? Yet, no one seems to have a clear answer. She’s part of the pack now; we’ve confirmed that much. She’s expressed a genuine desire to try, but she’s also made it clear she won’t be the one left behind if things go wrong. What if the venom acts like a parasite or is toxic to her? Time is running out. She’s determined to either be marked or walk away, and that ultimatum is weighing heavily on me.
By the time I manage to get the right part of my brain firing properly, she’s already showered and left the room.
“Hey Bennet. Are you with Kennedy?” I ask, hoping for some insight.
“Of course,” Bennet replies. “But the real question is, why aren’t you with her?”
“She pushed me hard this morning during yoga on the deck. I didn’t take the bait, and she wasn’t happy about it. Just wondering if she’s mad or if it’s safe to come downstairs.”
“Uh, she doesn’t seem upset at all. Actually, she’s messing around with Danny and some of the guys right now. I was going to ask you something… never mind.”
“Ask what?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.