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“It’s okay,” Luca tries to reassure me. “He wasn’t happy, but he isn’t going to bother us. Our pack is huge, he doesn’t have time to worry about what’s occupying my time.”
“Luca, you have to go.” I do my best to keep my voice level. “Those rogues caused a lot of damage to my pack, and the ones that got away could really hurt people. If your Alpha is asking you to go, it’s because you’re the best he’s got. He’s counting on you.”
If I’m laying it on a little too thick, Luca doesn’t seem to notice. He pushes the front door closed and considers my words carefully. When he nods, I’m a little surprised he’s taken the bait so easily.
Then again, duty is everything to a Beta.
“If I go, will you be here when I get back?” Ah, now the suspicion kicks in.
“I have nowhere else to go,” I answer as honestly as I can. It’s true at the moment, though I still have no intention of staying until he gets back. Two or three days maximum, and then I’m out of here.
And speaking of here…
“Hey, is this your full-time place?” I ask as Luca walks to the kitchen to fix himself a plate of the dinner he missed out on. I can’t stop thinking of that empty bedroom.
He nearly misses getting the steak on his plate, my question startling him. “Uh, yeah. Why?”
Liar, my wolf snarls.
“Just wondered.” I don’t push the issue. I’m not telling him my secrets; I won’t ask for his. I also won’t forget how easily the lie slipped off his lips.
If I had to guess, he probably stays in the pack house most of the time. That means his Alpha is far more suspicious than Luca is letting on. Maybe I won’t stay after all. Once Luca leaves, I’ll head the opposite direction, away from where he’s headed after the stray rogues. I don’t know whose pack lies that way, but as long as I don’t cross over into anyone’s territory, I should be safe enough.
I can outrun any other rogues I may come across.Easily, my wolf chimes in proudly.
Decision made, I stand and test my leg. There’s still a soreness to it, but I’m pleased to see I can at least move better on my own. I limp toward Luca, keeping the kitchen island between us.
“When will you have to leave?”
He sighs. “First thing in the morning. There’s food here, and I can set some clothes out for you to wear. Is there anything else you need? I could have my sister bring some things by for you.”
“No, no, I’ll be fine. It’s just for a few days. I’ll lay low and rest, you don’t need to send anyone.” Because if he does, they’ll be showing up to an empty house. I can give him a head start in the morning, but I need to leave as soon as the path is clear.
“Okay. If you’re sure. I’ll only be gone a few days at most, but I’m sorry I don’t have a phone or anything to leave you.” Because of course that’s yet another thing I didn’t have with me thanks to the bad shifter habit of not carrying one regularly.
Not that I want anyone to be able to get ahold of me right now anyway.
“I’ll be fine here, really.” I yawn despite having taken a second nap. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll lie down,” I tell him, dropping down in my spot on the couch again.
“Why don’t you go sleep in the bed?” he suggests.
I open my mouth to protest, but he shakes his head and holds a hand up for me to stop.
“I won’t get much sleep tonight anyway. I need to prep a plan for tomorrow and let Alpha know I’ll take point after all. If you sleep in the bed, I won’t accidentally wake you in the morning. And I’m perfectly fine sleeping on the couch.” He sounds earnest, but I eye the size of the loveseat with skepticism.
“I’m fine with the couch,” I protest. It feels wrong to steal his bed out from under him. Even if it isn’t really his regular bed.
“So am I. I want you to be comfortable here, Tess. You take the bed for now, and when I get back, we can talk about more long-term arrangements.” There’s a longing in his voice that makes me think he’d like us to be in that bed together long-term.
I try not to pull a face. He’s an attractive guy. Under different circumstances, maybe I’d entertain the thought a little more. As it is, I need to get the hell out of here unscathed, and that means avoiding a run-in with his Alpha at all costs.
As I go to the bland bedroom and tuck myself into the bed, I say a silent goodbye in my head to the man who offered me a night of reprieve. I’m not sure what the story is with his true mate—since he’s here with me instead of with her, whoever she is. For good measure, I put a silent wish out to the universe that the two of them work out, and in time, he’ll forget all about my scent and the inexplicable attraction he felt to a stranger.
Wolves have long memories, but the mate bond is sacred. To every mate but mine, that is.
The mattress beneath me suddenly feels extraordinarily uncomfortable, and I spend a long time tossing and turning in the bed and trying to clear away the memory of Dominic Parker’s dark eyes.
Chapter Nine
