After he’d punched and slammed Frank against the wall a few times, Damien was good. The need to bash Frank’s head in was gone. He hadn’t even asked Frank what he’d been doing with his hands on Tess. Damien didn’t need to. This was Frank after all, the big brute who’d served time and endured more months in isolation that anyone should ever have to in order to save three pack members. The shifter wouldn’t hurt a fly, unless one threatened him. And Tess was an innocent. Frank knew it as much as Damien did.
Once he had drained the frantic energy from his system, Damien pulled Frank up and checked his broken nose. All was good between them.
Damien had been totally unprepared for the scent that slammed into him when he’d entered the hallway. The extreme fear coming from Tess had aggravated both him and his inner wolf. When he’d locked eyes with Tess, her fear had begun to fade, but he’d remained on edge because of Ian and then Blade. Damien hadn’t liked the way Blade had been glaring at her, as if he’d be happy to make an example of her to all humans. That wasn’t going to happen, no matter what.
“Have you found him yet?” Damien asked as Frank entered.
“Ian’s brother said Ian headed out for a run as soon as he woke and hasn’t been back since.”
Damien was going to have a nice long talk with Ian as soon as Callen’s men tracked Ian down.
Blade strolled in at that moment, as if nothing was wrong. Damien couldn’t contain his glare. Yesterday was still too fresh in his mind.
“What? What did I do now?” his scout asked.
Even if Blade hadn’t intended to hurt Tess when he’d yanked her out of the room yesterday, he’d re-dislocated her shoulder. That was unacceptable. Tess was human, fragile even without all the wounds the WSSO had inflicted on her. These males—his shifters— needed to keep their paws and their scents off of her, or he might do some serious damage to them without meaning to. His wolf made violence too easy these days, even made him crave it at times.
“I don’t want you touching her,” Damien said, a definite growl to his voice. “In fact, stay away from her.”
“Damien,” Hayden said as he walked in just in time to hear Damien’s warning. “Blade didn’t do anything wrong, and you know it. Lay off him.”
And now Damien was getting orders from his second. Nothing was right lately. His shifters were becoming too willful, too disobedient.
Hayden put a hand on Damien’s shoulder. “Take it easy,” Hayden whispered. “We’ll find Ian and then we’ll find out what’s going on. You focus on your wolf and let us take care of the rest.”
Hayden found his way to the fridge and started rooting for food. “What’s for breakfast,” he asked, loud enough for the others to hear. It was an attempt to show the others that everything was fine, that Hayden wasn’t concerned about Damien’s behavior. But Damien knew he was. Hayden always had Damien’s back, and a way of seeing through Damien, enough to calm him at least somewhat.
Through sheer will alone, Damien tore his eyes from Blade.
“Want me to leave?” Blade asked, the unease between them still quite tangible.
Hayden was right, as usual. Blade hadn’t intended any harm. But Damien’s wolf was riding him harder than ever since Tess had arrived. He definitely better not speak with Ian until Damien relaxed, fully relaxed, or Ian would have more than a concussion to worry about. What the hell had he been doing up there in her room? Ian worked garbage detail, not maintenance. He had no reason to be in Damien’s house.
Damien’s wolf was becoming more agitated by the second at the thought of Ian in Tess’s room, while she slept unguarded. Better to think of Tess, the beautiful woman who had stood up to Damien and his men in nothing but one of his shirts. She had demanded clothes, and he’d brought them. Then he’d stayed in the hall, listing to her whimpers as she dressed. Hearing her in pain had felt like someone was dragging claws down his back.
He imagined he’d worn an expression similar to the one Blade wore right now. Blade… hell, he was a thorn in his side sometimes. “Stay, but don’t hit her with your prejudice.”
“That’s funny, coming from you.”
This wasn’t off to a good start. Damien didn’t need to be fighting his inner wolf and Blade. “I admit I have issues with humans. We both do, but she’s not responsible for any of that.”
“I won’t hurt her,” Blade said.
