Cole's Redemption (Alpha Pack #5)(12)

“What do you mean, what did I do?” he asked, incredulous. “First of all, you’re trespassing, and second, you just tried to kill my commander. You’re lucky I didn’t rip out your throat.”

The venom in her eyes was a little scary—and a lot puzzling. “Why didn’t you? That would’ve been a lot less complicated than the situation we’re in now.”

“Lady, the only situation here is that you’re now in custody. And as a rogue and a hostile unknown shifter, you’re going to be locked up for a good while.”

Her laugh was sarcastic. With a start, he realized he had actually heard that in her tone, and even if he hadn’t been able to see her lips, he could’ve almost made out her next words. “You mean in your top-secret compound everyone in the county knows about?”

“That’s the one,” he said, ignoring the jibe. Glancing at Nick, he noted that his boss had also shifted back, but oddly enough, he kept his eyes averted from the intruder. In fact, the woman was studiously avoiding looking directly at Nick, too. That was odd, since wolf shifters were frequently naked around each other before and after their shifts. It would be pretty stupid to be self-conscious about something so natural.

So why were they acting so weird?

“You okay?” he asked Nick.

“Yeah.”

The woman shook her head. “You really don’t have any idea what you’ve done? Priceless.”

Zan frowned. “Me? I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” Off-kilter, he wondered for the first time what she thought of his odd, flat voice. Jesus, he hated being on the defensive.

Nick opened his mouth to say something, but four wolves burst through the trees and crowded in on the woman in a semicircle, snarling at her in warning. And that’s when something really weird happened to Zan.

His wolf surged to the surface and took over faster than he ever had before, and he was powerless to stop the change. Scrambling forward, he placed himself squarely between the female and his Pack, laid his ears flat against his head, and bared his teeth. A low, ominous rumble sounded in his chest, letting them know not to come one step closer.

What the hell is wrong with me?

In seconds, the four wolves changed back, and Jax, Aric, Micah, and Phoenix were crouched in front of him. His brothers stood, looking as bewildered as he felt.

“What the f**k, man?” Aric scowled, looking past Zan to the woman.

Zan growled louder.

“Oh shit,” Jax groaned, slapping his forehead. “I’m not believing this.”

Micah’s eyes widened. “Z-Man, did you bite her?”

Nix started laughing but quickly put a lid on it when he caught a glare from his commander.

Dread became a lead weight in Zan’s chest, and he forced his wolf into submission, shifting back. “Yeah, I bit her on the neck. So what? I would’ve been justified in killing her for attacking Nick, but I didn’t. She’s fine.”

Everyone looked at the woman, and she in turn leveled Zan with a murderous stare. “I’m anything but fine since I’m now Bonded to you, genius.”

“I—what?” Zan gaped at her. His Pack brothers’ faces showed everything from amusement to wariness to stunned disbelief. Nick’s expression of grim resignation scared him most of all. “No, that can’t be right. All I did was . . .”

Desperately, he tried to think of another reason for his reaction to the bite. The warmth, the arousal, the golden thread. And the ensuing explosion that seemed to have resulted in some sort of connection between him and this unknown female. But the truth of what had happened settled over him, and his gut liquefied.

“Shit,” he whispered, then met her gaze. “I’m sorry. I’ll find a way to break the bond. Kalen’s a Sorcerer. Maybe he can—”

“So eager to be rid of me already, honey?” She smiled, but the expression didn’t reach her glittering eyes. “And we haven’t even exchanged names.”

He nodded slowly. “I’m Zander Cole, the Healer of our unit, the Alpha Pack.”

“Selene Westfall.” She raised one eyebrow. “Congrats are in order, eh? I mean, since your boss just became your father-in-law and all.”

Shocked faces met that announcement. Zan swallowed hard and looked to Nick, who nodded.

Oh, f**k.

Zander Cole. My Bondmate.

The man was a walking orgasm, no point in denying it. He had layered black hair that fell to just below his ears and flopped over his forehead into amazing brown eyes. Kind eyes that were portals to a gentle soul, if first impressions could be trusted. He had a strong jaw and a classic handsome face that reminded her a little of Henry Cavill, and he was tall, topping her by at least a couple of inches.

His chest was broad and smooth, his ni**les small, brown, and tight, and a gorgeous tattoo of a snarling wolf graced his right pectoral, curling around one taut peak. His muscles were nicely developed but not too beefy, more on the lean side, just the way she liked. Her perusal dipped south to his impressive cock, a good five inches even while lying flaccid, and to the heavy balls nestled underneath. The dark hair at his groin was neat, trimmed. She liked that, too.

Idiot! This man is not kind, and to hell with his looks. He works for my father, and he was going to kill me. He’s my enemy!

And yet he’d placed himself between her and the impending threat from his Pack. . . .