arms and she took solace in the embrace.
“You know, you keep this up, you might just be the death of me,” Noah said. “I’m a little too old for this.”
She smiled, but she couldn’t laugh.
“I told you not to worry about Jason.”
She shook her head. “He’s been different since the attack.”
“I think you’re making too big a deal out of it. I told you about men.”
“Yes, and I know wolves are another whole creature. They don’t like to show vulnerabilities. Blah, blah, blah.” She rose up to her elbow and looked down at him. “You need to talk to him. He won’t let Ethan or I examine him now and I know something is bothering him.”
“Will you let me get some sleep if I promise to talk to him?” Although his tone was grumpy, she didn’t mind. She could tell that she was about to win the argument.
“Yes.”
He grunted and pulled her back down on his chest. “Good, now go to sleep.”
“I need to do some work.”
“Later. I sleep better with you by my side.”
He said it as if it were no big deal. But, to her, it was. Her heart turned over in her chest and she realized just how much she loved him at the moment. He had given her more than she could have ever hoped for in a lover and a friend. She had always felt as if she didn’t belong. At school, in her own family…but here, they made her feel as if she had a place with them.
She settled against him, her heart happy and her mind free of worries for the moment.
* * * *
The morning air was crisp and clean as Jason watched Eve work. Even through all their problems, she had kept up her work with the wolves, and that meant she needed a protection detail when she was out, like now. They were on a ridge, looking out over a vast expanse of land. Her little house where she had primarily lived until a few months ago was a speck in the distance.
Jason blinked against the blinding sun and tried to fight the roll of nausea that filled his stomach. Damn it . He glanced at Eve who was busy writing something on her notepad. Noah and Shane stood watch and apparently didn’t notice either. He closed his eyes and drew in some clean breaths. It was like this every time he had one of those nightmares.
“Are you okay, Jason?” Eve asked.
He opened his eyes and found her watching him with concern in her gaze. She had been watching him like that more and more. He would avoid her completely but he knew he could handle being with her like this. When she needed protection, he had his mind on other things. Somewhat. He still wanted her in his bed, but at least this took some of the edge off. “No, just forgot to eat this morning. I need to get a little coffee in me to get me going. That’s all.”
The look she shot him told him she didn’t completely believe him, but she let it go. He knew she would. She was the pacifier, the one who always played moderator when the men got out of hand. “I’m sorry you had to come out here. I’m done for the day. Why don’t we head back to the cabin?”
He nodded and had to fight another roll of nausea. He was glad he could hide behind the mirrored sunglasses. Eve had gotten too perceptive in the last few months. Of course, all the Alpha mates were like that, and that mainly came from the need to protect their pack. Whether they were male or female, the Alpha’s main concern would always be the pack. They piled in the SUV, and unfortunately, Eve decided to sit in the back with him.
“You haven’t been having any trouble sleeping, have you?” she asked.
Neither his brother or cousin turned around to say anything, but he knew they were paying attention.
“No.”
He felt her hesitate, then she laid her hand on his knee. “You just look really tired.”
“I had patrol last night.”
He was sure that she wanted to ask more, but thankfully she let it go. They drove home in silence, although it wasn’t uncomfortable. With Eve, everything just felt right. When they drove up to the cabin, he saw
“You know, you keep this up, you might just be the death of me,” Noah said. “I’m a little too old for this.”
She smiled, but she couldn’t laugh.
“I told you not to worry about Jason.”
She shook her head. “He’s been different since the attack.”
“I think you’re making too big a deal out of it. I told you about men.”
“Yes, and I know wolves are another whole creature. They don’t like to show vulnerabilities. Blah, blah, blah.” She rose up to her elbow and looked down at him. “You need to talk to him. He won’t let Ethan or I examine him now and I know something is bothering him.”
“Will you let me get some sleep if I promise to talk to him?” Although his tone was grumpy, she didn’t mind. She could tell that she was about to win the argument.
“Yes.”
He grunted and pulled her back down on his chest. “Good, now go to sleep.”
“I need to do some work.”
“Later. I sleep better with you by my side.”
He said it as if it were no big deal. But, to her, it was. Her heart turned over in her chest and she realized just how much she loved him at the moment. He had given her more than she could have ever hoped for in a lover and a friend. She had always felt as if she didn’t belong. At school, in her own family…but here, they made her feel as if she had a place with them.
She settled against him, her heart happy and her mind free of worries for the moment.
* * * *
The morning air was crisp and clean as Jason watched Eve work. Even through all their problems, she had kept up her work with the wolves, and that meant she needed a protection detail when she was out, like now. They were on a ridge, looking out over a vast expanse of land. Her little house where she had primarily lived until a few months ago was a speck in the distance.
Jason blinked against the blinding sun and tried to fight the roll of nausea that filled his stomach. Damn it . He glanced at Eve who was busy writing something on her notepad. Noah and Shane stood watch and apparently didn’t notice either. He closed his eyes and drew in some clean breaths. It was like this every time he had one of those nightmares.
“Are you okay, Jason?” Eve asked.
He opened his eyes and found her watching him with concern in her gaze. She had been watching him like that more and more. He would avoid her completely but he knew he could handle being with her like this. When she needed protection, he had his mind on other things. Somewhat. He still wanted her in his bed, but at least this took some of the edge off. “No, just forgot to eat this morning. I need to get a little coffee in me to get me going. That’s all.”
The look she shot him told him she didn’t completely believe him, but she let it go. He knew she would. She was the pacifier, the one who always played moderator when the men got out of hand. “I’m sorry you had to come out here. I’m done for the day. Why don’t we head back to the cabin?”
He nodded and had to fight another roll of nausea. He was glad he could hide behind the mirrored sunglasses. Eve had gotten too perceptive in the last few months. Of course, all the Alpha mates were like that, and that mainly came from the need to protect their pack. Whether they were male or female, the Alpha’s main concern would always be the pack. They piled in the SUV, and unfortunately, Eve decided to sit in the back with him.
“You haven’t been having any trouble sleeping, have you?” she asked.
Neither his brother or cousin turned around to say anything, but he knew they were paying attention.
“No.”
He felt her hesitate, then she laid her hand on his knee. “You just look really tired.”
“I had patrol last night.”
He was sure that she wanted to ask more, but thankfully she let it go. They drove home in silence, although it wasn’t uncomfortable. With Eve, everything just felt right. When they drove up to the cabin, he saw
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