Page 99 of Power Shift

“I have to go,” I tell Ronan, hating every second of leaving his arms.

“I’ll drive you. Tell me where we’re going.”

I look up at him, surprised. “What? It’s the middle of the night. You should be asleep.”

“You don’t have your car, Petal. I’ll take you where you need to go while you tell me what’s going on.”

The pet name reminds me of what happened earlier, and I flush, my core tightening. It’s not the time or place, but I can’t help it.

“I know,” he rasps, reading my mind. “It kept me up for hours after you went up to bed.”

That tidbit of information doesn’t help calm my hormones one little bit. It takes every ounce of restraint I have to separate my thoughts and veer around the desire swirling in my belly.

“Sadie, the pregnant omega who was at the game with me and Clover, is in trouble,” I force myself to say instead of begging him to take me back into the nest and stay with me for the rest of the night.

Instead of his shirt, he could cover me with?—

His muscles stiffen, scent sharpening. “Let’s go.”

“You wouldn’t mind dropping me off? I know it’s got to be late.”

“I’m not going to drop you off, Briar. I’m going to go with you to make sure everything is okay. You’re my omega, and I’m going to take care of you.”

He takes my hand and leads me out of the nest and down the hall. His legs are longer than mine, his strides larger, but he keeps his pace in time with mine. It’s something so subtle but thoughtful. Like Jasper’s constant concern and Dash’s habit of waiting to touch me until I have a chance to tell him not to. As if that’s ever a possibility in my mind.

Landon can act as nonchalant and unfeeling as he wants to, but I see the lingering, reassuring looks and the new hesitation to walk away.

I let my lips turn up in a small smile. “Thank you, Ro.”

“I would do anything for you,” he declares without hesitation.

I clutch onto his hand. “I’m starting to learn that.”

“Learn it, memorize it, believe it, Petal. I’m going to do everything I can to convince you of it sooner rather than later. Starting tonight.”

32

RONAN

I don’t likethe thought of Briar anywhere near danger. But I really fucking detest the idea of her being near it without me. At least with me at her side, I can protect her. Nobody she doesn’t want close will get within a foot of her if I can help it.

From what she’s told me so far about these two alphas, I’m ready to insert myself whenever possible.

“They wouldn’t have dared try this at the clinic. It’s pathetic that they’ve decided to harass her at home in the middle of the night,” she rants in the passenger seat of the SUV.

I’d have taken her out on my bike if it weren’t three in the morning and the wind wasn’t strong enough to rock the vehicle every time we’re on a straight road.

“She’s got a restraining order?” I ask, reaching across the dash to hold her thigh.

“Yes, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.”

“They’ve broken it by approaching her apartment like this. If she got the police involved, they’d be arrested.”

Her sigh betrays her exhaustion before a yawn does. Fuck, she’s adorable. The scrunch of her nose before she closes her mouth nearly does me in.

“I know. Sadie doesn’t want that mess tonight, though. I’m not going to make that call for her, either. Not if she’s against it. That’s why Clover and I were going,” she explains.

Eying her in the darkness, I try not to look as dumbfounded as I feel. “What were the two of you planning on doing on your own?”