“Not until you’re steady on your feet.” Derren wanted to go upstairs with her, help her get clean, take care of her—an odd feeling that was made stronger by his wolf’s urge to do the same. But he hadn’t earned that level of intimacy with her, and it was best for everyone if he ignored the urge in any case.
Ally couldn’t deny that she was still a little weak, but she’d be damned if she’d admit it out loud. “I don’t need a nursemaid.”
“Good. I’d just send her away anyway.”
Knowing he’d purposely misunderstood what she’d said, Ally just rolled her eyes. Not interested in wasting what little strength she had on arguing with him, she left him in the kitchen while she took her shower. Since her head wound had healed, it barely stung when she shampooed her hair. She wanted to linger, to let the hot spray wash away her tension, but she was too tired.
Dressed in her sweats, she made her way downstairs. Derren was still in the kitchen, and he’d apparently made himself a sandwich. “Feel free to make yourself at home.” The bite of sarcasm in her words actually made him smile.
He plonked the sandwich on her dining table. “Sit. Eat.”
Well, that made her bristle, even as her stomach rumbled. “I don’t respond well to orders.”
“Yeah, I’m learning that.” He moved closer, breathing in her delicious scent mingled with her coconut soap. “You need to eat something. You missed lunch, and you used up a lot of energy. Eat.”
Although his Beta tone was irritating as shit, she wasn’t the type to cut her nose off to spite her face. So with a huff, she took a seat and dug into her sandwich, which was actually pretty good. She purposely gave her full attention to the sandwich, disregarding the wolf opposite her. But it was hard to ignore a six-foot-plus male who was packed with hard muscle and armed with an unrefined sexuality. Especially when said male wanted her attention.
“Is it always like that?” Derren asked. At her questioning look, he added, “The visions. Do they always seem real?”
“Yes.” Even when she was sleeping, they were never unclear or dreamlike.
“Must be hard, scary, watching people you know—maybe even care about—be seriously hurt or die.” He deliberately brushed his foot against hers beneath the table, almost smiling at her reproachful narrow-eyed look. “I guess the flip side is that you get to save them.”
“Not all of them.” At his speculative look, she cursed. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“Who didn’t you manage to save?”
She so wasn’t going there. Done with her sandwich, she got to her feet. “You know what, I think I’ll go relax in the hammock for a while. I’m tired.”
“I’m not so easy to dismiss, Ally. Surely you’ve figured that out by now.”
She had. It was a frustrating quality that part of her admired. “Look, I’m grateful that you watched over me while I was unconscious. But I’m fine now. You don’t need to stay.”
“I know.” But he was still going to stay; his expression made that clear.
“Fine. Do what you like.”
“I will.” He always did. It had made him a difficult son to raise, since his parents were—
Instantly, Derren shoved the memory of them and their betrayal from his mind before it had the chance to darken his mood.
Stepping out onto the porch, he had to smile at the sight of Ally lounging in the hammock, eyes closed, listening to her iPod. And effectively dismissing him once again. She was a stubborn, prickly little thing intent on holding the world at a distance. Why that intrigued him, he really couldn’t say. But very little intrigued Derren, and the fact that she could do that drew him as surely as her scent and delectable body.
He could fully admit that to himself now that he was no longer looking at her through a dark cloud of resentment and suspiciousness. He was no longer knotted up inside, no longer unreasonably angry with her or himself for how badly he wanted her. It made him able to see her more clearly—see the sharp, strong-willed, wounded female who possessed a dangerous edge and who could show loyalty and kindness to a pack that hadn’t given her the same.
With that one deed, she’d earned not only his respect but his loyalty. Maybe even a piece of his trust. That pleased and relieved his wolf.
Hearing footsteps, he turned just as Shaya and Nick rounded the corner. Derren gently tugged on Ally’s hair, gaining her attention. She scowled until she noticed her new visitors.
Switching off her iPod and pulling out her earbuds, Ally sat up. “Hey. What’s this?” She eyed the plate in Shaya’s hands that was covered with tinfoil.
