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I nearly laugh, turning it into a cough so she doesn’t get more pissed at me. My mate does have a flair for the dramatic.
“Sweetheart, my brothers are idiots.” I try to pull her in for a hug, but she resists. Thinking hard, I come up with an idea. “You want me to prove you aren’t locked up in a castle?”
“Are we going back to Mesa?” she asks hopefully.
“We will,” I assure her, “but for now, I want to show you what freedom really looks like.”
She frowns skeptically, so I take her hand and pull her to the door, then remember she’s human and stop. “Grab a sweater.”
She does as I say and returns to me.
“We’ll have to be really quiet so no one sees us.” I’m definitely playing up the danger of sneaking out of the castle. A person can leave, but not without an explanation to the guards, and signing in and out with the castle registry. It’s for the safety of everyone in the castle, but my goal is to show Vanessa that she can come and go as she pleases.
She giggles as I make a show of peeking around every corner and urging her quickly through darkened hallways as I make our way to a side entrance. I stop, pushing Vanessa behind me as I open the heavy door.
A startled guard turns a frown my way, but when he sees me, his expression smooths. I gesture for him to leave and he nods, loping down the stairs and disappearing into the shadows.
Opening the door wide, I pull Vanessa out into the cool evening. The sun has set, leaving a faint glow across the horizon. A gentle breeze washes over us and Vanessa turns her face to it, inhaling the scents from the surrounding greenery.
“Better?” I ask her.
She nods, looking at me with serious eyes. “I guess I was being ridiculous.”
“You weren’t,” I reply gently. “Mating is primal business, and the call does drive shifters to extreme measures. But I’ve had mates before, and I’ve learned how to resist the more violent urges.” Regret still burns within me over the mate I’d kidnapped. She might not have died so young if I’d left her alone.
“It’s not your fault,” Vanessa whispers, sliding into my thoughts. “She was frightened and you were trying to help.”
“So you believe I won’t trap you in the castle?”
She nods. “I should’ve known better, but being here is confusing. I love it but I’m also afraid of it.”
“I understand.” I pull her against my chest and this time she allows my embrace. “I sometimes feel that way in the human world.” After a moment, I hold her at arm’s length. “Now that we’ve dealt with that, let’s go for a run.”
Chapter 19
Moonstruck
KEENAN
Vanessa shakes her head and backs away from me. “I told you how I feel about running. It’s torture and the people who say they love it are weird.”
“You won’t be running.” I drag my T-shirt over my head and drop it, reaching for my belt buckle.
Her eyes light up with interest as I shuck my jeans, standing fully nude in the moonlight.
I turn to look at her as I shift into my wolf.
She claps her hands and does a dance on the spot. “I love it when you do that!”
Climb on, I command her.
She approaches cautiously, longing in her expression, but she hesitates.
I lower to the ground. Come on, let’s run!
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
I let out a huff of laughter at the idea. You can’t hurt me. The fur around my neck is thick and tough. Grip hold of it and swing your leg over. Find a comfortable position and then hang on tight. I’ll be running fast and I don’t want you to fall off.
