Wolf Rain (Psy-Changeling Trinity #3)(49)

What if your fierce lioness chooses someone else?

That a buried part of him had even asked that question had him pushing away from the door. “Let’s get you inside.” He held out a hand because, bad for his control or not, he’d noticed she liked to make physical contact, was happy with it. “You need to rest.”

When a frown formed between her eyebrows, he thought she was gearing up to argue with him, but she hopped out of the car. Shutting the door behind her, he grabbed the items he’d bought for her and—well aware she remained leery of the Arrow squad—kept his body between her and the guards as they walked to her cabin.

He waited on the porch while she went in to turn on the lights. After placing most of his gifts just inside the doorway, he busied himself loading up her new datapad with catalogs he thought she might like.

It was a deliberate tactic to keep himself away from her.

Tough and wild under the skin and a woman who never gave up, she drew him on a dangerous level. He could imagine walking inside the cabin, seducing her with kisses and caresses until she melted. He’d strip her with gentle care so she wouldn’t shy from his touch, before taking her with a hard physicality that’d teach her that pleasure could be a delicious storm.

Even as he built the lush erotic fantasy, he knew she was nowhere near ready for what he’d demand from her. Alexei had made an art form out of leashing his most primal instincts. It was a survival strategy. Control with Memory, however, would be an impossible ask; she was so ferocious in that small body that she incited the same aggression in him.

The man she accepted as her lover would be one lucky bastard.

Claws scraping the insides of his skin, he turned to stare out at the compound cloaked in night. Memory’s future lovers had nothing to do with him—the kiss the two of them had shared had been a thing of circumstance, would likely never be repeated. Alexei had to make sure it wasn’t repeated. He couldn’t get into bed with a woman who made him want to break all his rules, breach the walls he kept between himself and the world.

Brodie had made that mistake.

Brodie was now dead. So was Brodie’s sweet, innocent mate.

Torn to pieces by the one man who should’ve protected her at all costs.

His neck stiffened, his shoulders rigid.

“Alexei.”

He’d scented her before she reached him, but just barely. Their proximity, that kiss, it had left him brushed with her scent . . . and she wore his. The wolf inside him arched its back in unhidden pleasure—already it was beginning to fight the more rational human side of Alexei, unwilling to give her up.

“You have everything you need for tonight?” Gut tight, he passed her the datapad without taking his gaze from the rain-quiet compound.

“Yes. I feel tired.” Those last words were spoken almost in a tone of affront.

Despite his attempt to maintain his emotional distance, a smile threatened to tug at Alexei’s lips; she seemed to have forgotten that she’d been the prisoner of a psychopath only a day prior. His E was finding her stride and finding it quickly, with an unwavering resolve that the predator in him could do nothing but admire. All she needed was a little time, and she’d be a creature of strength and beauty courted by many.

Alexei had no right to use her current vulnerability against her. She might poke and snarl at him, but deep down, she trusted him—because he was the one who’d pulled her out of the cage. She’d had no chance to get to know other males, could make no real choice.

And why the hell was he gnawing on that when she wasn’t for him, could never be for him?

He had to get away from the sweet temptation of her, leash himself again.

“Rest tonight.” Even as he spoke, he wondered if she had enough blankets and if the heating was working efficiently; he’d check with the SnowDancer-DarkRiver supply team that provisioned the cabins. “You’re seeing Sascha again tomorrow?”

“Yes.” She came to stand beside him. “Will I see you?”

Alexei nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be by to have a security meeting.” The compound was part of his responsibilities during this secondment. “Indigo, the lieutenant who usually oversees things here, is looking after my den.” The senior lieutenant was a stunner by any measure, but he bet no neighboring asshole or roaming loner would dare challenge her to a dominance fight. What the fuck was it about him that incited idiots?

He was chewing on the sulky thought to distract himself from the sexy, fascinating woman beside him when she said, “Why won’t you look at me? Scared by a little kiss?”

Alexei’s spine stiffened, his eyes narrowing at the taunt and his wolf insulted to the core. Oh, his E was definitely finding her feet—and she had a mouth on her that delighted him. This woman had teeth. To a dominant changeling of Alexei’s inclinations, that made her deliciously tempting.

“Watch how you poke the wolf,” he growled, stepping off the porch before he could give in to the temptation to scoop her up and carry her off to his lair. “One day, you’ll go too far and the wolf will eat you.”



* * *



? ? ?

MEMORY watched from the doorway as Alexei strode across the compound toward the trees. She had to grip the edge of the doorjamb to stop herself from going after him and finishing their verbal battle. She knew it was foolish, that he was a wolf with strength that annihilated hers—and yet, she wanted to fight him.