Shaya smiled. “Kathy knew you’d missed lunch, and she didn’t think you’d feel like cooking.”
Surprised, Ally raised her brow. “A peace offering?”
“No, this is what packs do. We take care of our own.”
“She’s already eaten,” Derren told her, irrationally offended by another wolf taking care of Ally. “I made her a sandwich.”
“Which he bullied me into eating,” grumbled Ally, carefully taking the plate from Shaya. Peeling back a little of the foil, revealing pasta and salad, she sniffed.
Nick’s brow furrowed. “What are you doing?”
“Checking for poison.”
Shaya rolled her eyes, snatching back the plate. “I’ll put it in the fridge. Take it out when you’re hungry.”
Ally thought it was kind of ironic that saving Shaya’s life through the use of her gift had earned her acceptance, when the very reason the pack had initially been so unwelcoming was because of said gift. It would no doubt gall Kathy on some level, since she’d been clear that she didn’t want Ally to share her visions. To be fair to the woman, though, she’d backed right down and owned up to her mistake by offering her acceptance. Ally could respect that.
When she reappeared on the porch, Shaya told Ally, “Kathy will never be fond of Seers, but you’re now the exception. And please know that I’ll love you forever. To think that I might have missed my daughter growing up, that Nick might have died right along with me . . .” She shuddered, eyes glistening.
Cuddling his mate close, Nick pressed a soft kiss to her temple. He then spoke to Ally. “We won’t forget what you did.”
“Do you have any idea who caused the explosion?” Ally asked him.
“Eli and the enforcers scouted the direction from which the grenade was fired,” Nick replied. “They came across a spot that smelled strongly of foxes, but there were no tracks.”
Derren blinked. “Foxes?” He hadn’t received an update before now, since he’d stuck with Ally as opposed to joining the enforcers.
Nick nodded. “The trail went stale after a hundred feet. It took everything I had not to keep going to hunt them down and rip them to pieces,” he rumbled.
Ally frowned. “Why didn’t you?”
“The last time someone crossed our border was to lure away the males from the main lodge so the females were vulnerable. That was the night Roni almost died.” A muscle in Nick’s jaw ticked. “I won’t make that mistake again, no matter how badly I want blood. Especially not when every instinct I have tells me to stick close to my mate and child.”
“The poisoned animals and rifle grenade have to be related in some way.” Shaya rubbed her temple. “I find it too hard to believe that two attacks could happen so close together unless they were related.”
Derren agreed, but . . . “Using two different forms of attack makes no sense, though. Hell, using a human weapon makes no sense.” Shifters fought with tooth and claw—even foxes, though they could be sneaky, cheating fuckers.
“Unless it’s the extremists.” Shaya shrugged. The leader of a particular group of extremists had also happened to have been a guard in the shifter juvenile detention where Nick and Derren had been incarcerated. Hating Nick for badly injuring him when he’d fought off the bastard’s attempts to abuse him back then, the guard’s group of extremists had targeted Nick—which had simply led to the bastards’ deaths.
To the outside world, the group had mysteriously “disappeared.” Of course the other anti-shifter extremists groups speculated that Nick was responsible, and it was that fear of him that kept the other groups from retaliating. But just maybe their fear wasn’t getting in the way anymore.
“I’m not convinced it’s the extremists,” said Nick. “I think someone’s playing with us. That they want us to be confused about who we’re facing.”
Shaya pursed her lips. “If so, it’s working.”
“Which side of the border did Eli and the enforcers find the foxes’ scents?” Derren asked Nick.
“The side that flows into Miranda’s territory.” Nick skimmed his hand up and down Shaya’s arm. “Which will mean she’ll also try hunting the trespassers.”
“Miranda Whitney is Alpha female of the Sutherland Pack,” Shaya told Ally.
“I’ve heard about her.” Ally swatted away a mosquito. “She runs the pack alone, right?” It wasn’t common for an unmated female wolf to run a pack.
