Page 55 of The Wolf Prince's Mate

The question caught him off guard, but we both knew the answer. I’d talked to Aspen and Sydney about it, too. They had both agreed with me, though they were both too reluctant to push her.

I wasn’t.

“I know her,” I said. “We’re friends. Not close friends—but friends. And I know her well enough to be damn sure that thelonger she stays in that bush, the harder it’s going to be to pull her out again.”

“Your wolf,” Hunter began, but I cut him off.

“My wolf still hasn’t claimed her, and he’s not a risk. He’s lounging in his cage like usual. The blood triggered him at the crash site, but she’s not bleeding, so he’s not interested.”

Hunter grunted. “That doesn’t mean you should try to drag her out.”

“Are you going to act on your wolf’s claim?”

“Of course not.” I could hear his scowl. I didn’t need to look over to confirm it.

“Then as her friend, I have a hell of a lot more say than you do right now. You know that.”

He made a noise of frustration, but didn’t disagree.

I was right, and he knew it.

He turned down the path she had taken, and I followed behind him. Someone had dragged some outdoor furniture over to the edge of the path, and I saw Sydney sprawled out over one of the couches, asleep. Fletcher wasn’t next to her, but I knew he was on a shift in the forest at the moment.

Eventually, he was going to ask for help with the rogue wolves so he wasn’t gone all the time. His scent was always so thick on Syd’s skin that there was no question they’d end up mated sooner rather than later.

The guy who had been talking with her when I was on the phone earlier—Kody—was sitting on another chair, his legs sprawled and his head tilted back while he dozed. I knew he workedclosely with Hunter, but other than that, I knew nothing about the guy.

“Why is he still here?”I asked Hunter mentally, gesturing to the guy.

Hunter grimaced.“He’s kind of dating her.”

“He’s what?”I nearly snarled the last word.

“Technically, a few guys are. He’s just her favorite.”

I jerked my head backward.

“That’s the plan,”Hunter admitted.“We’re trying to find her a mate. To break my wolf’s obsession.”

“Tell me you’re joking.”

“It was her idea.”

“And you just went along with it?”

“No. I found men strong enough to protect her, who we trust, and set up meetings for her. I put security on her. I?—”

“Your security nearly got her killed,”I snapped.“Was she at one of these meetings when that fucker got in her car?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s time to come up with a new plan. You can’t force a woman to take a mate just because you can’t control your wolf.”

“That’s rich,”he snarled back.“Considering I just had to sedate your wolf, to?—”

“We both know why my beast is the way he is. What’s your excuse?”I growled back.

Hunter’s nostrils flare.“Fine. You know her—you deal with her. I’m done.”

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