Page 58 of The Kill

It was a dangerous combination.

“That was a lifetime ago,” she says kindly, knowing what I’m thinking in that creepy way she does, trailing her hand down my arm and catching my fingers briefly in hers. “This is the start of a new life, not just for you but for an entire pack. And not this one.” I’m about to ask her what she means, but she shakes her head. She’s right, I know exactly what she’s talking about.

Turning to the two boys standing awkwardly on the threshold, she extends her hands to them and pulls them inside, her eyes flashing brightly for a moment as she picks up something. I bite back the urge to ask, knowing it’s probably better that I don’t. We’ll find out when we’re meant to.

“And as for you two, welcome! Gosh, I don’t know what I’m going to feed you all. Keeping enough food in the house for Matt and Max is enough of a challenge.”

“Nothing for me,” Lucian says shyly, and instead of the disgust he expects, Raiden just nods and smiles at him.

“Of course. We’ll have to get in some supplies if you’re going to be with the pack for a while.”

Lucian looks at her, bewildered, but then smiles at her easy acceptance. He hesitates before blurting out, “Your sister is so cool, that weather stuff. Can you do that?”

Seth moves to his side, eager to hear her answer. It turns out witches are far more interesting than wolf-bears or wolf-vampires, or even seeing a real-life alpha challenge. Max rolls his eyes but says nothing as the two boys trail Raiden inside. They’re trusting these kids with their pregnant mate; most people wouldn’t let them on their territory, let alone into their homes.

Noah moves to stand at Raiden’s shoulder, beaming. “Did she do the lightning thing? No?! Then you haven’t seen anything! Oh my gosh, it was so cool…” The three teens disappear into the living room, comparing war stories, and Mandy looks back at me, beaming.

“Now, if only Seth would shift, they could have a proper conversation,” I say with a small shake of my head, wishing for nothing but a normal life for both of them. Maybe we can have that now.

Mandy frowns, a cute little line appearing between her brows. “But he does shift. Maybe not often, but…” Slipping into my side, she wraps an arm around my waist and peers up at me.

Now it’s my turn to frown. “Eh no, he doesn’t shift. Ever. Not on purpose anyway.” The last time he shifted in front of me was when he was badly injured and his wolf receded to let him use his hands to stop the bleeding.

“We had a chat in the library… he shifted… is that not normal?”

She hesitates when she sees my mood darken and the shock on my face. It’s far from normal. He won’t shift for me. I’ve tried asking, bribing, ordering, but nothing. Years of looking out for him apparently means nothing; the minute a pretty woman arrives at the house, he just magically transforms back to chat her up.

Actually, I can’t be mad at him for wanting to talk to her. The only thing I want right now is to get some alone time with her myself.

“Why don’t you leave the boys here to get acquainted and go catch up on some sleep. You’re going to need it over the next week.” Raiden doesn’t even smirk as she gives me the out I’ve been looking for. Three voices reach my ears from the living room, and I smile as I hear Seth joining in the conversation. That little brat.

They’re fine. Everybody is going to be fine.

Mandy is still humming and hawing about leaving the boys after such an eventful couple of days when I make an executive decision; picking her up, I carry her out the door despite her protests. She calls a half-hearted goodbye, telling Noah to mind-link her if they need anything as I stomp down the steps, one hand planted firmly on her backside.

35

TYSON

“My house is this way,” she twists around, trying to point past my hip in the direction of the cottage Blake gave her to stay in. He moved them here rather than have them living in the pack house where visiting alphas could pick up her scent.

With a dark chuckle, I stroke my hand over her ass and down her leg, dipping dangerously close to where I really want to touch, between her thighs.

“I know exactly where you live.” Blurring to her doorstep, I’m already hard and aching when I drop her to her feet. The pent-up frustration of the last few days threatens to consume me, and I struggle to breathe through the desire to drag her to the floor right here.

Mandy fiddles with the door, stopping and turning to me with it still closed.

“How did you know…? Actually, no, I don’t want to know.”

She gazes up at me, smoothing a hand over my chest and sighs. It’s all very sweet, but we can do the lovey-dovey stuff later on.

“Woman, if you don’t open that fucking door and get inside, I’m going to fuck you against it, right here, for your neighbours to see.”

Mandy almost chokes as the raw need burning inside me comes out in my words. She opens the front door and hurries inside, moving halfway down the hallway, then turning to face me. I don’t blame her for being anxious, I’m nervous about what I’m going to do next.

But she likes it, that dangerous edge to me that keeps her on her toes. Not that I’m a danger to her. She has me wrapped around her little finger.

When the scent of her arousal hits me, I growl, every muscle in my body going taut as I observe her closely. She’s already breathing heavily, her wolf is right at the surface, looking right back at me. Her pulse is quick, her pupils dilated, her nipples hard and poking through her thin shirt.

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