Page 129 of The Wolf in My Tavern

His laughter follows him out of the room.

I am restless. Nothing helps. Everything makes it worse.

I kick the covers aside. The shutter is still open, and earlier, the breeze felt cool. Now, it barely offers respite to my heated skin. I feel a little lightheaded—not entirely myself.

I frown as butterflies take off in the pit of my stomach, along with a prickling awareness that something is wrong.

I swallow… It can’t be, can it?

What if I go into heat and my mates are not here?

I slip on my hide dress and pad through to the main living chamber. Then, pushing aside the heavy drapes across the entrance, I step into the corridor, more convinced with every passing moment that something is wrong and I need my mates.

Here I stop.

Something draws my focus to the right. The passage leads deeper into the pack. I’ve had no reason to go that way. It is darker, and my vision is not as good as that of a shifter.

I still go that way, following my instincts. It’s not like I can get lost. It is a straight corridor, and I can always turn around if needed. Only, it is getting darker, and I am soon feeling my way along the wall.

Two young shifter girls giggle as they pass me.

I glance over my shoulder at them. Why do I feel like they were laughing at me? Maybe they think I am an idiot human down here where I cannot even see.

I turn back… and collide with a wall of firm male flesh.

Hands shoot out to steady me.

“What are you doing down here, lass?” Callum asks.

I try to jerk out of his hold. His arm snakes out and clamps me against his body.

“I just fancied a little walk,” I say, as casually as I can muster. Being against him, with his scent all up in my nose, it is all I can do not to rub up against him until I can finally get relief.

Also, I am cross with him… and wanted to speak to him about something that now eludes me.

He makes a scoffing noise.

But I am too busy pressing my nose against his delightfully naked chest. My fingers butt up against the waist of his leather pants. Disappointment blooms when he snatches my fingers away.

I nip the flesh of his chest between my teeth.

He grunts.

Footsteps are approaching.

“What the fuck is she doing down here?” Gray demands.

My shivers sit at odds with my burning hot skin.

“I think she was snooping,” Callum says.

I can feel his heart beating steadily, and I rise onto my tiptoes, seeking new flesh to taste.

“I wasn’t,” I mumble against his skin.

Gray runs his fingertips down the middle of my back to my ass. He pats it. “She knows. Just as we know. Maybe she has been gossiping with one of the lasses.”

“She drew blood yesterday,” Callum says, a note of pride in his voice.

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