put a stop to this barbaric practice amongst their kind.
Slade leaned close to her, his eyes blazing with a fierceness she couldn’t imagine him focusing on her.
“Fighter or not, you’re still my mate, and I’ve sworn to protect you. If protecting you means protecting you against your own foolish ambitions, then so be it. I will not have you harmed in any way, and neither will Micah. You have no idea what you and your brother are fronting here.”
Kasa arched a brow and planted her empty hand on her hip. “Then, by all means, enlighten me.”
“That’s for Micah and me to know, and you not to worry your pretty little head over.”
“How am I supposed to protect myself when I don’t know the extent of what I’m facing? Isn’t knowledge the best defense?” Kasa followed him as he stepped up to the counter and scraped the eggs back onto the plate. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped up the remaining mess without answering her. She growled under her breath. “Well?”
“You won’t have to worry about protecting yourself. You’ve got two very capable mates and an aggressive, bastardly brother who are all gonna keep you safe. Why don’t you revel in the freedom you have and relax, okay?”
Slade shot her a half-grin and draped his arm over her shoulders. She tried to repress the stiffening of her muscles under the heavy weight of his solid arm. Despite the comforting gesture, one that melted her resolve and left her wanting to nuzzle his hard chest, she stood her ground. His chauvinism stabbed at her pride.
“Besides, you’re too special to risk your lovely white coat over a bunch of misfits.”
“I don’t consider those victims ‘misfits.’” Oh yeah, she seethed. Slade’s temperature control gauge was running on whacky. It wasn’t helping to calm her frustrated nerves, or her aching libido. His fierceness struck awe and anger with equal strokes, heating her blood in a vicious tug-o-war. She wanted to be mad at him for trying to restrain her, but having a man as strong and handsome as Slade offer himself as her bodyguard…well, it did things to her. To her heart.
Regardless, if her own brother couldn’t keep her from pursuing her goals, these two men—mates or not—hadn’t a chance in hell.
* * * *
Slade watched Kasa simmer beneath his arm. Her eyes glowed a fiery amber hue that licked at his desires. Fierce woman. Wild woman. He wanted to see just what his wicked white could do. He already suspected she would defy him and Micah. She wasn’t one to be held captive while Jordan fought the beasts beyond the cabins. No. She wanted to drink in the thrill of a hunt, the satisfaction of victory, and something else. Something he and his brother understood more than Kasa realized.
Exacting revenge for their pain and suffering. Vengeance was a bitch, and it held him in a choke hold. He wanted the hunt as much as Kasa. He could taste the blood on his tongue. Smell the fear in the air. His entire body charged with adrenaline that preceded danger. Danger of going into something and possibly never coming back. He might be reckless. Hell, he might even be foolish to a degree, but he was stubborn.
He always got what he wanted.
Keeping Kasa safe was first. Reaching the remaining members of the Dark Moon pack and slaughtering them just as they had his sister was second.
At last, Kasa’s shoulder loosened beneath his arm. He probed deeper into her expression as the cool front fell away. He read nothing that he didn’t already know. Kasa was sly and calculating. He knew something brewed in that beautiful mind of hers, but what it was she kept securely hidden. Her thoughts were nothing more than a dark haze. The woman had a knack for masking them when she didn’t want to be read.
“Snow’s coming. Micah’s headin’ out to the store to pick up a stash of food for the next couple days. He’s taking Jordan with him,” Slade said, lowering his voice to a gentle husk.
“Jordan’s
Slade leaned close to her, his eyes blazing with a fierceness she couldn’t imagine him focusing on her.
“Fighter or not, you’re still my mate, and I’ve sworn to protect you. If protecting you means protecting you against your own foolish ambitions, then so be it. I will not have you harmed in any way, and neither will Micah. You have no idea what you and your brother are fronting here.”
Kasa arched a brow and planted her empty hand on her hip. “Then, by all means, enlighten me.”
“That’s for Micah and me to know, and you not to worry your pretty little head over.”
“How am I supposed to protect myself when I don’t know the extent of what I’m facing? Isn’t knowledge the best defense?” Kasa followed him as he stepped up to the counter and scraped the eggs back onto the plate. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped up the remaining mess without answering her. She growled under her breath. “Well?”
“You won’t have to worry about protecting yourself. You’ve got two very capable mates and an aggressive, bastardly brother who are all gonna keep you safe. Why don’t you revel in the freedom you have and relax, okay?”
Slade shot her a half-grin and draped his arm over her shoulders. She tried to repress the stiffening of her muscles under the heavy weight of his solid arm. Despite the comforting gesture, one that melted her resolve and left her wanting to nuzzle his hard chest, she stood her ground. His chauvinism stabbed at her pride.
“Besides, you’re too special to risk your lovely white coat over a bunch of misfits.”
“I don’t consider those victims ‘misfits.’” Oh yeah, she seethed. Slade’s temperature control gauge was running on whacky. It wasn’t helping to calm her frustrated nerves, or her aching libido. His fierceness struck awe and anger with equal strokes, heating her blood in a vicious tug-o-war. She wanted to be mad at him for trying to restrain her, but having a man as strong and handsome as Slade offer himself as her bodyguard…well, it did things to her. To her heart.
Regardless, if her own brother couldn’t keep her from pursuing her goals, these two men—mates or not—hadn’t a chance in hell.
* * * *
Slade watched Kasa simmer beneath his arm. Her eyes glowed a fiery amber hue that licked at his desires. Fierce woman. Wild woman. He wanted to see just what his wicked white could do. He already suspected she would defy him and Micah. She wasn’t one to be held captive while Jordan fought the beasts beyond the cabins. No. She wanted to drink in the thrill of a hunt, the satisfaction of victory, and something else. Something he and his brother understood more than Kasa realized.
Exacting revenge for their pain and suffering. Vengeance was a bitch, and it held him in a choke hold. He wanted the hunt as much as Kasa. He could taste the blood on his tongue. Smell the fear in the air. His entire body charged with adrenaline that preceded danger. Danger of going into something and possibly never coming back. He might be reckless. Hell, he might even be foolish to a degree, but he was stubborn.
He always got what he wanted.
Keeping Kasa safe was first. Reaching the remaining members of the Dark Moon pack and slaughtering them just as they had his sister was second.
At last, Kasa’s shoulder loosened beneath his arm. He probed deeper into her expression as the cool front fell away. He read nothing that he didn’t already know. Kasa was sly and calculating. He knew something brewed in that beautiful mind of hers, but what it was she kept securely hidden. Her thoughts were nothing more than a dark haze. The woman had a knack for masking them when she didn’t want to be read.
“Snow’s coming. Micah’s headin’ out to the store to pick up a stash of food for the next couple days. He’s taking Jordan with him,” Slade said, lowering his voice to a gentle husk.
“Jordan’s
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