over.”
“Really?” She looked so surprised, he had to lean down and kiss her.
“It’s the least I can do. I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.”
“Where are we?” came a plaintive voice from the back seat.
Zach was awake again. He’d been sleeping off and on all day. Each time he woke, he seemed to be in a bit better shape physically.
“We’re at a motel about a half hour north of Lincoln, Nebraska,” Jesse answered with a sigh. The kid had bad timing, but it couldn’t be helped.
So much had happened in so short a time. He’d discovered the most amazing woman he’d ever met, and his wolf had gone ape shit the moment he’d gotten his first good whiff of her amazingly alluring scent. Jesse wasn’t sure—since it had never happened before and Maria wasn’t a wolf—but he suspected very strongly that he’d finally met his mate.
Now if only she could be convinced of that little fact. But she’d lived in the human world all her life. Although some of her relatives knew about magic, it was clear Maria had known next to nothing about shifters. He doubted she’d fully understand what it meant to mate one. It would be his task to teach her. Actually, it would be more like an honor. And a pleasure.
Jesse hadn’t thought he’d ever find a woman who could claim both his heart and his soul so completely, but in the few hours he’d known Maria, he was already truly, fully and blissfully lost in her. The wolf wanted to rub against her at every opportunity and protect her with everything in him. The man wanted the same, though in different ways.
Jesse had seen the way she could take care of herself when he’d busted down her door and found she had already disabled two young, fit men. She was a very capable woman and he liked that about her. She was also delicate and feminine in a way many wolf women weren’t. She might have trouble in the Pack because of that, but Jesse would clobber anyone who hassled his mate. He wouldn’t give her up. He’d leave the Pack if he had to. He’d go anywhere to be with Maria. If that meant forsaking the Pack he’d grown up with, then so be it.
“Can we get fast food?” came a plaintive voice from the back of the vehicle.
Jesse shook off his troubling thoughts and got his mind back on the game at hand. They were in the parking lot in front of the motel. It appeared the kid in the backseat was feeling better. He’d spotted the familiar, glowing golden arches across the street and Jesse could hear Zach’s stomach rumble.
“Let’s get settled first. If everything is secure, we’ll make a cheeseburger run, okay?”
“Okay.” Zach sounded resigned, and Jesse took it as a good sign that he was on the mend.
“All right. This is how we’re going to do this. You two stay in the vehicle. Maria, I want you to slide over here and be ready to drive if something goes wrong. I’m going to recon the room and as much of the area as I can while keeping you in sight. Lock the doors when I leave and sit tight. I’ll be back in five minutes. If I haven’t returned in exactly five minutes, take off. Drive and keep going.”
While he talked, Jesse gestured for Maria to give him her cell phone. She handed it over with a raised eyebrow but didn’t comment. He added a few numbers to her contacts list, set up some speed-dial options and then handed it back.
“My brother is speed-dial number one. My team leader is on number two. Use them if you need them, okay?” Jesse figured Maria was smart enough to know when the shit hit the fan she’d need help. She didn’t disappoint him, nodding readily, even though her expression was troubled.
She followed his instructions, scooting under the steering wheel when he opened the driver’s side door and got out. She touched his arm, drawing his attention, which he didn’t like given their present vulnerability, but he couldn’t deny her.
“Be careful, Jesse,” she whispered.
For a moment—just a moment—he couldn’t
“Really?” She looked so surprised, he had to lean down and kiss her.
“It’s the least I can do. I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.”
“Where are we?” came a plaintive voice from the back seat.
Zach was awake again. He’d been sleeping off and on all day. Each time he woke, he seemed to be in a bit better shape physically.
“We’re at a motel about a half hour north of Lincoln, Nebraska,” Jesse answered with a sigh. The kid had bad timing, but it couldn’t be helped.
So much had happened in so short a time. He’d discovered the most amazing woman he’d ever met, and his wolf had gone ape shit the moment he’d gotten his first good whiff of her amazingly alluring scent. Jesse wasn’t sure—since it had never happened before and Maria wasn’t a wolf—but he suspected very strongly that he’d finally met his mate.
Now if only she could be convinced of that little fact. But she’d lived in the human world all her life. Although some of her relatives knew about magic, it was clear Maria had known next to nothing about shifters. He doubted she’d fully understand what it meant to mate one. It would be his task to teach her. Actually, it would be more like an honor. And a pleasure.
Jesse hadn’t thought he’d ever find a woman who could claim both his heart and his soul so completely, but in the few hours he’d known Maria, he was already truly, fully and blissfully lost in her. The wolf wanted to rub against her at every opportunity and protect her with everything in him. The man wanted the same, though in different ways.
Jesse had seen the way she could take care of herself when he’d busted down her door and found she had already disabled two young, fit men. She was a very capable woman and he liked that about her. She was also delicate and feminine in a way many wolf women weren’t. She might have trouble in the Pack because of that, but Jesse would clobber anyone who hassled his mate. He wouldn’t give her up. He’d leave the Pack if he had to. He’d go anywhere to be with Maria. If that meant forsaking the Pack he’d grown up with, then so be it.
“Can we get fast food?” came a plaintive voice from the back of the vehicle.
Jesse shook off his troubling thoughts and got his mind back on the game at hand. They were in the parking lot in front of the motel. It appeared the kid in the backseat was feeling better. He’d spotted the familiar, glowing golden arches across the street and Jesse could hear Zach’s stomach rumble.
“Let’s get settled first. If everything is secure, we’ll make a cheeseburger run, okay?”
“Okay.” Zach sounded resigned, and Jesse took it as a good sign that he was on the mend.
“All right. This is how we’re going to do this. You two stay in the vehicle. Maria, I want you to slide over here and be ready to drive if something goes wrong. I’m going to recon the room and as much of the area as I can while keeping you in sight. Lock the doors when I leave and sit tight. I’ll be back in five minutes. If I haven’t returned in exactly five minutes, take off. Drive and keep going.”
While he talked, Jesse gestured for Maria to give him her cell phone. She handed it over with a raised eyebrow but didn’t comment. He added a few numbers to her contacts list, set up some speed-dial options and then handed it back.
“My brother is speed-dial number one. My team leader is on number two. Use them if you need them, okay?” Jesse figured Maria was smart enough to know when the shit hit the fan she’d need help. She didn’t disappoint him, nodding readily, even though her expression was troubled.
She followed his instructions, scooting under the steering wheel when he opened the driver’s side door and got out. She touched his arm, drawing his attention, which he didn’t like given their present vulnerability, but he couldn’t deny her.
“Be careful, Jesse,” she whispered.
For a moment—just a moment—he couldn’t
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