“Yep,” confirmed Shaya, her mouth tightening in distaste. “I don’t like her. But we’re cordial and civil because she’s our closest neighbor.”
Ally understood that. Neighbors often watched out for each other, chased away trespassers, and informed each other of any suspicious activity. Hearing her cell phone ringing, she excused herself and went into the lodge. Retrieving her cell from the pocket of her jacket, she tensed when she saw “Zeke” flashing on the screen. It wasn’t the first time he’d tried calling her since she’d left the Collingwood Pack. Unfortunately, he wasn’t deterred by her ignoring those attempts. Finally the cell ceased ringing, and she exhaled heavily.
“Who was that?”
Spinning on her heel, she found Derren staring hard at her. “Nosy little bastard, aren’t you?”
With two purposeful strides, he closed the small distance between them. “Who was it?” When she didn’t answer, Derren snatched the phone from her hand, unsurprised to see there was a missed call from Zeke. She might not realize it, but the same expression always took over her face whenever the subject was the Collingwood Beta—one that contained betrayal, hurt, and weariness. It never failed to prickle the protective instincts of Derren and his wolf.
Ally held out her hand. “Give.”
He might have, but then a beeping sound was quickly followed by “1 New Message” flashing on the screen. Before she could seize the phone, he opened the message and read it aloud. “Ally, why won’t you talk to me? I just want to know that you’re okay.” Derren met her pissed, narrow-eyed gaze as she yanked the cell from his hand. “You’ve been ignoring his calls. Good. Keep it that way.”
Her spine locked. “Who I speak to is my business. Should I grab a ladder so you can step out of it?”
“I don’t want him contacting you.” He didn’t want a single ounce of her time spent on the fucker.
“And you think I do?”
No, he didn’t. She looked more pissed about it than he was. Maybe it was time he had a little chat with the Beta—his wolf fully supported that idea. Derren’s intention must have been right there on his face, because she shook her head.
“Don’t, Derren. If he thinks bugging me will get him any kind of a reaction, he’ll keep doing it.”
Derren’s wolf snarled. “I should just overlook that he’s harassing you?”
Confused by his implication that it would be an unreasonable request, Ally snickered. “Yes, you should. I’m no one to you.”
His hand snapped around her wrist in a proprietary hold. “Wrong.” He didn’t know what she was to him, but it wasn’t “no one.”
She tensed as his expression blackened and possessiveness oozed from his skin to hers. It slithered over her like demanding, territorial hands. As his eyes fell to Ally’s mouth, his need punched its way inside her—filled her, taunted her, and acted as a flick to her clit. Her knees buckled. Oh, help. “Tone it down,” she ground out.
Scenting her heat, Derren smiled inwardly. “Now we’re even. I’ll check on you later.”
And he did, to the delight of Ally’s wolf. When he couldn’t coax Ally to come with him for dinner at the main lodge, he stayed with her. The little shit also ate half of her meal. Then he rose from the porch step and held out his hand. “Come with me.”
Ally narrowed her eyes. “Where?”
“I want to show you something.”
“What?” Wariness coated the word.
“Stop being so suspicious. Come with me,” Derren repeated.
There was a dare in his eyes that made Ally’s shoulders stiffen. She’d be damned if she’d show any weakness. “Fine.” She placed her hand in his, swallowing hard as his hunger and satisfaction seemed to invade her pores, and he pulled her to her feet. “Let me just put this inside.” Once she’d set the empty plate in the sink, she returned to the porch. “Where are we going?” She tried to sound vaguely annoyed, but she was actually curious. And his smile said he knew it.
“You’ll see.”
As he led her into the forest, she quickly realized they were headed in the direction of his lodge. But he didn’t take her inside. He led her deeper into Mercury territory. When they reached a small clearing, he urged her to squat beside him.
“Look.”
“What am I supposed to be looking at?” She didn’t see anything. She could smell plenty of wildlife, but she couldn’t see anything.
“See the small rock overhang over there? Watch closely.”
