Just that morning, she’d convinced him to take some time away from his duties. But he was right. They were all safe for now, and there would be plenty of time when they went back home to argue about training and her father.
Chapter 9
Jax stood on the patio and looked out at the woods, completely relaxed for the first time since they killed the witch. It was the first time he had so much time to make love to his mate properly. It felt like a honeymoon, although when the time came for that, he intended to stretch that out as long as he could. Fucking Layla was an addiction that could never be equalled. Perhaps it was all he needed to focus on so he could heal his mind.
If he could keep up with her, that was. His thighs and other parts of his body were still shaking from the exertion.
A smile stretched his lips as he sipped his coffee. He needed to sit down and rest, but as always, fucking Layla wrecked him and energised him at the same time.
Everything was going to be okay now. He’d fucked up with Gerald, and the incident with the Hunters ruffled their feathers, but they could put all of it behind them now.
Once they got home, he’d train her ass off if that was what she wanted. He’d stop interfering with Gerald and Britney. As long as Layla was happy, that was all that mattered.
He’d always thought becoming mates would mean everything about their relationship would be perfect. But it just meant they were stuck together whether they got along or not. He could see how other people rejected their chosen mates, but true mates were different. Rejecting Layla was impossible because she was a part of him, more so now with his mark on her neck.
Cain unfurled and growled in his head, but he shoved the beast back to the back of his mind. He’d already sensed the intruder while he’d made his coffee, and Cain had been too busy rolling around like a druggie in the dopamine caused by making love to their mate.
‘If the Hunters had come for us, you’d have got us killed,’ he teased his beast.
‘Hunters are like cubs with no teeth. I don’t know why you never let me kill them.’
He rolled his eyes and didn’t bother responding. You never killed a Hunter. It was something taught to every wolf.
A few minutes later, a naked man walked out of the woods, his dick swinging everywhere with each step.
“Fuck, Ryker,” he said, looking back into the house through the window. Layla was up, but she wasn’t downstairs yet, thankfully. “You know my mate is here. Why the fuck are you letting that thing blow around in the wind?”
Ryker put his hands on his waist and continued walking, ignoring his reaction to his naked body.
“How is she?” the Alpha asked.
He frowned at the scarred face before him and then took another sip of his coffee. Over a year ago, Ryker strung him up and thought the game the witch played had been fun. Now he felt he could just drop by.
“How she is is none of your business. What do you want?”
Ryker looked back at the woods where a few of his people hid.
“I was told you’d been spotted in the area a few days ago,” Ryker said.
“If you’re going to ask why I didn’t tell you again, I’ll confirm right now that I’ll never fucking do that.”
Ryker snorted and turned back to him. Though he didn’t lower his head, he didn’t look directly at him anymore. It appeased Cain enough not to take it as a challenge. Ryker was the one person he’d rip apart if he ever looked him in the eyes again, even if Layla didn’t want him to.
“I came to ask if you saw my boys; they haven’t checked in since they saw your car heading this way.”
He frowned. He hadn’t sensed anyone else for days.
“That was three days ago.”
“I’d have come sooner, but you’ve been stuck in your house for days. I didn’t think you’d appreciate the disturbance,” Ryker said.
“You’re the first person who’s come this close since we arrived.”
He stretched his senses further, wondering if he indeed missed anything while he’d been lost in his mate. He’d teased Cain about it, but the beast would have been the first to react to any threat on Layla’s life.
This was the second group of scouts missing. Was it a coincidence?
“They’re probably in town, stuck in a whore house again,” Ryker said, turning around. “I’ll send someone—”