No, Blade wouldn’t, not intentionally. Damien wished he could say the same about himself right now. Instinct had driven him to block her in the bedroom yesterday. He’d taken a step and waited for her to step in the same direction, all the while knowing if she took another path, he’d move to block her again, to correct her, to make sure she followed him, that she submitted to him.
But his little human had seen the challenge for what it was and had issued her own challenge in return. She’d raised an impatient eyebrow as if to say, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ She hadn’t backed down but had called him on it. Her arousal had been clear and unexpected, as had his own. He shouldn’t have moved out of her way, but staying would have been dangerous. He wasn’t sure he’d have been able to stop himself if he’d dared reach out to touch her silky smooth skin. The few times he’d touched her had been addictive. Reminding himself that she was human was becoming less of a deterrent. Seeing her in his shirt yesterday, covered in his scent, her green eyes sparkling with a ferocity that would make any shifter proud had given him ideas he had no right having—ideas that had kept him awake most of the night, especially with her scent teasing him from across the hall.
“It’s taking her a long time to get dressed,” Blade said, attempting to get back on even ground with a neutral comment they wouldn’t fight over.
“Maybe she needs some help,” Hayden said as he started scrambling eggs. “Why don’t you go help her, Blade?”
“Thanks,” Damien said to Hayden, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Damien’s best friend could be a trouble maker when he wanted. And manipulative. Hayden knew that comment would send Damien running up the steps. If anyone were going to help Tess, it would be him.
Damien made sure he knocked this time, afraid that a repeat of yesterday would spin out of control too fast. He kept reminding himself that she was still healing, that he had to go slow and easy with her.
“Come in,” she said.
Her scent nearly floored him. Nothing had ever smelled as sweet and delectable. He cleared his throat. “Morning. How did you sleep?" he asked, straining to remain at the door.
She was already dressed, wearing the same jeans and tight top that she had on yesterday. He should have had more clothing sent over for her, but his thoughts had been on Ian, the WSSO, and what to do about her in general.
“All right, I guess.” She was running her eyes over him, slowly, from top to bottom, which pleased him, a lot.
He offered his arm, but she declined and headed into the hallway. With her bottom swinging side to side in those too-tight jeans, Damien found himself hanging back and admiring the view. Until her legs gave way, and she collapsed. He’d been too slow to catch her this time, and she nearly hit her head against the banister.
Tess was lying on her back, staring straight at him as he leaned over her. “I think we have to stop meeting like this.” Warm green eyes never left him.
He pushed her hair back from her face. “I kind of like it. It’s rather up close and personal.”
Her smile deepened, and his heart raced. Her color had improved since yesterday, but he cursed himself for pushing her into this meeting with his shifters. Human. He had to keep reminding himself that she needed more time to rest. Time they didn’t have.
“Everything okay up there?” Hayden yelled from the kitchen.
“Better answer him before he comes up here and catches us like this.”
He knew she was joking. But the inference that they were doing something worthy of gossip had his thoughts going places they had no business going. Damien trailed a finger down her cheek.
“Everything’s perfect up here. We’ll be down soon,” he yelled down, never taking his eyes from her.
“Perfect? If everything were perfect, I wouldn’t be on the floor.”
“I can carry you down, if you’d like.”
“I’m still kind of dizzy. Can we sit here for a minute?”
“I won’t move a muscle until you’re ready, Sweetness.” He was still leaning over her. He thought about leaning back and giving her some space, but he loved being close to her where he could breathe in her delectable scent and enjoy her company.
She reached up, like yesterday, when she’d touched his lips, and he’d kissed her fingers. This time, he didn’t stop her fingers from exploring his face, his jaw, and the muscles in his neck. Her expression, one of peace and genuineness, humbled him. And then it hit him. That sweet fragrance of her arousal. Her scent wrapped around him, grabbing him by the cock and stroking him, long and slow, with enough pressure to make his hips start rocking. He could lower himself over her until his hips touched hers and—
“What do you mean yesterday when you said I’m more than a guest?” she asked, startling him. He coughed, pulled away slightly so there was no way he could lean into her.
