Page 39 of Moon Destiny

There was contrition in his gaze, but I couldn’t get his words out of my head—or the look on his face when he’d said them. Suddenly, I was exhausted, as if my shift and everything that had come after caught up with me at once. I rubbed my forehead. “We have a month until the full moon. I should leave.”

“Leave?” He clearly didn’t like the sound of that.

“We’re stuck with this attraction until we reject each other, right? If I stay here, it’ll be torture for both of us. You said yourself the rogues will never attack in a big city. I should return to Seattle. I’ll stay in my apartment and then come back for the full moon.”

His eyes widened, and if I hadn’t known better I would have sworn he looked panicked. Then his expression hardened. “Absolutely not. I forbid it.”

“You can’t make me stay here. No matter how many commands you force on me.”

His fingers twitched at his sides, and for a second I thought he might reach for me. But he steeled himself, and his eyes lightened several shades. “You’re right. Commands are short-term. I can’t enforce them across time or distance.” He leaned close, his voice a low rumble I felt to my toes. “But this house is full of wolves who answer to me. All of Bosford is populated by wolves who answer to me. Even if you managed to get through town, it’s likely rogues are waiting in the wings. They’re purists. Fanatics obsessed with building a dominant werewolf race. What do you think they’ll do to a turned human if they catch you?”

I spoke through clenched teeth. “More threats?”

“Reality. It’s a long way between here and Seattle, and no one is going to help you get there.” He turned and walked away, then stopped and spoke softly over his shoulder. “I won’t compromise on this, Brooke. With the rogues poised to attack, I need all my enforcers focused on keeping the pack safe. I can’t have them distracted by escape attempts. If I hear anything about you attempting to leave this house without permission, you’ll spend the rest of the month locked in your room.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HUGH

“You wanted to see me, boss?”

I looked up from my desk to find Dylan in the doorway. “Yeah—” My voice emerged as a croak, and I cleared my throat before adding, “Come on in.” A week had passed since my falling out with Brooke. In that time, I hadn’t done much talking. I’d tried burying myself in work instead.

As far as distractions went, it had been largely unsuccessful.

Dylan crossed the study and sat. Earnest brown eyes studied me. “You look terrible.”

“Thanks.”

“Any word from the Council?” He nodded toward the papers on my desk.

I couldn’t keep the contempt from my voice. “Just more hollow rhetoric from Hiram. A bunch of flowery language about protecting our secrets. He wants me to drop the investigation. He’s insisting these latest attacks were isolated incidents.”

Dylan scowled. “I’m surprised he doesn’t send Rourke an engraved invitation to come take over every pack’s territory and be done with it.”

“That’s actually why I wanted to talk to you. I’m thinking of calling a special session of the Council.”

He lifted a sandy brow. “Do you have the votes?”

“I think so, yes.” I waited a beat and added, “If you’re one of them.”

Shock glazed his eyes. “I can’t do that, Hugh.”

“I need five alphas. You’re an alpha.”

“I’m your beta.”

I shook my head. “That’s not your future and you know it. I won’t push you on this, but I’d like you to think it over. Carrick stole your birthright. It’s time you reclaimed what’s yours.”

We stared at each other, and we both knew I spoke of Wren.

His eyes lightened as his wolf rose to the surface. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” I rubbed my forehead.

“I’d offer scotch, but I think you could use some aspirin.”

“I’m fine.” I did have a headache, although that wasn’t the main source of my discomfort. The past week had been torture, and hiding in my study hadn’t helped one bit. I’d thought throwing myself into the rogue investigation would keep me too busy to think about my disastrous conversation with Brooke—and the mind-blowing sex that had preceded it.

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