I grabbed some bath towels from the linen closet and then ran into the living room. As I expected, wolf Luna was soaking wet. Killian was carrying her in his arms past the guards as water dripped all over the wood floor.
“Here,” I said and held my hands out to take her from Killian so he could dry off.
“Uh, hell no,” Griffin growled and took the towels away from me, the warmth of his body making the hairs rise on my arms as I swayed toward him. Dammit. “You’re wearing a white shirt, and I’ll be damned if you’re giving them a show.”
My cheeks burned, and I almost wanted to take her anyway to prove a point.
Almost.
But I didn’t want to entertain the new men, so I let it go.
However, when Griffin took Luna from Killian, intense jealousy slammed into me. The irrational anger that surged through me when he touched her scared the shit out of me and luckily woke me up enough to keep my head in check. The girl almost died. I had to remember that.
Killian took a towel from me and dried off as I threw the two other towels onto the floor, trying to wipe up the water mess before his floors were ruined.
“What should I do with her?” Griffin wrinkled his nose.
There was only one option. “Put her in the bathtub, and I’ll get her some clothes in case she shifts back.”
He followed my instructions, which surprised me. Normally, he was more combative.
“Once again, why the hell were you outside when you were supposed to be safely sleeping in bed, and why are there four guards here?” Killian’s dark eyes locked on me and then glanced at the four guards standing at the back door.
I sucked in a breath, remembering the scents of the guards, and was about to tell Killian what I could when Griffin joined us back in the kitchen area. He filled in Killian and the guards on my wolf stalker and everything that had been happening.
Well… almost everything. Not the silver wolf part.
“We’ll secure the perimeter,” a bald-headed guard said. “No one will get by.”
“Good, I’ll stay here with them.” Griffin motioned to Killian and me. “Let me know if you need anything, and I want you reporting in every hour.”
“Yes, alpha.” The oldest guard nodded and headed out the door.
When the four of them left, Killian rubbed his arms. “You were running away?” He sounded hurt as he touched my shoulder, making me meet his gaze.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He had to understand that. “Think about it-if someone was hunting you, and they were willing to kill me in order to succeed, what would you do? And I couldn’t tell you goodbye. If I tried, I knew I wouldn’t leave.” I felt like a huge asshole. If he was this upset from me contemplating it, what would’ve happened if I’d managed to go through with it?
“It doesn’t matter.” Killian stepped toward me, his face set with determination. “You are one of the most important people in my life now, and I refuse to let some assholes take that from me. Do you understand?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. But I wasn’t trying to hurt you.” I wanted him to know that. “It was just…every time I closed my eyes, I saw you dead, along with everyone else I love.”
Killian pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. “I know that feeling too, but you can’t get rid of me. Okay?”
A deep growl emanated from Griffin as he stepped closer, pulling Killian’s attention away from me.
“Dude, what the hell?” Killian frowned.
Griffin must have been feeling the same thing that came over me when I watched him carry Luna away. I pulled out of Killian’s arms, trying to calm the situation.
“It’s been a long night.” Griffin rasped, as if trying to smooth out his reaction.
“Let me go get Luna to drink water and eat something, or she’s going to feel like hell in the morning.”
“And I’m going to dry off.” Killian picked at the shirt that was plastered to his chest. “I’ll change and come back out here to make her something to eat.”
He had the better end of the deal. I watched him walk off, feeling even worse that I’d almost left without saying goodbye.
I’d taken one step toward Olive’s bedroom to get Luna some clothes when Griffin cut me off.
His hazel eyes glowed, emphasizing the flecks of green as he came close enough that his minty breath hit my face. “If you leave, I will find you. I will use every resource I have until you’re back here where you belong.” He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, which made a shiver run through me. “If you so much as breathe the wrong way, one of the guards will alert me. There’s no escaping me now, Dove.”
My breath hitched, and my body grew warm all over. I never dreamed possessive words would turn me on, but here I stood, wrong.
T
he sweet scent of arousal wafted from my betraying body. I had to shut down whatever was brewing between us before he thought I was down for a one-night stand. I still hadn’t changed
my mind about that, and to be honest, if I let myself go there with him, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pick up the pieces afterward.
He had a hold on my mind, body, and soul.
I despised him for it.
A cocky smile appeared on his sculpted face. He knew exactly what he was doing to me.
Humiliated, I pivoted to walk around him, but he countered, staying in front of me. He placed a hand on my waist, and the tug grew even stronger.
“What are you trying to prove?” I asked quietly. “My boyfriend is in the other room.” “Boyfriend?” He stepped closer.