Page 5

“Why?” he whispered, which completely stumped me, and I wondered if I needed to call his mom. Or maybe get him to a human doctor, because Esther must be wrong about there being nothing wrong except a small bump to the head. Small bumps to the head didn’t cause complete personality transplants. But every time I tried to lift up, Danny clung on harder. I mean, sure, I was much stronger, but I didn’t want to hurt him, especially as I wasn’t convinced he wasn’t hurt more than Esther thought.

“If you let go for a moment, I promise to lie down as well.” I said it more for shock value than anything, but he instantly let go. I straightened up, and he quickly grabbed my wrist.

“You promised.”

I had, but having Danny in my arms and not being able to do anything about it was killing me. I yanked the comforter over him and lay down on it quickly before he could protest, but even with it between us, every cell in my body was aware of him and reacted. His breath. His touch. The way he wriggled closer. I tried counting in my head as I felt him settle a little, his breaths evening out. Esther had said not to let him sleep for more than an hour without checking if he was okay. But I needed an hour to get my body under control. The second I was convinced he was asleep, I would take a shower. A cold one.

I kept counting the seconds until his breathing slowed, and then I cautiously climbed out of bed. It was hard with my weight not to bounce the mattress, but I did my best, not even trusting myself to look back.

I had to squeeze into the shower because while it was built for a shifter, it wasn’t built for one my size. I turned it on cold, wincing when it hit my dick. I briefly considered jerking off, but I knew the image I’d have in my head, and I had a feeling that would make me even harder. Not that it didn’t seem to be a permanent state around Danny.

I turned the shower off after a moment, then grabbed a towel and scrubbed myself dry. I glanced down at myself in exasperation. A cold shower had made zero difference. What I needed was to get laid. A good, old-fashioned one-night stand. It would have to be with a human, though. All the shifters knew that technically I was an alpha and that sex could get complicated. What did humans say? Oh yeah, size queen. I needed someone who could handle me. Physically, anyway.

When I exited the bathroom, I could see my phone had lit up. It was Simeon, so I answered it immediately. You didn’t ignore the Sentinel Alpha. Given as the highest honor in a pack, even more than the beta commander, with his rank, the Sentinel Alpha could take command of everything if the alpha was compromised.

What was truly a mark of Phoenix’s leadership and sheer common sense was that Simeon had been Phoenix’s dad’s beta commander when he had been alpha. New alphas nearly always dispensed with the old guard—a mixture of genuinely wanting change and feeling their confidence and leadership were threatened. But Phoenix was too good a guy for that.

“Simeon,” I answered.

“Is Danny with you?”

“Yes. He wrecked his car. Esther checked him over and he needs to rest. I’m in the cottage next to Esther’s with him. He’s asleep,” I blurted out.

Simeon grunted. “Problem is, we have a guy called Shane Jacobson, Danny’s older brother, at the gate. Danny hasn’t checked in with his mom, isn’t answering his phone, and she’s sent a search party.” He lowered his voice. “I know for a fact that the brother isn't aware of us. He just knows Emery is here and assumes Danny is with him.”

I frowned. From what I’d heard from listening to Em and Danny, Shane was a complete waste of space who went from one money-making scheme to another until he grew bored or they failed, then blamed everyone else and went back to mooching off his mom.

“Emery’s idea to mark this as a conservation area and protected habitat was genius. Something to do with flying squirrels apparently, but it gives us the excuse for the barrier.” Simeon chuckled. “The story about forestry people felling trees won’t work all the time.”

“Do you want me to bring Danny, or are you sending the brother here?” I couldn’t be jovial when I was torn between needing Danny gone for my sanity and needing him here for my heart.

Simeon paused. I wasn’t sure whether he could hear something in my voice. “I’ll come and get him,” he said and hung up.

I was fully dressed and waiting by the door the second Simeon drove up. I let Simeon wake Danny and busied myself cleaning the bathroom. Danny looked a little confused as to why he was here, but Simeon explained about the car, and Danny knew who Estrelle was. When they left, I stripped and remade the bed, called Esther to let her know Danny was gone, then skedaddled before anyone could ask me any questions.

I thought about my idea for a human hook-up and had dialed the number before I could second-guess myself.

“Bayer?” Kaylan answered on the second ring. I paused, not quite sure what to say. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just wondered if you wanted to go get a beer?”

Kaylan chuckled. “Oh, fuck me, yes. This lot are driving me insane, and I was on my way over anyway.”

I heaved a sigh of relief and quickly told him what had happened with Danny, and knew we’d both have to cheer the other one up. Kaylan had turned thirty nearly four months ago, which was the required age to take over his pack from the group of elders who had kept tight hold of the purse strings since Kaylan’s dad died when he was ten, but it still hadn't happened.

“Twenty fucking years,” he muttered.

“At least you’ll still have a pack to take over,” I mumbled.

Kaylan was silent a moment, then he whined. “No, Baloo, don’t do that.”

I chuckled, feeling lighter despite the nickname Kaylan had razzed me with since we were in diapers.

“See you in an hour?” I wanted—needed—to check something first.

“More like ten minutes,” Kaylan confirmed.

My expression darkened as I watched Danny across the parking lot being herded into his brother's car. He looked small and fragile, one hand pressed to his head where a bruise was forming. Something primal stirred in my chest—the need to protect, to shelter, to claim.