He sat up and wrapped an arm around me. “I thought we agreed, no secrets. Not anymore.”
I sighed. He had a point but telling him I’d just experienced one of Inarus’ memories wasn’t going to put him in a great mood for the day.
“Just some unwelcome after-effects of anchoring with Inarus. Nothing I can’t handle.”
His eyes narrowed and I could see the gears turning in his mind.
I waited.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I flung the covers off and hopped out of bed, taking a quick moment to stretch.
Declan made a murmur of appreciation that sounded a lot like a purr, not that I would say that out loud. According to him, weretigers did not purr.
“I’m starving. Food?” I asked.
“Food.” He agreed and sprang out of bed with all the grace of a cat, giving me a full view of his naked chest.
I bit my lower lip. Declan’s eyes darkened and he prowled toward me.
“Are you sure it’s just food you’re after?”
Instinctively, I took a step back while a flush rose in my cheeks.
Declan’s gaze filled with flecks of gold. His muscles bunched and I could see he was about to pounce.
My stomach rumbled.
He paused and my cheeks heated in an entirely different way as embarrassment suffused me.
“Yep, just food. Gotta run.”
I turned and ran for the door.
He chucked behind me. “Coward.”
I was but there wasn’t anything I could do about it now. Sure we’d had sex. It was glorious. The best sex I’d had in my life. But sex with Declan was all consuming. In those moments, I lost myself so completely I didn’t know where he began or where I ended.
The bond wove tighter and tighter between us. It was amazing and terrifying all at once.
Eventually, I’d get over it. I wanted sex. I knew he wanted sex. I just needed to stop freaking out at the idea of it all. Thankfully, Declan didn’t push.
We never really had the chance to date and I wanted to take things slow. To get to know one another. He was being patient with me and I appreciated the hell out of it.
I’d almost made it to the kitchen when Declan caught up to me. He was dressed now, sporting the sweats he’d slept in and a forest green long-sleeved shirt.
“You decided to join me for breakfast?”
He grinned. “It’s pancake day. I wouldn’t miss it.”
Pancake day? Shifters weren’t big on carbs or sweets. They ate meat and more meat and sometimes topped their meat with meat.
Living in the Compound ensured I had more protein in my diet than I could ever ask for.
But on rare occasions, whoever was on duty in the kitchens would cook something other than meat and twice now I’d had the pleasure of pancakes for breakfast.
They were light and fluffy with a hint of sweetness. I drowned them in so much maple syrup I usually needed a shower afterwards to combat the stickiness.
My mouth watered.
Declan jogged down the steps and then turned back, an evil glint in his eyes.
“Better hurry. Wouldn’t want you to miss out.” He winked.
“If you eat all of my pancakes, I will kill you.”
His laugh echoed through the stairwell.
“Promises. Promises.”
I raced after him, doing my best not to trip. Wouldn’t that be just my luck? I’d crash down the stairs, probably break my leg, and then find Declan with the last plate of pancakes.
Not today, buddy. Not today.
In my haste to catch up, I ran into a man as he was walking up the stairs.
“Sorry!” I bit out the words and kept going.
“S’okay. I was in the way.”
Something about the voice was familiar. I paused on the stairs and turned back to look at the man.
He was dressed in jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt, and red Converse sneakers. Worry was stamped across his features as his eyes flicked past me.
He must have seen Declan and expected a verbal lashing for running into his Alpha’s mate.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
I struggled to come up with a name. I knew I knew him. How did I know him?
A light bulb went off. “Jonah? Jonah Mc… Mc something. I’m sorry. I can’t remember.” I cringed. As Declan’s mate I should know everyone within the Pack. But I was notoriously horrible with names and there were a lot of shifters to account for.
“McNeman,” Declan said. He’d climbed the steps that separated us and now stood just behind me. Good. It would make it easier to trip him on our way back down so I could get to the pancakes first.
Jonah stiffened.
I surveyed his downward expression and then looked at Declan, whose face bordered on icy rage.
A growl rumbled deep in Declan’s chest and Jonah’s eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights. He kept his gaze on the floor but a thin sheen of perspiration broke out across his face.
I was missing something but all I could think about were pancakes.
I smacked Declan in the chest. “Stop that.” We didn’t have time to stop just so he could intimidate shifters beneath him on the hierarchy ladder. Besides, Declan didn’t usually try to terrorize his Packmates. He held his position through solid leadership and respect. Sure there was a good dose of dominance and strength involved but I’d never taken Declan for a bully.
He glowered at me.
“Sorry. He’s in a mood—he hasn’t had his pancakes yet. It was nice seeing you again.” I turned and tugged Declan back down the stairs with me.
Jonah took off in the opposite direction as though wolves were nipping at his heels.
What the hell had all that been about? The last time I’d seen Jonah he’d brought me food. He was nice. He’d offered to help me if—Another light bulb went off in my
