A quiet gasp left her lips as his mouth lingered near her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
“Because you drive me mad, Evelyne.” His breath shuddered as his grip on her tightened. “Everything about you gets under my skin, and I don’t know why.” His eyes dropped to her mouth as his thumb brushed her bottom lip. “Especially this defiant mouth.”
Her pulse slammed in response, each beat a war drum between them.
“I caught the shift in your scent last night. It seems my little comment got you all worked up.” As if reliving it, he closed his eyes and let a satisfied growl rise in his chest.
He couldsmellit—her arousal.
“And that sweet scent of yours kept me up. All. Damn. Night.”
Her knees nearly buckled when his lips ghosted over her throat, the barest touch, a tease meant to unravel her. And it did.
A quiet, breathy moan slipped past her lips, so soft, so fleeting, she barely registered it. But he did—and groaned, taking in another slow breath, savoring her scent. Then his voice lowered further, rough and heavy with hunger.
“Fuck.I can’t even think when you smell like that.”
He dragged his tongue along the curve of her throat, unhurried and possessive, claiming her without restraint. Evelyne dug her fingers intothe leather at his shoulders as her resolve slipped with every passing second, and the heavy ache in her abdomen deepened.
She should stop this and step away. But all she could think about was how damn good his touch felt. How effortlessly he broke down her defenses. And how badly she wanted more. If he didn’t kiss her soon, she might drop to her knees and beg for it.
Kaldrek growled softly against her skin, pressing tormentingly slow kisses along her jaw, each one igniting another spark of heat inside her. Her patience snapped, and she grabbed the collar of his leather vest, pulling him in. She needed more.
He let out an amused huff and clicked his tongue. “It seems I drive you just as mad. Is this what you want, Evelyne?”
Her breath came faster, her chest rising with each unsteady inhale. “I…” Gods, whatdidshe want? “I want—”
She never got the chance to finish. Instantly, he went rigid, his head snapping to the side. Every muscle in his body coiled tight like he was sensing something unseen.
Her pulse pounded in her ears. “What is it?” she panted. All desire and heat faded.
He turned to her, and her breath caught when she saw his eyes. They were no longer brown but pure black, and a threatening snarl pulled at his lips.
“We have visitors.”
Chapter 35
It all happened in a blur. Kaldrek and his strongest packmates shifted, their bodies rippling and reshaping into towering wolves. The transformation was swift and deadly.
He had told her to stay back, to keep hidden. But Evelyne couldn’t obey. She had to see for herself. What kind of visitors would drive the Ironwolf pack to reveal their most dangerous forms?
A charged tension filled the clearing, making her pulse race. Moving carefully, Evelyne slipped behind the nearest tent, keeping low in the shadows as the pack assembled into a wall of snarling wolves.
The energy shifted.
Three men stepped out from the treeline, calm and unhurried. Every movement radiated quiet confidence. They didn’t flinch or pause as they walked straight toward Kaldrek and his fiercest warriors, who met them with bared teeth and lethal intent.
They didn’t show a hint of fear. If anything, they looked bored. Then one of them laughed, deep and easy, as if the whole scene were some joke. The sound made Evelyne stiffen. That wasn’t normal. Any sane man would hesitate under the weight of so many unblinking crimson eyes locked onto them, and would at least recognize the raw power standing between them and death.
But these men? They looked entertained.
The tallest of the three, a man with long golden hair, tilted his head and gave a playful grin. His shoulders were loose, hands tucked casually into his coat pockets. He didn’t look like someone facing danger. He looked like someone who knew he had no reason to be afraid.
A snarl cut through the air, low and menacing, as Holden began to circle them. His massive wolf form moved with a quiet, predatory focus. Claws scraped the earth. Each breath was a warning.
Still, the men didn’t flinch.
Evelyne nervously played with her fingers, fear tangling with curiosity. Who the hell were they, and why had they strolled into a pack of wolves like they were stepping into a tavern? She was supposed to stay hidden and wait, but her mind was already made up.