“Slip of the tongue,” Damien said, which only managed to conjure more images. Sometimes his mouth got ahead of his brain. Yesterday and today being proof of that. He could scoop her up and take her downstairs where his shifters could distract him, but at the moment, he didn’t trust himself to carry her anywhere, not with that lovely scent coming from her. Once he had her lush body in his arms, he’d end up in his bedroom. No, she was safer here on the floor in the middle of the hall. They both were.
“That’s usually what a guy says when a simple kiss turns into him sticking his tongue down my throat.”
Hallway be damned. If she kept this up, he’d take her right here. They were already on the floor...
“Oh, Sweetness, you’ve been dealing with boys, not men, if that’s all you’ve had down your throat.”
Her cheeks flushed, and he could smell another rush of her sweet essence.
“I think we better get going. We’re keeping the others waiting,” she said, starting to push up off the floor at last.
He remained over her, not yet ready to move out of her way. His cock was still throbbing, and he was frozen between temptation and remembering she deserved more than a randy shifter making moves on her, especially while she was still recovering. Hell, he was horny, and she had given him too many ideas of how he’d like to get to know her better. His fingers itched to feel the smooth soft skin of her stomach and slowly inch his way up to those perfect breasts, but he couldn’t do that to her, not here at least. He offered her his hand, and to his surprise, she brushed it aside.
“You fainted,” he said. “Don’t be too proud to accept some help.”
“I didn’t faint. I got light-headed. There’s a difference.”
“We’re sitting on the floor in the goddam hallway, Tess.”
“Yeah, I see that. I can’t seem to make it down those stairs. Third time’s the charm, right?”
“I’ve lost count,” he said, unable to match her lightheartedness. She was brushing it off as if collapsing was no big deal. Stubborn woman. She needed to lean on others—him precisely—while she healed. He wouldn’t think less of her if she admitted to not being well, especially not after all she’d been through.
“It’s a nice hallway,” she said, taking in the white painted walls and the skylights above, everywhere except the steps. He could see her working up the courage to get up, go downstairs, and confront the men who awaited her with questions. “Lots of light.”
“Not the most comfortable place to sit and talk though,” he said, rapping his knuckles against the hardwood floor.
“I’ve sat in worse places. At least here I can stretch out.” She stretched her arms above her head.
The fucking WSSO kept her in a damn dog cage. He’d never get that image out of his head, for as long as he lived. The last complication she needed was him claiming her, especially when it wouldn’t be a true claiming. Just sex. Usually, that was enough. But with her, it wouldn’t be. He wanted more with her, and she sure as hell deserved more than a horny guy screwing her and then showing her the door.
“I’m not avoiding answering questions, if that’s what you’re thinking,” she said as she finally took his hand and let him pull her up. “I’m as eager to get this over with as you, so I can get home to my family.”
“You’re not going anywhere until you’re stronger.”
“And,” she said, but when he didn’t answer, she continued. “It’s the same as ‘but,’ big guy. What aren’t you telling me?”
A lot. Like, I’m a shifter and if I let you leave, you’ll probably be dead within a week. And it would kill me if anything happened to you, so I’m not letting you go, at least not anytime soon. Maybe never. “Besides understanding what happened with Ian, we need information from you. About the WSSO.”
She tilted her head, as if puzzled.
“The World Shifter Suppression Organization,” he said.
“That’s what they call themselves? Making themselves sound all respectable and legit, huh? I had a lot of colorful names for them in my head, but nothing formal. It’s not like they introduced themselves and invited me to high tea.”
“This is serious,” Damien said, before kicking himself. She knew better than anyone it was serious. She had the burns and scars on her back to prove it. If using humor helped her cope, then he shouldn’t be calling her on it.
“I’d rather not talk about it.” Her voice had fallen, and she was rubbing her shoulder.
