Page 28 of Howl About That

The memory of those terrifying moments flooded back—the crash of breaking glass, the scent of hostile rogues in her territory, the way her lioness had surged forward ready to kill anything that threatened her den. And Keiro beside her, shifting into that massive black wolf without hesitation, fighting to protect what was hers as if it were his own.

"I don't know exactly," Poppy said, her voice carefully controlled. "I was in the middle of dinner with Keiro when three rogues broke into my place. We shifted and fought them off."

Neve's sharp gaze moved to the body bags being loaded into the SUV, then back to Poppy's face. "Clearly you won. So how was that—fighting alongside your mate in animal form, protecting your territory together?"

The question hit like a freight train. Neve's tone was deceptively casual, but Poppy could hear the underlying curiosity, the way her Beta was carefully probing for information about something that went far beyond a simple alliance.

"I mean, it seems pretty telling," Neve continued when Poppy didn't immediately respond.

Poppy's jaw tightened. Trust Neve to cut straight to the heart of things she didn't want to examine. "It wasn't anything special. He just helped me protect my territory. We did what needed to be done."

"Right." Neve's expression remained skeptical as she watched the cleanup crew finish their work. "Because fromwhere I'm standing, it looks like you two work remarkably well together."

The observation stung because it was true. Fighting beside Keiro had felt as natural as breathing, their movements synchronized in a deadly dance that spoke of partnership deeper than mere cooperation. Her lioness had trusted his wolf implicitly, and had known without question that he would protect her and her territory.

"Even if we did," Poppy said, turning toward her front door with deliberate dismissal, "I don't think it's going to work out. I mean, I'm still business partners with him, but I can't afford anything more than that."

She'd barely made it three steps when Neve's voice stopped her cold. "But you stayed at his place last night. So you're telling me that nothing happened?"

Poppy could feel her Beta's penetrating stare, and could practically hear the wheels turning in that strategically brilliant mind. Neve had always been too perceptive for comfort, able to read Poppy's emotional state like an open book even when she thought she was projecting perfect control.

Heat flooded Poppy's cheeks as memories of the morning crashed over her again—Keiro's mouth on her skin, the way he'd made her come apart with devastating skill, the feeling of being completely claimed and cherished in ways she'd never experienced before.

"Fine," she snapped, spinning to face Neve with defensive fire blazing in her eyes. "We did have sex this morning. Is that what you wanted to know? That it was perfect and he's everything I didn't think I needed, but somehow I'm finding I do and?—"

She cut herself off abruptly, horrified by how much she'd revealed. But Neve's expression had shifted from curiosity to something approaching satisfaction, as if she'd finallygotten confirmation of suspicions she'd been harboring since yesterday.

"And you feel safe with him," Neve finished gently.

The simple statement hit like a precision strike. Poppy's defensive anger crumbled, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable in ways that terrified her.

"Yes, I do," Poppy whispered, the admission torn from somewhere deep in her chest. "And that scares me because for eleven years I never allowed myself to need anyone or feel safe with any man. Then he comes along and turns my life upside down, then somehow makes everything better at the same time."

Neve's smile was warm with genuine affection and just a hint of triumph. "Well, it sounds like your lioness already knows what to do. So when is your stubborn human self going to catch up?"

Before Poppy could formulate a response that didn't involve admitting how desperately she wanted to call Keiro and apologize for pushing him away, her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. The sound reminded her that she'd barely eaten anything substantial since yesterday's disastrous dinner, too wound up with nervous energy and mate bond complications to think about basic necessities like food.

"I need a sandwich," Poppy muttered, heading toward the estate with Neve trailing behind. "Maybe food will clear my head."

And stop the mate bond from tugging at me to go to Keiro right now.

The kitchen felt too quiet after the chaos of the cleanup crew, sunlight streaming through the windows to illuminate the space where she'd tended to Keiro's wounds the night before. Poppy pulled ingredients from the refrigerator with mechanical efficiency, trying not to remember how her hands had felt on his skin as she'd bandaged his chest.

"Well," Neve said, settling onto one of the bar stools, "not to make matters worse, but Sander's been busy spreading rumors today."

Poppy's hands stilled on the bread she'd been slicing. "What kind of rumors?"

"The kind where he's telling anyone who'll listen that you're jeopardizing the pride by cozying up to a billionaire wolf because you're desperate." Neve's voice carried that edge that meant she was furious on Poppy's behalf but trying to remain diplomatic.

Fury blazed through Poppy's chest, hot and immediate. "How does Sander even know about Keiro? You're the only one I told about our arrangement."

The pieces clicked together with sickening clarity. Sander's unexpected visit yesterday, his smug satisfaction when he'd mentioned the auction, the way he'd seemed to know more than he should have about her supposed humiliation.

"He was spying on me," Poppy said, her voice dropping to a dangerous quiet that made Neve's eyes sharpen with attention. "He must have seen Keiro at my place last night."

The implications hit like an arrow on a target. If Sander had been watching her estate, if he'd seen a wolf Alpha on Mintz territory…

"You think he sent those rogues?" Neve asked, voicing the suspicion that was already forming in Poppy's mind.