Page 122 of The Wolf King's Mate

“Sydney is alive, and furry. Back in her human skin for the moment, but very much a wolf,” I said.

Relief crossed her face.

Then worry.

“Does the city know?”

“They do. I won’t let them come for you.”

“What about Nova?”

Nova?

My forehead creased.

Ahh.

Fuck.

She wanted us to protectNova. James heard her wrong.

“Pack females are never at risk,” Hunter said, his tapping coming to an end.

Aspen’s worried eyes met mine. “I might have misled you about something important.”

I waited.

I was too relieved she was okay to care about being lied to.

“I told you I would know if Nova was a wolf. I do know. She is. Silas has been protecting her, but she has a stalker. Someone else who knows what she is. Nova and Silas don’t know who. If that person realizes she could turn humans...”

“I need a last name,” Hunter said.

His voice was too calm. Too measured. He didn’t know what we knew.

“Jacobs. She’s a tattoo artist.” Aspen’s gaze was locked with mine.

“She smells like coffee and ink,” I said.

Hunter was out the door a heartbeat later.

“You can’t be mad at me. You told me not to leave the truck, and I didn’t,” she whispered, her eyelids drooping over her eyes.

“I know, Princess.” I helped her lower her head back to my chest. “Are you in pain?”

“No. Just tired.” A moment passed. “Can we go home? We’re both covered in dried blood, and this bed is really uncomfortable.”

I barked out a laugh.

Fletcher was at our side a moment later. His hand was on her arm, and I didn’t snap at him for it. Even though I wanted to.

“Aspen?”

She tipped her head to the side and gave him a small, sleepy smile. “Hey, Fletch. I’m okay.”

Emotion welled in his eyes. I averted mine to give them a little more privacy. It was as much as they were going to get, because I wasn’t letting go of her.

“Don’t fucking do that again.” His voice cracked.

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