Page 31 of Pack to the Wall

“That’s my hope,” he said and the tremulous optimism with which he said it broke my heart once again. Then he rose and turned, all serious strength. “If you truly become an alpha like that, then I won’t just be your beta, everything I have will be yours.” He knelt again like he had earlier today, looking me inthe eyes. “My body, my mind, my soul, my life and…” His gaze on me intensified. “…my love.”

He looked away immediately after saying that, so I don’t know if he saw the shocked surprise on my features.

But I quickly convinced myself he meant love in a platonic, familial way, not romantic. That’s all that made sense. One man falling for me, because of some strange fated attachment, was odd enough. Another man falling for me the same day, especially without any magical fated whatever? That wasn’t possible.

Not for me.

Not for plain Jane Myers.

Still, I felt compelled to say, “Thank you.”

He smiled, then nodded and rose to return to his station at the door.

I slid under the covers and snuggled into bed. Since it was still early, I pulled up a book on my phone. As fate would have it, the book I was reading was a reverse harem romance, featuring a sexy demon, a stalwart angel, a gruff vampire, and even… a werewolf. And the more I read, the more I began to fantasize about little-old plain-Jane me having her own hunky harem of guys. Only in my case they were all shifters with real names and faces and very sexy bodies. But that was just a fantasy…

…wasn’t it?

BRONN

I wanted to believe Jane.Watching her sleep, so peaceful, with just a hint of a smile on her lips, I almostcouldbelieve it.

She’d be different.

She had to be.

But a roiling fear in my gut warned me not to trust anyone, and that feeling had been keeping me safe for years now. The only person I’d let myself trust was Tyson, and that had been after years of him proving himself. In my head, I couldn’t fathom how this kind and gentle woman could become anything horrible. But then if she didn’t, how could she beat Brick?

And that’s how my thoughts circled all night. I wanted change, wanted Jane to be that change, but if she couldn’t beat Brick, nothing would change. And if she did beat Brick, would she have changed too much? Forced to become something horrible to kill a horrible man?

After a while, I shifted into my lion form and lay down across the doorway to rest. My keen ears would pick up anyone in the hall, or even outside the house.

Everything was easier in animal form. I was still me, but there was a simplicity to an animal’s world view: food, rest, mate. Larger concerns lingered, but they seemed distant. It feltgood to be in this form. Needless to say, it wasn’t something Harley had allowed much. Even just seeing me, larger than the wolves, had scared them and that meant more assertion of their dominance. But now, tonight, I could stay as a cat and no one would care.

I heard a sharp gasp and was instantly alert. I raised my head and looked around to see Jane sitting up in bed, staring at me.

“Bronn,” she whispered. It wasn’t a question. It seemed like some confirmation to herself. Still, I nodded my large head.

My enhanced night vision caught the glimmer of her large eyes as she continued to stare at me.

“I…” She gave a little laugh. The sound was so light and free it pierced my heart. “There’s quite a difference between knowing you’re a lion and seeing it.” She let out a shuddering breath. “You scared me for just a moment, but now… I feel safer, knowing you’re protecting me.” She smiled. And that too struck my heart.

I would protect her. I’d do anything for her. I’d only known her for a day, but I felt closer to her than I had to any woman, other than my mother or sisters.

I couldn’t say if this was love, because I didn’t know what love felt like. I only knew I’d protect her with my life and that I wanted to know her, be around her, touch her, comfort her, serve her. Something in her scent called to my soul. I didn’t know if it was the mate-scent or not, but I suspected it might be. Yet she and Tyson were fated, so I had to stay away.

“Thank you,” she whispered and smiled, then she lay down and returned to rest.

Just like that she’d accepted me for who I was, what I was.

And that made me want to care for her all the more. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to stay away from her. I needed to talk to Tyson.

When dawn broke and light began to filter into the room, I shifted back to my human form, dressed, and slipped outinto the hall. Colt was there, standing, leaning against the wall between her door and the bathroom. He had his eyes closed, but they opened the instant I came out.

“Can you watch her for a moment, I need to find Tyson.”

“Anything wrong?” Colt asked, concerned.

“No.” Or at least I hoped not.

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