Page 16 of The Scent of Seduction

“That’s the guard house. It’s the hub for all the security. If you want to breach any aspect of the compound successfully, you'll have to take it out, otherwise all hell will break loose."

Jaryn’s hand rubbed her lower back, and she was grateful for the silent support. “The house uses both updated facial recognition and standard locks. I assume it was too cost prohibitive to retrofit every entrance.”

“Do you remember which points of entry use biometrics?”

“The main back and front doors, and at least one on either side of the house. The ones that don’t, I think, have them are the French doors leading out onto the patio.”

“Good, sweetheart. Those will be our targets.” Jaryn stared down at the image on the table. “I know it may be difficult, but can you give me an idea of where Broyles’ rooms are?”

Nicole closed her eyes and mentally walked through the house. Then she opened her eyes and pointed to the back corner. “There.” Her finger traced down the back side of the house and stopped at one of the windows. "Once they moved me from the barracks, this is where he kept me. It was my gilded cage."

Jaryn sat and pulled Nicole onto his lap. His arms went around her and she melted into his arms.

“It’s okay now. You’re safe.”

She sniffed and blinked away the tears that threatened to escape. “He keeps the house staff in the attic. They’re usually locked in around nine o’clock at night.”

Nicole wrapped her hands around Jaryn’s waist and rested her head on his shoulder. “Please take care of yourself. You’re going to find opposition when you get there, but remember, the people on Adam’s compound are prisoners. They’re most likely acting under orders, so only use deadly force if absolutely necessary. Mostly, they’re just scared. The ones who have been there the longest are going to be the toughest to handle. They’ve been so browbeaten, I really don’t know how they’re going to react.”

“We’ll do everything we can to save those willing to be saved. I promise.” Nicole rubbed her head against Jaryn’s chest. “Thank you.”

Chapter Seven

Jaryn knocked on the door of Nicole’s cabin. He looked down at the clock on his comm-unit. Tonight was the night of the Harvest Moon celebration. He’d asked Nicole to accompany him to the pack gathering. They were due at the lodge in a half hour. He’d found Nicole almost two months ago, and tonight was the night he intended to announce their mating to the pack, formally. Nerves made him jittery. He really wanted Nicole to like her future family. He knew she’d be gracious, but a woman’s heart was a mysterious thing. What if, deep down, she resented Jaryn’s position as Alpha? What if she couldn’t handle having to share him with the pack?

Jaryn fiddled with his comm-unit, currently mimicking the cuff of his shirt. He saw that there was a message awaiting from Shaun. As he was about to activate the screen, the door in front of him opened. Nicole stood in the gap with a smile on her face that sent Jaryn’s heartbeat skyrocketing. Her eyes sparked with happiness at finding him standing on her doorstep.

Jaryn moved forward the two steps that separated them and pulled her into his arms. Nicole’s head rested against his chest, and he inhaled her fresh scent as his hand wove through the long strands of her hair. The full-bodied aroma of honey and jasmine wrapped around him, and Jaryn’s mouth watered with the need to devour the most precious female on earth. The one meant just for him. A priceless gift he’d treasure until that day when their earthly shells ceased to exist, and their souls would travel together on the next stage of their journey.

God, he wanted to kiss her. Wanted to absorb her taste, wanted to wallow in everything about her. But it had to be Nicole’s decision. He knew that. Knew that her right to choose was invaluable, especially after her experience with Adam. His wolf howled inside him, craving its mate. Soon I promise. Soon she’ll be ours—we just have to be patient.

“You feel really nice,” Nicole whispered.

Jaryn tightened his arms around her. He realized they stood in the open door, visible to any nosy small-town eyes. He lifted her up and took several steps forward till he could shove the door closed with his foot. Nicole’s legs wrapped around his waist and Jaryn groaned. Her little body wrapped around him was more than he could handle. With that move, his control reached a breaking point.

Jaryn strode over to the bed and lowered Nicole onto the antique blanket. His body covered hers and his nose buried itself in the tender skin of her neck. His tongue licked at the skin where her shoulder and neck met. Her flavor burst across his taste buds and Jaryn’s wolf howled in need to fully claim its mate. His mouth instinctively opened wide over tender flesh to clamp down in a mate hold. His jaws closed fractionally, not breaking the silky skin, but enough to hold Nicole under his control. Her soft breasts rubbed against Jaryn’s upper body as her chest expanded with each breath. Jaryn rocked his hips against her.

“Oh my God, what’s happening to me?” Nicole whispered.

Jaryn placed kisses along the graceful column of Nicole’s neck. “What do you feel?”

“I’m all hot and achy. My head is spinning and my blood feels like lava. I want… oh God… something tells me that only you can put out the flames, Jaryn.”

He rested his forehead against hers. Their noses rubbed together, and Jaryn licked at Nicole’s sealed lips. “That’s the mating heat. Our bond is strengthening.”

Nicole’s lips opened right as Jaryn’s tongue came out for another taste. The tip flicked between her plush lips, and they both moaned. He’d tilted his head to seal their mouths together when there was a loud banging at Nicole’s door.

“Son of a—What?” he yelled.

“Sorry, Alpha, but your pack is waiting.”

The voice of his Beta on the other side of the door had Jaryn mentally cursing the man to all manner of unpleasant depths of hell. He looked down when Nicole began to softly laugh.

“And what has you so giggly?”

“I feel like I was just busted by my older brother for making out with my boyfriend while our parents are still at work.”

Jaryn rolled, and Nicole spread out on top of him. “You haven’t mentioned an older brother before.”

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