Page 42 of Moonlight & Mayhem

“I don’t know for sure,” she admitted.

“Then don’t give her power she hasn’t earned,” he breathed. Moon stared at him. Behind them, Tempest and Chris were quietly arguing over who was opening the door.

“No one opens anything,” Howler said.

Tempest shot her mate a look. “My clubhouse, my decision,” she growled.

“Yeah, but this is our problem,” Howler countered.

“It’s still my door, and my decision,” Tempest challenged.

Howler sighed. “That isn’t the point.”

Chris moved toward the reinforced window. “I can get eyes on her from upstairs.”

Chrome immediately stepped away from the wall. “I’m coming with you.”

Chris glanced over her shoulder. “No.”

“I didn’t ask for your permission,” he said, following her up the stairs.

“Fine, do what the hell you want to do, Chrome,” Chris hissed. Mayhem almost smiled. Even in the middle of some ancient wolf nightmare, Chrome apparently had a death wish where Christmas was concerned. Chris gave him a look that should’ve stripped paint, but Chrome just smiled instead.

Moon shifted beside Mayhem, and his attention immediately returned to her. She was staring at the front door, and he could almost read her mind. “Don’t,” he said.

Her brows furrowed. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t do whatever you’re thinking,” he said.

“You don’t know what I’m thinking,” she insisted.

“You’re thinking about going outside,” he said. Moon’s silence answered for her. “Absolutely fucking not.”

Tempest looked over. “I hate to say it, but I agree with the idiot.” Moon pulled her hand away from Mayhem. The monitor on her cell phone immediately began beeping faster. She had downloaded his vitals onto her damn phone, and for the first time since she insisted on doing that, he was grateful.

Mayhem closed his eyes. “Moon,” he breathed as the veins darkened up his arm.

“Really?” Moon looked at his arm and grabbed his hand again and watched as they quickly added.

Chrome stopped at the bottom of the stairs and stared at the two of them. “That is creepy as hell.”

Chris pointed toward the stairs. “Get your ass moving,” she ordered.

Chrome followed her up the steps and Mayhem looked at Moon. “I guess that you’re stuck with me.”

“This isn’t funny,” Moon mumbled.

“No, but if I don’t joke, I’m probably going to punch a wall,” he admitted.

“You’ll reopen your stitches,” she chided.

“See? That’s exactly why I need you.” Her mouth tightened, and he saw the smile she tried to hide. He would take anything that pulled her away from panic.

The woman outside spoke again. “Moonlight, I know you can hear me.” Mayhem’s wolf growled, and he squeezed Moon’s hand. She squeezed back.

Tempest walked toward the door, and Howler stepped beside her. “If you open that⁠—”

“I’m not opening it,” she said.