“I know it’s not going to be easy after what they did to you. But it’s important.”
He didn’t need to smell the fear and doubt coming off of her because he could read it on her face. Despite all her bravado, she was scared.
Hesitantly, she nodded. “I’ll answer any questions I can.”
The way she shivered made his hair stand up at the back of his neck. His wolf was clawing him from the inside out. He didn’t like seeing her distressed. Neither did Damien. Damien vowed right then and there that he would do anything—a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g—to protect his Tess.
Even if it meant keeping her here long after she answered their questions.
Chapter Five
DAMIEN
As on most evenings, Damien’s top shifters gathered at his house to simply kick back and hang out. Tonight was different. They all had questions for Tess, questions they never got to ask her yesterday after she’d attacked Ian.
Callen, Pryce, Frank, Blade and Hayden were patiently waiting downstairs. Frank’s face had already healed. So had Damien’s, but Tess hadn’t noticed, thankfully.
She was probably too nervous to think about anything other than her time at the WSSO’s research facility. Even though it was too soon to force her to confront those memories, let alone reveal to her that she was currently in the middle of a pack of wolf shifters, Damien had no to subject her to questions from his pack. As alpha, he had a responsibility to his pack that he had been ignoring for the past week while he stayed by her bed, watching over her as she recovered. His shifters, his pack needed answers.
“You’re still shaky,” Damien said as he headed down the steps with Tess, her arm in his. “Maybe you should rest more.”
“I’ll be fine.” She flashed a weak smile. “I’ll be sure to avoid signing up for any marathons for a while. Besides, the sooner I get these questions over with, the sooner I can go home.”
As far as he was concerned, she wasn’t going anywhere, not yet. “What’s the rush? Take the time to heal.”
“Rush? They probably think I’m dead!” She tried to choke back her whimper and failed. In that moment, hearing her pain, Damien nearly told her everything about his pack, who they were. Many seasons as alpha had taught him to keep the bigger picture in mind. He had to protect his pack as well as her.
“
I haven’t seen or talked to my father or sister since July.”
“You can write a letter, and I’ll make sure they get it.”
Her smile lit the room. “Thank you. For everything.” She kissed his cheek.
Damien had felt clever there for a moment, finding a way to give her peace of mind by promising to get word of her survival to her family. Of course, he’d carry through on his promise. He just wouldn’t let them know where she was. But that kiss made him feel like an utter asshole. She believed him, everything he said, even though he’d been giving her half-truths. Now was not the time to tell her that he couldn’t let her go anytime soon.
She faltered again, and he reached for her waist to steady her, but she swerved out of his grasp and grabbed hold of the banister instead.
“I’m not going to give the wrong impression in a house full of testosterone.”
His shifters already knew he’d taken a personal interest in her. If attacking Frank hadn’t delivered that message, then nothing would.
With every step she took, her breasts—full and lovely as they were—bounced in that too tight bra and shirt, drawing the men’s eyes. Damien growled. Five sets of eyes shifted to the ceiling, the floor, anywhere other than on Tess. Good.
“Let’s get this over with,” Damien said, his tone clipped. He was quickly learning he was an asshole when he was jealous.
Hayden disappeared into the kitchen, brought a glass of water, and set it down on the side table by the dark-red, leather chair they had left for Tess. Pryce and Frank were taking up a sofa built for four, while Callen stood against the wall with one knee bent and a foot flat against the wood paneling. Blade, always the restless one, was pacing, wearing the varnish off the hardwood floor. Damien would need to send him out to scout to keep him moving. Damien wasn’t sure if it was Blade, his wolf, or perhaps both, but the shifter didn’t do well sitting still lately.
“I’m not sure what you want me to say,” Tess began. “When I was taken, I never really saw the attack coming. I was walking in the woods, and someone hit me from behind. That was ten months ago. No one spoke to me while I was held in the lab, and my captors rarely spoke in front of me. I don’t know why I was in that cage or why they were hurting me.”
Damien’s Dilemma Page 5