Mated in Mist (Talon Pack #3)(24)

“If it were about the Coven, I would assume the others would be there.”

“Totally. I know our Packs are allies and are inter-mating, but every once in a while it’s good to put an emphasis on our own mental health and the way we can keep our alliance intact.”

What would it feel like to have not only a family but also a whole other Pack to care for and care for you? She couldn’t even comprehend it.

When they made their way back to the house, she felt slightly better from unloading on Charlotte. It wasn’t lost on her that the other woman hadn’t told her much about herself, but she didn’t mind. If Charlotte ever felt like she could, Leah would be there. Sharing was only a small way to be close to someone—something she’d never done before.

Of course, as soon as she stepped inside the house, all her attention went to Ryder. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way his eyes went dark when he looked at her. Or the fact that sometimes she could see a slight gold ring around his irises when his wolf came to the surface. He didn’t smile when she came in, but he did study her as if he couldn’t help but look at her.

Or maybe that was his wolf and the man would pull away once again.

Charlotte cleared her throat from behind her, and Leah moved to the side. “Bram, we need to go.”

Bram stood and nodded. “I know. I was going to call you soon if you hadn’t shown up when you did.” He turned to Ryder and Brandon. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow?”

They nodded, and Bram came toward Charlotte.

“What’s tomorrow?” Leah asked.

“You’ll see,” Bram said and smiled, surprising her. He didn’t smile often, but damn, he looked damn sexy when he did. If he and Charlotte were truly mates—no matter how they were handling it—Charlotte was one lucky woman.

Leah found herself alone with Brandon and Ryder and felt awkward. She was always awkward around Ryder. She may be living with him, but she didn’t spend much time with him. He had things to do with his family, and she’d been healing and grieving.

Now she was as whole as she was going to get and she had to figure out what she was going to do with him. She might not know what she was going to do about the world knowing about witches, but she could at least figure herself out. Or try to.

Her heart ached a bit and she wasn’t sure why. It was Brandon who came to her, though, not Ryder. The Omega studied her face and stopped right in front of her. She sucked in a breath as he cupped her cheek with his hand.

“What worries you, Leah? Your heart hurts so much, I can feel it.” He tilted his head. “How can I feel it, Leah? You aren’t Pack? Yet I know your pain. Why is that?”

She didn’t understand it either. Didn’t understand how she felt so close to not only the Talons but the Redwoods, as well. How was it that she could feel a connection to people so quickly, and yet never have had that before?

A low growl filled the room, and Brandon’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

“Get your hand off of her, brother,” Ryder growled from his spot in the dining room.

Leah didn’t move, didn’t dare to breathe. She’d heard of wolves and their possessiveness, but she hadn’t seen it.

Until now.

And that pissed her off. What right did Ryder have to be possessive of her? He may have kissed her—once—but that didn’t mean she was his.

She’d survived on her own all this time.

She was no one’s but her own.

She pulled away, rather than let Brandon lower his hand. “Perhaps you should leave,” she said softly. She didn’t want to get in the middle of brothers, but damn it, she needed to set a few things straight.

Brandon looked over his shoulder at his brother. “We’ll talk later. But know you’re not alone.”

“Go.” One word. One growl. And yet, Leah couldn’t help the shivers that went down her spine.

Damn, she wished she understood what the hell was going on.

Brandon left after giving her a look of…pity? No. Anticipation maybe? Either way, as soon as he closed the door behind him, she was left in a room with Ryder.

The man who didn’t want her, yet wanted her.

The man who she wanted, yet didn’t want.

Ryder stalked toward her, his gaze on hers and his hands fisted at his sides. He stopped right in front of her as Brandon had, but instead of freezing, her body tilted toward him of its own accord. She wanted to wrap her body around him and never let go. Yet she also wanted to push him away.

“You’re messing with me, Ryder. You can’t growl at your brother for touching me. You can’t think you own me when you told me yourself you wanted nothing to do with me.”

“I never said that.” He breathed in through his nose, his chest lifting. “I said I can’t mate with you. There’s a difference. I f*cking want you, Leah. I want you beneath me, over me, around me. I want to sink into your heat and f*ck you hard against the wall. I want to grip your hips while I pump into you. I want you so f*cking much, Leah. And I can’t have you the way my wolf wants you.”

She blinked. Shocked. “But…”

“I can’t mate with you no matter how much I want to.”

“You need to explain that, Ryder. It’s not fair to either of us if you don’t.”

His hand shot out and gripped her hair. He tilted her head back, and she licked her lips. “I will tell you. One day. What do you want, Leah? Because I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold myself back. I want you. Do you want me? Do you want me as we are? Just for now, just until we can breathe? Maybe the constant want, the constant need will be gone by then. Can you handle that?”