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Authors: Evanne Lorraine
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snipped chives, and diced cold lobster—blending everything with
a good dollop of homemade mayonnaise.
The females chatted as he prepped. Daniel excused himself to
make a call.
By the time Chet had finished the salad, the chill was off
the pastry shells. He scooped in the lobster, plated the biscuit-sized tarts,
and passed the appetizers.
Ivy accepted one, and he hovered while she took a bite. Her
eyes softened, then closed as she savored the treat. After the first small tart
disappeared, she reached for a second. “These are amazing.”
“Don’t go with them. Stay with me.” He held his breath,
hoping her kind heart and the appetizers had won him another chance.
Her eyes popped open. “I understand better than most how
horrible forced intimacy is. You may be right, and I may be a dormant werewolf,
but I’m not a monster. I never asked you to rescue me.”
“I’m so—” Was as far as Chet got before Ivy’s palm rose.
“Please let me finish.” She waited for his nod before
continuing. “Scarlet told me a little about bonding. I understand you don’t
have a choice. I do. I want to be fair to you, but I had a life in San
Francisco before this nightmare began. Once the rogues are eliminated, I’m
going home. If we aren’t together, there’s much better odds you won’t bond with
me. So are you sure you want me to stay?”
Hell, if you leave,
then I’m not sure I want to keep breathing.
”Yes.” He let every bit of the longing he felt show and
prayed for mercy.
She studied him for a long moment. “Then I’ll stay.”
Chet had won. His mouth stretched into a sappy grin, and he
didn’t care.
“If Ivy stays here, you need backup.” Daniel added enough
Alpha power to his words to make it a command.
“I can take care of her.” Chet bristled.
“Not if you leave the building. Ivy is the first female to
ever escape a rogue pack. She can identify them, maybe track them better than
we can. We aren’t taking chances with her safety.”
I can’t fucking object
to protecting her now, can I? “They stay outside the apartment.”
“Already arranged.”
Ivy picked up the tray, offering it to Scarlet. “Please try
some, they’re incredible.”
“Thank you.” Scarlet accepted the bite of lobster salad.
Daniel took two, stacked them neatly, and popped both into
his pie hole. Scarlet leaned into him. His leader took the hint. “We gotta go.
Talk to you two tomorrow.”
SCARLET’S CALMING PRESENCE must’ve kept her nightmares away.
When Chet closed the door behind his friends, Ivy fought a fresh surge of panic
and lost.
He must have sensed her fear, because he was right there—a
strong, solid presence standing between her and the images from the past
haunting her. The monsters were alive in her head and she couldn’t evict them
and she couldn’t stop shaking. “D-don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Chet pulled her into his arms. “You’re safe. I promise.”
“I don’t want to get you dirty.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m an adult and have
been for a long time.”
She gave in and snuggled into his heat, taking shelter in
his strength. “Just how old are you?”
“Three-twenty-five.”
“Three-hundred-and-twenty-five years? That’s definitely old
enough to know better.” She breathed in his scent, one she associated with
safety. “You should have made me go with Daniel and Scarlet.”
“You need me.” His voice deepened.
She pushed against his hard chest, refusing to be a victim
again, even for him.
“Be still. I need you too.”
“Did you already bond?” She held her breath, not sure what
answer she wanted.
“Damned if I know.” His tone was so disgruntled she gave a
nervous giggle.
“This is new territory for me. Usually I call the shots with
females, keeping it smooth, friendly, and enough fun so they don’t resent my
being in charge. Then I find you, and all my rules are out the door, and I
don’t even mind so much.” He
a good dollop of homemade mayonnaise.
The females chatted as he prepped. Daniel excused himself to
make a call.
By the time Chet had finished the salad, the chill was off
the pastry shells. He scooped in the lobster, plated the biscuit-sized tarts,
and passed the appetizers.
Ivy accepted one, and he hovered while she took a bite. Her
eyes softened, then closed as she savored the treat. After the first small tart
disappeared, she reached for a second. “These are amazing.”
“Don’t go with them. Stay with me.” He held his breath,
hoping her kind heart and the appetizers had won him another chance.
Her eyes popped open. “I understand better than most how
horrible forced intimacy is. You may be right, and I may be a dormant werewolf,
but I’m not a monster. I never asked you to rescue me.”
“I’m so—” Was as far as Chet got before Ivy’s palm rose.
“Please let me finish.” She waited for his nod before
continuing. “Scarlet told me a little about bonding. I understand you don’t
have a choice. I do. I want to be fair to you, but I had a life in San
Francisco before this nightmare began. Once the rogues are eliminated, I’m
going home. If we aren’t together, there’s much better odds you won’t bond with
me. So are you sure you want me to stay?”
Hell, if you leave,
then I’m not sure I want to keep breathing.
”Yes.” He let every bit of the longing he felt show and
prayed for mercy.
She studied him for a long moment. “Then I’ll stay.”
Chet had won. His mouth stretched into a sappy grin, and he
didn’t care.
“If Ivy stays here, you need backup.” Daniel added enough
Alpha power to his words to make it a command.
“I can take care of her.” Chet bristled.
“Not if you leave the building. Ivy is the first female to
ever escape a rogue pack. She can identify them, maybe track them better than
we can. We aren’t taking chances with her safety.”
I can’t fucking object
to protecting her now, can I? “They stay outside the apartment.”
“Already arranged.”
Ivy picked up the tray, offering it to Scarlet. “Please try
some, they’re incredible.”
“Thank you.” Scarlet accepted the bite of lobster salad.
Daniel took two, stacked them neatly, and popped both into
his pie hole. Scarlet leaned into him. His leader took the hint. “We gotta go.
Talk to you two tomorrow.”
SCARLET’S CALMING PRESENCE must’ve kept her nightmares away.
When Chet closed the door behind his friends, Ivy fought a fresh surge of panic
and lost.
He must have sensed her fear, because he was right there—a
strong, solid presence standing between her and the images from the past
haunting her. The monsters were alive in her head and she couldn’t evict them
and she couldn’t stop shaking. “D-don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Chet pulled her into his arms. “You’re safe. I promise.”
“I don’t want to get you dirty.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m an adult and have
been for a long time.”
She gave in and snuggled into his heat, taking shelter in
his strength. “Just how old are you?”
“Three-twenty-five.”
“Three-hundred-and-twenty-five years? That’s definitely old
enough to know better.” She breathed in his scent, one she associated with
safety. “You should have made me go with Daniel and Scarlet.”
“You need me.” His voice deepened.
She pushed against his hard chest, refusing to be a victim
again, even for him.
“Be still. I need you too.”
“Did you already bond?” She held her breath, not sure what
answer she wanted.
“Damned if I know.” His tone was so disgruntled she gave a
nervous giggle.
“This is new territory for me. Usually I call the shots with
females, keeping it smooth, friendly, and enough fun so they don’t resent my
being in charge. Then I find you, and all my rules are out the door, and I
don’t even mind so much.” He
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