lodge and taking her hand. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“Am I supposed to cheer you on or keep you from hurting him?” she asked.
Terrent lifted a shoulder.
They entered the lodge and went to the same conference room as last time. Roger seated himself at the head of the table. Gerald sat to his left, worry darkening his eyes. Nash guarded the door, his expression blank.
Maggie slowed. The tension in the room shot right to her ankles. Tingles swept up her legs. She breathed in quickly and held the oxygen in her lungs. The moment passed, and she dropped into a chair.
Terrent remained standing. “What?”
Roger leaned his elbows on the table, his eyes a dark brown. “Felix McClure from the Vaile pack will be here tomorrow morning with his enforcers to fetch his missing pack member. I’ve agreed to turn her over.”
Gerald shoved back from the table. “This is why you in-sisted on taking over tonight?”
“Yes,” Roger said calmly. “A treaty with the Vaile pack, with the best assassins in the world, will only strengthen us.”
The muscles rippled in his neck as he leaned back. “Maggie is a member of their pack, and they have the right to claim her.”
Damn it. Maggie struggled to breathe evenly. “I refuse.”
Gerald sighed. “You can’t. As a member of their pack, you are subject to their laws.”
“Let’s go, Maggie.” Terrent pulled her chair back.
Roger stood. “Just so we’re clear here. If you run, I will send every soldier in our pack to assist the Vaile wolves in finding you. Every. Single. One.”
Nash growled. “You’d leave the land and the rest of the pack unprotected?”
“In a heartbeat.” Roger leaned toward Maggie. “If you want that on your head . . . run, wolf. Just run.”
What a complete ass. Fear for her new friends overcame the panic sweeping her body. Barely.
Terrent shifted his stance.
Maggie jumped up and grabbed his arm. “No fighting.
Not right now.” Her mind spun. She had to figure out a solution. “Let’s go, Terrent.”
“Be back tomorrow at dawn,” Roger drawled.
A lumbering echoed from the hallway. Seconds later, the guard from the underground secured site stumbled into the room. “I was attacked, and I think somebody messed with the serum.”
Terrent took her arm and led her to the doorway. “You have something to deal with now,
As they maneuvered through the building, Terrent tightened his hold. “Did you want to tell me something while we were dancing?”
Maggie blinked. “Just that you’re a good dancer, Terrent.
That’s all.”
“Hmmm.” With quick steps they exited the lodge and went to the truck.
They made the drive back to the cabin in silence. Irritation and determination filtered across Terrent’s face, while guilt and dread filled Maggie’s stomach. What was she going to do? If Felix was as crazy as Terrent had said, then he’d chase her forever. She couldn’t put the Raze pack in danger and had no doubt Roger would make good on his threat. The jerk didn’t care about the pack.
Though Terrent did. Even though he tried to remain dis-tant, he seemed at home with the wolf-shifters. Maggie was at home with him. “I don’t want to live in Roger’s pack.”
“Don’t blame you.” Terrent stopped the truck at the cabin.
“Where do you want to live?”
“With you.” She studied his strong profile. Maybe it was time for her to live her life, memories or not. Limbo sucked.
“I think I’d like to relearn physics as well as military strategy. You know, actually go to school.”
“That’s a wonderful idea.” His hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“So, I thought maybe I’d find an online degree program, or several . . . and then I could travel.”
He studied the dark night outside the truck.
She cleared her throat. “The only time I’ve felt at home has been with you. It doesn’t matter where we are. We need to stick together.” The idea of not being with him made something hurt in her chest. She’d been alone for too long.
“No long-distance nonsense.”
“I track and kill werewolves.” He sighed.
“I know.” Jeez. It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen the beasts in action before. “You understand my position on this. Right now, we have a more immediate problem to deal with. How do we keep the Raze pack safe and yet keep me from heading to Scotland?” There had to be a solution.
“That’s an easy one.” Terrent turned his head, his eyes blazing through the darkness. “Mate me.”
Chapter Nine
Maggie swallowed. “Oh.” She thought she had more time to figure things out, to try and remember her life. Her feel-ings for the wolf were strong, but were they strong enough?
He shoved open his door and reached for her, unsnapping her belt and tugging her across the seat. “Do you love me?”
She clutched his arms as he swept her into the night.
“Yes.” The time for coyness, indecision, and insecurity had passed. “I love you.” Her brain didn’t remember him, but her heart was full of him. But was love enough? What if her brain really wasn’t functioning right?
He tucked her close. “I’ve loved you for eleven years . . .
and the last ten have been hell. No more distance, I promise.”
She snuggled her face into his neck. Without memories, she’d be leaping on faith. Maybe this type of decision needed to come from the heart, and not from the brain. “Mating is forever.”
“Yes.” He strode toward the house. “Forever.”
Her heart was full of him. She was a wolf, and wolves lived on instincts. She could trust hers. God, she hoped she could trust hers. “Won’t that cause war?”
“Maybe. But if we mate, you’re no longer subject to the Vaile pack’s laws. You’d be subject to my pack’s.” Terrent kicked open the door. “I mean, if I still had a pack. Anyway, you’d be free of the Vailes.” He dropped her to her feet, both hands threading through her hair. “More important, you’d be mine.”
She tilted her face to meet his dark gaze. Five years ago, when he’d kissed her, she’d wanted to claim him. Somehow, she’d known he was hers. Her emotions mattered, and she could trust them. “I may never remember my life from before.”
“I know.” His fingers tightened his hold. “Don’t think I don’t know how brave and strong you are to even think of mating me when your memories are gone. You humble me, sweetheart.”
Warmth slammed through her heart. The man knew exactly what to say. And she knew exactly what to do. Time to follow her heart. “I plan to bite you, too.”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Is that a promise?” Reaching for the hem, he tugged her shirt over her head. “I’ve wanted to do this all night.” He dropped his head, letting his lips wander along her collarbone. Her shirt hit the floor, followed by her bra. She kicked off her jeans and boots.
She pushed him and yanked his shirt over his head, flattening her palms against his abs and gliding up. Up over muscle and male to grip his hair. Rising up to her tiptoes, she pulled his mouth down to hers. Heat cascaded down her body. His tongue swept inside her mouth, taking and explor-ing. Strong hands gripped her hips and lifted her against the wall.
Thunder echoed outside, and rain began to slash down.
