She rolled her eyes. Leave it to Caleb to know just what she was thinking and try to steamroll right over her. And fuck it. She was tired, and it would be days more before she could even consider rest.
“If you care anything about Redhawke, you'll come home.”
“Dad said the same thing.”
“You talked to him?”
“Yeah. I don't know what game y'all are playing, but I don't believe for one minute his rule is in jeopardy.”
“You've been gone a long time.”
He didn't answer, but his disbelief and suspicion were easy to read. She grabbed her keys from where he'd dropped them on the table. “Right. Believe what you want. I have to get home.” Caleb stepped aside, and she ignored the pain in her heart that he was going to let her go so easily. But when she got to the kitchen door, Zach blocked her, his arms crossed over his chest and his expression making it damned clear she wasn't getting out so easy. Damn it, they were really starting to piss her off. She turned back to Caleb, tongue sharp and caution forgotten.
“Even werewolves age. And even alphas get weaker.”
“He's not old,” Caleb scoffed.
“He's
“Your father—”
She cut him off. “Is older than yours.” She took a steadying breath, tried to get control of her anger and her fear. “Look, there are only four soldiers strong enough to hold the pack.
Maybe. At least two of them will try to force me to leave. An unmated human female with influence? Who's regularly overruled them?” She snorted. Yeah, if either Jonas or Baker became alpha, she'd be gone. “Your father won't appoint them, but if it comes down to a challenge?” She shrugged. “You know how unpredictable those things are.”
She watched his face carefully, saw the exact moment he started to take her and the situation seriously. And he was definitely not happy about it. Growling, he paced across the small room, stopped in front of her to set his hands on her shoulders. He gave her a small shake that should have intimidated her but instead made her body clench with excited need.
“You should have come to me sooner, Liza.”
“I'm here now.” She tried to make her words firm, but they weren't. Light and breathy, the sexual need unmistakable. He noticed. His nostrils flared to take in her scent and his eyes were as hot as she knew hers would be. He let her go abruptly, and she just restrained herself from stomping her frustration. She'd thought he was over the disgust he felt for his desire for her. So much for that thought.
He turned to Zach, who leaned against the doorframe, his ankles crossed, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He met her eyes briefly, not even attempting to hide his desire or the arousal bulging the front of his jeans, before turning back to Caleb.
“Welcome to Redhawke,” Caleb said. “Gimme ten minutes to throw a bag together; then we'll get going.”
Zach nodded, his gaze returning to her. His smile was slow and sexy. “Take your time,” he said to Caleb, and she didn't have to wonder if Caleb knew why his friend made the suggestion or if he was going to protest. He chuckled.
“Sure. I should gas up before we leave anyway, right?”
“Yep,” Zach responded but didn't turn away from her, waited until Caleb was out of sight before slowly approaching her. Steps careful, smooth, and measured. Stalking. Her arousal escalated to a level that made her tremble.
She moved back with each step he took forward until her butt bumped into the counter.
Reaching her hands behind her, she gripped the edges. He stopped in front of her and lifted one hand to stroke the side of her face.
“Scared?”
Her vocal cords refused to work, so she shook her head rather than embarrass herself.
“You sure?” His smile was so promising, so sexy her knees turned to jelly.
“I'm sure,” she managed to whisper.
His hand slid down her neck, over her collarbone to graze the bite mark Caleb had left there earlier. She couldn't figure out why Caleb had done that. A mate mark. When he'd made it so damned clear he wouldn't take her as a mate. Her confusion must have shown. Zach shook his head slightly then bent it to the opposite side of her neck, brushed kisses down her collarbone before sucking her skin into his mouth.
It wasn't quite hard enough to leave a mark, but God, it turned her on. He rammed his hand through her hair, held the back of her head. When he lifted his face to meet her gaze, she gasped.
She hadn't seen him in wolf form, but she knew his eyes would take on this bright blue glow.
“Caleb is your mate.” His voice was guttural, as if half changed, as if the wolf was struggling to get free. “And so am I.”
She realized with a jolt of mortification that she'd had his cock in her mouth but he'd never even kissed her.
“You can't know that,” she whispered. “You've never even kissed me.” God, she wanted him to. Wanted to know if his mouth would fuse over hers with the same wildness she saw in his eyes. He didn't bother to respond, just lowered his lips to hers, tugged on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth for him. And it was a wild, untamed kiss. His tongue thrust between her teeth, stroking hers until she groaned and clung to him.
A kiss was not enough to satisfy him, however. He broke it long enough to pull the sweater over her head and was kissing her again while he fumbled with her bra. An excellent idea. She shoved his hand away and unsnapped it
