Page 5 of Cimmerian

I stuck my tongue out at him, every inch the professional, deadly Venator. “Yeah, you are. You’ve been in a mood since I brought up his name this morning. So what gives?”

Jasper narrowed his eyes. “Okay, fine. Don’t you find it suspicious all this stuff with Lucy and your mom comes up, and then Merrick just happens to find his way back into your life at that exact moment?”

The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. Merrick was too gentle to be wrapped up with anything evil like that. “No. I don’t. I think it was a coincidence, and I think you need to be happy for my new family.”

“I’myour family,” Jasper stressed, tugging on my hand until I stopped next to him, looking up into his eyes. “I’m serious, Ava. Just keep your guard up, okay?”

“Okay, fine, whatever. Even though I’m beginning to think you’re just jealous you might not get one hundred percent of my attention now.”

“Mmm…” Jasper tipped his forehead to me, pressing his lips against mine in a hard kiss. “I’m not worried about attention, believe me.”

I pushed away from him laughing, jogging lightly to catch up with Beau and Merrick. I couldn’t help the doubt snaking into my mind about my brother though. It curled around my thoughts, making its home in what I thought I knew to be true. I had been wrong before. It was entirely possible for me to be wrong once more. But my instincts had also told me to trust Jasper and look at the beauty stemming from that decision. Merrick couldn’t be evil.

Beau grinned at me as I caught up, still excited about the idea of an adventure, regardless of the danger that might lie ahead. “You doing okay? We’re probably going to have to make camp soon. Monica would have no reason to expect we’re trailing her right now, so she probably won’t be moving at night.”

I nodded. “I was just thinking that. Next clearing we hit we can make camp. How many tents did you bring anyways?”

“Two. So I figured you and Jasper would obviously share one, unless you’ve changed your mind on your brooding private investigator, and Merrick and I can take the other.”

“Don’t be putting the moves on my girl, Beau. I let you off easy last time, but I’ll kick your ass if I need to.” Jasper’s tone was light and teasing, but there was an undercurrent of venom lacing through it.

I glanced at Beau, knowing he wanted to bite back. “Don’t,” I murmured under my breath. “Just drop it.” Jasper was riding the edge of protectiveness and anger, and I didn’t want him to lash out at any of us. It had been a hard week with his fight with Duke, and the situation at the party yesterday. On top of it all, he would be dealing with double the emotion like I was, and nowhere to put it. Beau had a tendency to poke bears, just to see if they’d bite, but this time he needed to leave it alone. Last thing I needed was Merrick seeing Jasper lose his temper.

Beau looked at me out of the side of his eye but nodded. I tipped my head and pulled my braid over my other shoulder so my mark was on display, letting Beau get a good look at what was driving Jasper crazy. Realization flashed across his eyes, even as he blinked in surprise. “And him?” he whispered.

I nodded, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Jasper was still distracted. “Yeah.”

Beau whistled quietly. “Damn, baby girl. You’re tougher than I gave you credit for.”

“And no more of that baby girl shit, you hear me, Beau? She’s my baby. Find your own,” Jasper called over my shoulder as we all piled into a small clearing.

“Good fucking lord,” I muttered. I couldn’t take another moment of Jasper’s overprotective, pissy mood. I dropped my heavy backpack on the ground with a loud thud and whirled around to Beau and Merrick. “You two start setting up the tents.” I turned my head back toward Jasper, glowering darkly at me. “And, you, you’re coming with me.”

Beau mock saluted me, swinging one of the small tent bags over his shoulder and leading Merrick out to the flattest area. I hope Merrick knew what he was getting into, sharing a tent with Beau. Come morning, they’d either be best friends or one of them would be dead. I dragged Jasper behind me, stomping through the dense forest until I knew we were far enough away to not be overheard by sensitive wolf ears.

I turned, glaring at my boyfriend. “I know this isn’t what you want to be doing. I know you don’t agree with this plan. But this is what we’re doing, and you’re either with mecompletelyor you’re not. Using the excuse of a fresh mating mark is getting old.”

Jasper scoffed. “Of course I’m with you, baby. Have I not already said that enough?”

“You have. But your attitude and the way you just snapped at Beau for calling me a pet name that, spoiler alert, he’s called me since day one, says otherwise.”

He slumped onto a large boulder. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m a dick.”

I sat next to him, leaning against his firm shoulder. “You’re not a dick. You’re just acting like one.” I tipped my nose into his neck, inhaling the overwhelming smell that was Jasper. Being around him was intoxicating, more so since we had marked each other.

“I just… I don’t know how to manage all of these emotions. It’s like all of a sudden every one of my nerves is on overdrive around you, and I can barely control myself.” Jasper ran a hand through his dark hair. “I want to kiss you. I want to touch you. I want tofuckyou. All the time. And adding the fact this… this thing wants you. I don’t know what to do with myself. If I had my way I’d lock you up in your apartment until all of this blew over. Not that you’d let me.”

I sank into his body further, Jasper reaching out to wrap his arms around me. “I understand.”

Jasper tipped my head up so I was looking up at him, pressing a light kiss to my lips, darting his tongue into my mouth. He pulled back slightly. “I love you, Ava. But I’m not sure you could understand. You can understand feeling two things at once, and our connection. You can feel the bond, and the love we have for each other. But these urges I have… they aren’t mine, or yours. They’re primal -- my wolf calling out to its mate. To make sure every other man on this planet knows you’re mine.”

My breath caught in my throat. I knew Jasper was being more possessive as of late. But him laying it out like this… it was all falling into place. I swung my legs over Jasper’s lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. “But you already know I’m yours. Hell, if you ever forget, there’s a big ass reminder on my neck.” I grinned up at him, but his dark gaze was solemn.

“That doesn’t stop my wolf from wanting to lay claim to you.” Jasper snaked his fingers under my shirt, feathering them along my skin. “It doesn’t stop thehunger.”

I trailed my hand up his nape, tangling my fingers into the curls at the back of his neck. “What are you waiting for?”

Jasper groaned, tightening his fingers into my skin. “Ava, baby. My wolf is so close to the surface right now. I’m not sure I could stay in control.”

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