Page 52 of Wolf Desired
“We took shifts,” Tiernan said, as they headed out of the building. “You’re on our team now, Artemis.”
“What are you talking about?” she said as they walked into the overly bright sun. She took another sip of coffee and waited for her eyes to adjust.
“Rafe spoke to Graves’ assistant yesterday and swapped Jason for you.”
“Why the hell did he do that?” She wasn’t sure whether to be stunned, mad, or relieved. “And was that before or after. . . Never mind. Skip that.”
“Before or after what precisely?” Maddox asked, his eyes narrowing as if he suspected.
“After I made a fool of myself.”
“You didn’t make a fool of yourself,” Tiernan said, reaching for her hand, but she jerked her hand away.
“Call it what you want, but at the very least, it was unprofessional of me. We’re on the same team.”
“You didn’t know that at the time,” Tiernan said. “And I’m guessing you won’t allow what happened between us to affect your performance in the program. So no one needs to know.”
“I’ll know,” Maddox spoke up.
She slammed the bag against his chest. “I don’t respond well to bribes or blackmail.”
“I just said I’d know, not that I’d use the information against you,” Maddox said.
“It is something a white wolf would do.”
“Not this white wolf, scout.” Maddox turned back to her. “I’m only updating you. It was Rafe’s call. And for what it’s worth, it was the right one. It was the only way to ensure Kingsley doesn’t bother you anymore.”
“Rafe is weakening my position here in the program and among the other recruits.”
“It’s done,” Maddox said, with an authoritative air. “He won’t change his mind, so you might as well accept it and move on.”
Easier said than done. “I don’t need or want his protection, certainly not if it means being pulled from a team, even a crappy team such as Kingsley’s.”
Maddox grasped her hand before she could march off to find Rafe, though she wasn’t sure what she’d say to him. Demanding to be put back in Kingsley’s team was risky, but Rafe taking charge of her could prove just as detrimental to her position and her mission.
“Alphas make unilateral decisions all the time,” Maddox added, like it was no big deal.
She wasn’t one of Rafe’s shifters. She didn’t have an alpha. Could she even have an alpha? She wondered about the implications.
“Eat something. You’ll feel better.” He held the bag of pastries out to her again.
That explained the breakfast and coffee. “So that’s why I’m getting the special treatment this morning?” She refused to take the bag, despite how delicious it smelled. “If you’ve got something to tell me, good or bad, just tell me. I don’t need to be softened up.”
“You’re already soft. In all the good ways,” Maddox said, his voice melting over her like chocolate ganache over cake. She found herself stepping into him, when a growl from her other side broke Maddox’s spell.
Tiernan.
Maddox released her hand and laughed. He was screwing with Tiernan again. Or was he? He had her so confused. She grabbed the pastry bag back. “These are wasted on you.”
“What did I say?” Maddox said innocently. “I just meant I enjoy pressing my body up against yours and would love to nestle my cock where it belongs.”
Her mouth dropped open. She couldn’t believe he said that to her, especially in front of Tiernan.
Maddox shoved the muffin in her open mouth. “Better be careful leaving your mouth open, angel. Never know what someone will put in it.”
She took a bite. Smooth blueberry goodness exploded in her mouth, making it hard to be mad at him. The damn shifter was blunt, to the point, about most things, and unabashedly telling her how he felt. But she wasn’t sure how she felt. Beyond being incredibly attracted to him.
And there stood Tiernan, looking wounded, jealous, and desperate to touch her all at once. But he knew she wasn’t his. She’d told him as much. And yet she still felt a pull to him. Tobothof them.
