Page 24 of Kodiak's Heart

Chapter Eight

Laramie licked his lips as he watched Emersyn sleep. There was more to her than she let on. His senses had been reeling since she’d charged onto Holloway land. He’d wanted her immediately, had felt she belonged to him, with him. He’d never felt conviction that strong before. Never felt the primal press of his bear when it came to a woman. Three times now, he’d tasted her blood. Each time, something about it had his bear growling, wanting more, wanting to stake a permanent claim.

There was something there. Something elusive that called to him on every level. Something that urged him not to let her walk away. It was also what had him up watching her while he waited for Jensen to get his ass to the cabin. His brother seemed to be taking his own sweet time.

Laramie was out the door, easing it shut behind him before Jensen cleared the porch.

“This had better be important,” Jensen grumbled as he stepped closer.

Laramie held up the washcloth he’d used to clean Emersyn after she’d passed out on him. “I need you to analyze this.”

“It’s a washcloth,” Jensen told him. “Smells like sex and…” He paused, gaze flying to Laramie’s. “Blood. Jesus Christ! What did you do?”

“Took her virginity,” Laramie answered.

“Christ. Why would you do that? It’s one thing to mess around with a human who knows the score. But a virgin? I thought better of you than that,” Jensen rebuked him.

Laramie growled, reaching for his brother’s shirt and wrapping his fist in the cloth. “I’m not messing around.”

Jensen stared at him for a long moment, saying nothing until Laramie released him. “I know you don’t want to mate any of the four women at the house. But be logical. You’re the alpha. You can’t mate a human. Not when the choice exists to take a bear shifter as your mate.”

Laramie shook his head. “Emersyn’s my mate. I know it.”

“Your dick knows it,” Jensen snapped then stepped back when Laramie reached for him again.

“Watch what you say,” Laramie snarled.

“Okay. Sorry. What the hell’s gotten into you? This isn’t like you. Did she do anything to you? You haven’t been drugged in any way have you?” Jensen did a visual scan of Laramie. “No pinches you ignored or passed off as bug bites? No unusual tastes in your food or drink? Did she scratch you? Bite you? Christ, Laramie, we don’t even know for sure she’s who she says she is.”

Laramie growled a warning. “She didn’t fucking drug me. Unless you count lust as a drug.”

“One that leads to stupidity it seems,” Jensen muttered.

“Just take the damn cloth and check out the blood,” Laramie ordered.

“This isn’t exactly a pure sample here,” Jensen rebuked.

“Fuck, Jensen! Just do your best.”

Jensen wrinkled his nose but took the washcloth. “What exactly am I looking for?”

“I don’t know,” Laramie admitted.

“Well, that narrows it down.”

“There’s something off,” Laramie offered.

“Like a drug? You think she’s been drugged?” It said a lot about what they’d gone through that Jensen’s first thought was always that someone had been drugged.

“I don’t know. There’s something about her that makes me crazy.” He paced a few feet away then turned and headed back. “Any other person and I would have had them in my office talking until I knew everything I wanted to know.” He shook his head. “Not her. I have this desire to take care of her. To see to her needs before she even voices them. Hell, maybe before she even realizes they’re needs. I want to protect her. To never let her out of my sight. It’s all I can do to keep my hands off her when others are around.”

“Hate to break it to you, brother, but you’re failing there. I watched you all day. Every time she was near, you touched her. Her arm, the small of her back, her cheek. Running your hand over her hair. We all noticed it,” Jensen warned him.

“There’s something there, Jensen. I know it. She’s my mate. I swear to you, if another man showed up tomorrow and tried to take her from me, I’d probably kill him.”

“Jesus, Laramie. What about Malachi? She’s here with his daughter.”

“I know,” Laramie agreed. “But the scent on her isn’t from him. It’s from Ruby.”

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