Moments went by, and she still didn’t see anything. “There’s nothing—”
“Shush. Give them a minute.”
Them? She went to question him again, and that was when she noticed a little movement. Something was crawling out from under the rock . . . something small with black fur. And then, with a brief struggle, it was out. Another one joined it. And another one. “How adorable are they,” she whispered with total awe. Ally guessed the little wolf pups were around four weeks old.
Moments later, a mature female wolf followed them out of the hole. Fuck, it was a wolf den. “Derren, we really shouldn’t be here.” Full-blooded wolves weren’t bothered much by shifters, but they didn’t like them around their pups.
“It’s okay,” he assured her.
No, it wasn’t—especially since four more adult wolves had approached the den. “We should go.” She exhaled a relieved sigh when Derren stood. But then the apparently suicidal shithead moved toward the wolves.
She grabbed his hand to stay him. “What are you doing?”
“Come on.”
“What?” Her voice was a strangled squeak.
“Don’t you want a closer look?”
“No. The adult wolves will totally freak out.” She didn’t relish the idea of scaring them. Or pissing them off and being attacked. Derren just gave her one of his silky smiles.
“Stop being a chickenshit.”
“I am not.”
“Then come on,” he dared. Although he knew never to expect anything when it came to Ally, Derren had come to learn that she always responded to a challenge. As he’d expected, she straightened her shoulders and stood.
“If I get pounced on by a pack of wolves, and you put me in a position where I have to hurt them to defend myself, I’ll slice your throat.”
His smile widened. “You might give it your best shot.”
Against her better judgment, Ally followed Derren out of the trees. The wolves looked up and extended their noses. Their nostrils flared as they took in the scents of the two shifters, and a large black male slowly padded to Derren. Instead of growling a warning, the male rubbed against Derren’s leg. “You’ve been around them before,” she realized.
Derren nodded. “They come to the river at a spot pretty close to my lodge. Hold out your hand.” Before she could hesitate, he took one of her hands and held it toward the Alpha male. The wolf took a long sniff before letting out a soft snort. “My scent is on you, so you have his stamp of approval.”
When Derren tugged her toward the pups, Ally dug in her heels. “That would be pushing the adults too hard.” He ignored her, yanking her to his side. To her total amazement, none of the wolves protested when Derren crouched a few feet away from the pups. She gaped at him. “They let you near their pups?”
“They see me as part of their pack. It’s why they keep pissing on my porch.” The pup in front sniffed the air and took a step toward Derren. Gradually, the pup moved closer and closer until he butted Derren’s hand. The other two pups followed their littermate’s lead, and soon they were all nibbling on Derren’s hand and pawing his thigh.
Unable to resist the cute little buggers, Ally squatted next to Derren. At first, the pups backed up a little—unnerved by the new presence. But, just as they had with Derren, they soon came close to investigate . . . looking up at her through blue eyes. They played with her, batting at her offered hand. “I want one.”
Derren chuckled quietly, happy to see Ally smile.
“Thank you for bringing me here.” She understood why he had. It was an apology, of sorts. His response was a short nod.
Despite her protests, Derren walked her back to her lodge. He’d be a damn liar if he claimed it was simply a protective act. The truth was that he was buying some time with her. He might have delayed having to leave her, but . . . “You look tired.” There were still dark smudges under her eyes, and her olive skin lacked its usual healthy glow.
“It’s been a long day. I’ll be fine by morning.”
“Good.” She turned to go inside, and Derren found that he couldn’t just let her go—not without tasting her just once. His hand shot out, grabbed her shoulder, and twirled her around. Then he was on her. His hands fisted in her hair as his mouth devoured hers. His tongue plundered her mouth, sweeping against her own. She tasted just as she smelled: exotic and sweet. And nothing had ever tasted better.
Shocked, Ally stiffened against him. A part of her—the part that was wounded by her experience with Zeke—wanted to push him away and maintain a distance between them. Another part of her wanted to thrust her fingers through his dark hair and meet his kiss.
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