Page 62 of Alpha Chained

But a stranger who touched me in a way that I can’t quite understand. More than that. He’s made me feel something I can’t understand.

“You’re not a fool,” a gravelly voice comes from behind me. I spin my head sharply as the office door swings open, framing Edirn in the light that streams in.

Jagger’s head snaps up. “Alpen? What the hell are you doing here?”

“She’s right to trust him,” he says simply as he enters the room.

“What are you talking about?” Jagger scowls. His eyes shift past Edirn as Casey moves in behind him. She looks awkward.

Edirn is looking at me. “You’re right. He’s a good man, Raura. He did right by you…and for the right reasons.”

Relief hits me so hard that I feel myself sag. Still, I need to ask, “How do you know?”

“It was in his mind,” he says, then looks past me to Jagger. “He reacted on instinct, Jagger. What he did back there…” He takes a deep breath. “It was fucked up. But it wasn’t planned.”

It was in his mind?

I stare at Edirn in confusion.

Casey steps up beside him. “Edirn read him, Jagger. He didn’t pick up anything negative there.”

He read him? What the hell?

“But he shouldn’t have attacked.” Jagger’s face sets in hard lines.

“You don’t think that maybe he was provoked?” Case arches an eyebrow.

Jagger snorts. “If you’re hoping to lay this on me, you can try again, Stone.”

“Well, you could have been just a little more welcoming,” she shoots back.

“Really?” Jagger aims a level look at her. “And this is coming from you?”

Edirn chuckles. “I suppose it can be said that my mate is naturally suspicious of strangers.”

“Exactly. And you, of all people, should know that,” Jagger retorts. “She tried to throw you out when you got here, remember?”

“And look how wrong I was,” Casey interjects. “I think this Riot guy’s good. Edirn says he’s okay, and that’s good enough for me,” she adds.

I still don’t get it. I’m staring from one to the other. “I don’t understand.”

“Edirn is psychic. He read Riot’s mind and only saw good shit in there, so your guy’s fine by me.” Casey shrugs.

“You’re psychic?” I blurt at Edirn.

He gives me a wry smile. “Please don’t hold it against me.”

“I’ve got something to hold against you.” Casey grins at him, winking lewdly.

“Excuse me!” Jagger’s voice is sharp. He’s leaning forward with his elbows on the worn surface of his desk. “We’re trying to have a serious discussion here. It was a shitshow out there. Barrett is still lying in a pool of blood, for fuck’s sake!”

“He’s going to be alright.” Casey is nonchalant. “Doc strapped him up. Says he’ll be good as new with a couple of days of rest. Which he’ll probably spend in bed with his mate, so that’s a plus.” She glances at me. “You’re gonna have a crap-ton of groveling to do with Cedara, by the way. You know what an animal she can be.”

Shit.

“I’ll explain things,” I mumble. “Once Riot’s settled in, everyone will—”

“Who the fuck said anything about him settling in?” Jagger barks.

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