Page 17 of Gabe's Lone Wolf

“I thought we might leave the room today. Taylor and a couple of the guys went to pick up your Jeep. It’s in Bas’ garage here. Simon swept it clear of any trackers on the outside. He said it might be better if you went through the inside as he wasn’t sure what was what.”

She sighed, and I snickered.

“I’ve been living out of my vehicle for years. Plus, it’s been several months since I found a place to lay low for a while.”

The embarrassment in her voice had me growling. If I hadn’t already wanted to rip her former alpha apart, I would have then. This woman, my woman, had been on the run from an alpha set on making her take a role in his pack that she didn’t want to fulfill. One she was never destined to fill. She wasn’t his mate. She was mine. And that bastard had known. There was no way an alpha would make that type of mistake. Which meant one of two things. His mate was either dead or she was someone he rejected.

“There’s no judgement from us,” I assured Eliza. “Simon wouldn’t disrespect your privacy by going through you stuff without your consent.”

“Because I’m your mate.”

“There’s that,” I agreed. There was no way I’d lie to my mate. Ever. “But none of them knew what we were when they went to get your ride. Bas made the call to respect your privacy.”

“What else did Simon tell you?” she asked as if she could already read me like a book, as if our bond was already that strong.

“There was a scent on your Jeep. Familiar but different.”

“Different how?”

I shrugged, leaping from the bed and striding for the bathroom. “I don’t know since I haven’t smelled it yet,” I called out over my shoulder before starting the water and stepping inside the shower.

She’d showered before finally falling asleep. I hadn’t had the energy reserve then. She was dressed by the time I was done, hair pulled high atop her head in a ponytail that hung down her back. Jeans, T-shirt, a feminine looking pair of combat boots. No makeup. She was the most beautiful woman in the world.

She backed away as I stalked toward her, a smile on her lips even as she shook her head.

“Food. I need something other than you to eat.”

Fuck! The images those words brought to mind. The way she’d stroked her hand over my shaft while sucking my crown deep. I blew out a breath while I tried to control my body’s natural response to those memories. Eliza laughed.

“Brat,” I murmured, linking my fingers through hers and tugging her out of the bedroom and back through the rest of the pool house.

Her laughter eased my tension as I took in the island where I’d set her to have the bullet removed. Where my closest friends and their wives had surrounded her, accepted her. Perhaps already suspecting what she was to me. Her sigh as she looked at the same spot reminded me of why she’d been there to begin with. Lockhart had allowed her to be shot. Hell, the bastard may have pulled the trigger, though from what I’d seen and heard from Eliza, he didn’t come across as the type to do his own dirty work.

“I won’t let him hurt you again,” I promised.

“I know that.” She squeezed my hand and led me out the door. “That pool makes me wish I had a suit.”

“Not a problem,” I assured her. “We’ll get you one. In the meantime, I’m sure one of the women in our pack has something you could wear. Or we could always skinny dip.”

“If it’s just the two of us, I’m all in.”

The look in her eyes had me fighting another erection. The woman was bound and determined to have me entering the house with my excitement on full display. I paused for a moment, trying to adjust myself, and Eliza laughed. The woman was wicked, and I loved it.

The door slid open, and Simon stood there, his gaze bouncing between Eliza and me. A slow grin spread across his face.

“I thought that might be the way of things,” he murmured and pulled Eliza into a hug. “Welcome to the pack.” Then he reached for me. “You lucky bastard.”

“I know.”

I dropped a kiss on Eliza’s mouth, unable to resist with Simon practically sandwiching us together in his hug. I put my hand against the small of her back as she followed him into the main house. I couldn’t seem to stop touching her. He led us down the hallway to the main dining room where several of the pack were still lingering with Bas and Raina. Eliza paused next to Raina’s chair, and I wasn’t sure what to make of the look on her face.

“I wanted to thank you.”

Raina nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Eliza blew out a breath. “I don’t like taking medication. I avoid it, so please don’t take this the wrong way, but if you ever drug me without my knowledge or consent again, we’re going to have issues.”

The whole room grew quiet. Bas’ gaze was lethal at the direct threat given to his mate. Raina held up her hand before he could say or do anything.

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