Page 47 of Broken Wolf Heart
“Thanks,” I tell her. “And then feel free to head out and get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
She leads the others up the stairs toward the guest wing where Grey and I are staying. We follow then slip past them when Andy points to the guest rooms along our hallways.
With one last murmured good night, we slip into our room and close the door. When we’re alone, Grey reaches for me.
“How’d I do?” I ask.
“You were perfect,” he whispers, brushing his lips over mine.
“I don’t know about that, but at least, no one else tried to kill me.”
He pulls me into his arms. I rest my head against Grey’s chest for a beat, letting myself pretend—for just this moment—that everything is okay. That I’m safe. That this house isn’t soaked in blood and betrayal.
But I know better.
This house is full of the pain of the past.
And some things don’t stay buried.
10
GREY
Lexi stands just inside the room, frozen, like if she breathes too loud, the entire house will collapse under the weight of what she’s been through today. I know the feeling. My skin’s still buzzing, adrenaline high, and wolf pacing restlessly just beneath the surface. My beast doesn’t like the silence that hangs inside these walls—not to mention the stench of Franco taking up every square inch. He wants to go back downstairs and circle the territory we just claimed. Stake it. Defend it.
But Lexi’s my territory too.
And she needs me now.
“You were perfect,” I say, ignoring the demons inside me as I kiss her softly.
“I don’t know about that, but at least, no one else tried to kill me.”
I pull her into my arms, holding her as long as she’ll let me. As long as she needs. When she finally pulls away, she doesn’t look at me. I can feel her utter exhaustion through our bond. I feel other things too. Darker things. I don’t tell her that, though.
We’ve had enough darkness for one day.
She tugs on her clothing. A second later, her hands hover at the clasp on her shoulder, her fingers twitching like she can’t quite remember how to undress.
“Here, let me.” I step closer.
She lets me undo the clasp at her shoulder and then slide the fabric apart, peeling it down her torso where it pools at her waist. Wherever Mia found this thing, I need to tell her to get more of them. Watching the entire thing slide away from her skin is making it hard to concentrate. “The way you controlled your wolf tonight was impressive,” I say, forcing myself to refocus, even as my dick twitches.
She shakes her head. “I’m not sure who controlled whom.”
“Any other newly shifted wolf probably would have ripped out Cliff’s throat for challenging you. Your self-control didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the pack. You should be proud.”
Her laugh is dry. “If my wolf is so under control, then why does it feel like I’m going to puke?”
“Because you’re human, too.”
That gets a flicker of something in her expression. She finally lifts her eyes to meet mine, and I see it then: the fear. “And what if the wolf swallows the human whole?”
I shake my head. “It won’t.”
“You sound so sure.”
“I am.”
