Gavin’s voice sounded again, “I don’t know how yet, but we will defend our lands against Dalesbloom. And, I swear, before you all now, we will destroy the Inkscales.”

Goosebumps prickled along my arms at the determination in his voice, and I sensed that whatever it was that Lothair had threatened him with today was about to come out.

Gavin’s hazel stare swept around the room, edged with anger … and something else that I couldn’t decipher until he announced, “Lothair confirmed that it was he and his clan who caused the deaths of my parents.” His jaw clenched, and then he added, “He said it was for no other reason than because they didn’t welcome him and his clan into Grandbay territory.”

My heart battered my chest, and I swore IfeltGavin’s pain ricocheting through me. Shockwaves shuddered through the pack.

Obviously, Gavin’s Betas had been present when Lothair had told him, and it was clear from Aislin’s steely expression that she’d heard this news already. But everyone else’s energy pulsed with anger and shock.

“That bastard,” Matthew exclaimed.

“We’ll kill ’em,” Shane growled.

After the first wave of surprise and talk had ebbed away, Gavin said,

“I want you all to be on high alert and follow Oslo’s and Gretel’s watches to the letter. Be ready to defend our pack, and we will get vengeance for Martin and Bria.”

“For Bria and Martin,” the pack piped up, their voices unifying with grit and resolve.

In a moment, the packmates were dispersing. I realized I’d zoned out as Oslo had called an end to the meeting. I watched dazedly as Gretel and Aislin wandered out of the cabin arm in arm, followed by Muriel and Helen. The others from the table had already slipped out. Gavin had turned his back to the room, lost as he leaned on the mantle and stared into the fire.

For a moment, the fire in the hearth seemed ferocious to me as I thought of how it had been fire that snatched Gavin’s family from him. The quiet prickled over me as the awareness that it was only Gavin and me in the room struck me.

Part of me knew I should leave, but my heart clenched at the thought of leaving him to deal with his grief and pain alone.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I offered, knowing how much I’d needed to talk things through with Colt whenever I was upset.

“No,” he ground out, not even bothering to turn around from the fire.

I got to my feet, feeling awkward for forcing my company on him when,clearly, he didn’t want it.

I should go.

Then, I remembered what Aislin had said earlier about how he didn’t need to talk. Maybe it was my touch he needed.

So, instead of going to the door, I moved toward him, laying a gentle touch on his arm. My palm ran up his forearm to his bicep. I could see the tension tightening his shoulders. I wentto slide my hand round to his shoulder blade, but instead of relaxing as I’d hoped, he tensed and flinched away from me.

His eyes darkened as he looked at me. “What part of being dismissed don’t you get?”

I flinched. My stomach twisted as his haughty stare returned. It was so similar to the one he’d given me weeks ago when he’d rejected me. His words from then came back to me,“I don’t want you.”That’s what his angry hazel eyes told me now.

Hurt wound through me. It felt impossible that the man standing before me had kissed me with suchwantonly this morning. Doubt and insecurity crept in. I wondered whether it might just be me who wanted to explore what was between us. Perhaps the attraction I felt toward Gavinwasn’tmutual. There’d been hunger and heat in his eyes, and the way his mouth had explored mine had been intoxicating, but … maybe he’d just been blowing off steam.

With a sense of clammy disappointment swirling through me, I left Gavin’s cabin. As I wandered through the night, hollowness stole through me. I told myself I needed to build a wall around my foolish, tender heart because it still ached for the scowling Alpha I’d left behind.

Chapter 22

Gavin

I skulked out my cabin door, stripping and abandoning my clothes in a haphazard heap. My wolf bristled with need as I breathed in a deep lungful of air. My bones cracked, and my beast emerged. My facial muscles tightened against the pain until my snout and fangs emerged. On four legs, I pummeled the trail, reveling in the swiftness as my form blurred through the sweeping trees reaching along the path. The ascending track took me beneath the canopy of great pines and furs, their sweeping branches feeling like hands reaching out to me.

The thought of Billie’s tender hand on my arm shuddered through me. The memory of my own voice rang harshly.“Don’t you understand when you’ve been dismissed?”

I’m an asshole.

I hadn’t meant to be so harsh. But I’d had to deny myself the relief I knew her comforting touch would bring. A primal shiver rippled through my body as I thought of the woman I’d left behind. I pictured Billie’s face, her elfin features and flashing emerald eyes.

Billie’s kisses played on my mind, too, and the idea of losing myself in her silken, lithe form had been all too tempting. Hergentle touch on my arm earlierhadsoothed me as surely as the Gunnison’s cool currents soothed me after a punishing run. But I’d known I mustn’t get distracted.Warwas coming to Grandbay, and I couldn’t afford to be side-tracked by anything or anyone.