Page 37 of Crew

“Can you take a break if we keep our eye on the tablet?”

“Definitely,” he said, and led her to the barn where they stored the vehicles.

He set the tablet on the workbench on one side of the barn away from the equipment, and then found the switch on the wall to turn on what Tris had called “party lights,” string lights with large bulbs that were hung near the ceiling. They’d used them for a party they had inside the barn when he’d first taken over and never taken them down. Now, they offered enough light for them to see each other without lighting up the whole inside of the barn.

She hopped up onto the workbench and he sat on one of the stools. Taking a sip of the coffee, he set it on the workbench and took the tablet that she’d just picked up.

“See anything on patrol?” she asked.

“Not a thing,” he said. He put the tablet back down. “I was just trying to figure out the next step.”

“Colton’s?”

“Ours,” he said. “I don’t like just waiting for them to strike, but I don’t think going on the offense is the right thing to do either. The male is dangerous, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” He scrubbed his face. “I just feel…vulnerable. And like I have no idea what I’m doing.”

He told her how he worried about being able to keep her safe, especially since she was injured. Hell, he probably wouldn’t be sleeping anyway even if he was in bed because he was consumed with worry about keeping everyone safe.

She chewed on her bottom lip, which was sexy as hell. “Do you think we could go on the offensive?”

“How?”

“What about putting a hidden camera at their campsite? Or setting our own traps? Not just motion detectors and video cameras, but traps like he did.”

Crew hummed. “We could set up some traps in the territory, though I’d be worried about wildlife getting caught in them, but a couple of cameras to watch them is a good idea.” She leaned down for a kiss and he let out a low growl. “My smart sweetheart.”

She put her hands on his shoulders. “I have utter confidence in your ability to lead the herd through this. The herd has already come through a lot. Hell, all of us come from crappy situations that brought us all here together, and that means we’re stronger as one. We’ve got allies in the park shifters, but I believe we can keep our herd safe.”

He gazed into her eyes and saw the determination in them.

Cupping her face, he said, “You’re a great alpha female, Zara.”

“Not officially,” she said. They’d postponed their ceremony because of everything that had happened.

“No, you are,” he said. “Because we’re soulmates and that makes you the alpha female, period. And I think I’m a damn lucky male to have such a beautiful, fierce, and smart female at my side.”

“You forgotsexy,” she whispered.

He caught the hint of arousal and let his fingertips drift down her neck and over her shoulders.

“You’re the sexiest female I’ve ever known,” he said. “And I’m crazy about you.”

“I’m crazy about you too.”

He let his fingers roam down her sides, the soft, worn fabric of his old shirt hiding the curves he adored. When she parted her legs slightly as she reclined back on her elbows, he gave her knees a gentle push apart.

This time he really did growl at the sight before him.

His beautiful mate, wearing nothing but his shirt.

Nothing.

Her pink softness beckoned him, and for the moment, he put aside all the worry about Colton and his herd and keeping everyone safe, and focused on his mate.

He tucked his foot around the leg of the stool and pulled it forward so he could scooch between her thighs, and then he hooked her knees over his shoulders.

Pushing the shirt up over her hips to bare her entirely to his hungry gaze, he said with a rough voice, “Look at you, sexy sweetheart, all wet for your mate. Were you thinking sexy things all alone in bed and getting all worked up?”

Her bottom shifted on the workbench, and she smiled at him, looking like a vixen. “Maybe,” she whispered.

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