After the Moon Rises by Karilyn Bentley Page A

on Landa’s shoulder, Margie squatted in front of the little blonde. “Why don’t we go somewhere and talk?”
    Bang ! Metal rasped against metal, the noise warping through the hall and stairwell. Landa started shaking, one hand pressed against the scar at her throat. Margie rose to her feet. Apparently, the locked-down alpha was giving freedom an attempt. Shit .
    Leaning around Landa, she punched the code in the keypad next to the door.
    When the door unlocked, she helped Landa to her feet and gave her a little push through the doorway. “Landa, go find Allen and Big G and send them back here. Then go to my office and wait for me. Do you understand?”
    Landa nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”
    “Good. We are past due for a talk.”
    At the push of a button, the lock engaged, the pleasant sound of a bolt slamming home reverberating in her ears. Margie took in a deep breath and let it out. Being an alpha had its challenges, but this one presented the hardest challenge of her tenure.
    The mate she’d never wanted terrorized her newest pack member simply by being the enforcer of a magic-crazed alpha she’d never met or heard of. Like they discussed this situation in the alpha handbook.
    Crash ! Bang ! If she didn’t stop him, he’d destroy her infirmary. Margie jogged down the stairs and ran toward Zane’s room, stopping at the nursing station. Using the code and keypad, she unlocked the double doors leading to the infirmary wing and Zane, leaving the main door at the top of the stairs locked. To get into the wing, Allen would need to enter the code on the other side of the main door. Wasn’t security wonderful ?
    Deep breath in, think calm thoughts . She pushed through the double doors, stopping in front of the alpha’s room. It was now or never. She banged on the metal door.
    “Hey, in there. I’m going to open the door. Don’t even think about taking me down.” As if he could. If she knew he was her mate, she assumed he could sense she was his. And mates would never hurt each other. Although if he wanted to take her down and sex her senseless she wouldn’t oppose him.
    Pull it together Margie! How can you think of sex at a time like this?
    She shook her head—who would have thought meeting her mate would cause sexual thoughts to overwhelm her common sense—and rapped on the door. “Do you hear me?”
    “I do. Why am I locked in?”
    She liked his voice. Maybe she could get him to speak more just to hear the melodious rumble as it crossed her skin. By the saints, what was she thinking? Hello, Margie, pull your head out of your hormones and channel your inner alpha.
    After she pushed the code into the keypad, she turned the knob and pushed open the door. Spilled soup lay in twisting rivulets across the floor, flowing from the broken bowl. Zane stood in front of the bed, arms crossed, completely naked with the exception of a silver torc around his neck. Oh yeah, she could get used to the eye candy. It was impressive.
    Eye contact, Margie, eye contact.
    Like meeting his eyes helped. Black brows and thick lashes framed amber eyes that gleamed with questions. Sleep-tussled hair hung in waves to his shoulders. Above a white bandage wrapped around his middle, tight curls dusted his chest and below the bandage the curls led in a trail from his navel to...
    Eyes, Margie, eyes.
    And while she was at it, she might as well wipe the blush off her face, which was easier thought than done.
    “I’m Margie McLean, London’s pack leader.”
    “Nice meeting you. I’m Zane Moskos, but you already know that, right?”
    “Allen told me. Sorry about the lockdown. I had an issue I needed to deal with. Perhaps you’d be more comfortable sitting?” As if an alpha male, even one wounded, would take her up on the offer.
    He remained standing, his gaze raking over her body. A tilt of his lips promised bliss from a male who knew what he wanted and how to get it. If Big G and Allen didn’t hurry up, her hormones would have