Page 21 of Claimed By the Wolf
Wistfully, she stares at me, and I close my eyes, forcing the feeling aside. “You should go home before Brax wonders where you are.”
Silence follows my order, and I sneak a sidelong look at her. “Did you hear me?”
“We could test this on Brax,” she suggests meekly. “He won’t say anything.”
I snort. “You’re kidding, right? He’ll lose his mind if he ever finds out about this. You’re his little sister, Brynn. I’m his best friend, and the Alpha. Never mind the fact that it will blow up our pact with Willow Grove.”
“Exactly.” She remains on the ground, staring up at me, and I want so badly to do a million terrible things to her while she’s down there. Heat surges through every crevice of my body, settling in my core.
“He can be trusted for all those reasons,” she insists. “He won’t say a word. Let’s go to him together, tonight, and see if he notices anything different between us. He can be our test subject.”
“It’s not fair to put him in this position,” I protest, and she gives me a baleful look.
“You put me in a position without worrying too much about it. I think Brax can handle this,” she fires out in annoyance.
I hang my head. “I know you’re right. But it doesn’t feel right making him carry such a burden. It’s essentially putting him against the pack.”
“If not him, then who, Nox? Isn’t that what you said when you gave me to Emeric?”
Again, I start to refuse, but we’re running short of options. Brax is better than a stranger. I have no question about his loyalty.
“He’s going to know…” I grumble, more to myself than to her. “This is useless. The only way to avoid detection is to avoid each other until you’re…” I can’t even bring myself to say it. “Until you’re gone from the territory.”
“But maybe the bond isn’t so noticeable if we haven’t acted on it,” she presses. “Do we know for sure what happens when mates don’t… consummate the bond?”
I press my lips together and study her impassioned face intently. It’s all a risk, no matter what we do. However, we won’t get through this without someone’s help, and we can’t keep hiding out.
Brax is the best solution, as much as I hate to admit it.
“Fine,” I relent. “But do not breathe a word about the bond.”
She makes a pretend zipper of her luscious lips with her fingers, and I extend my hand to help her off the ground. Unexpectedly, she stumbles forward and lands in my arms. For a frozen moment, I simply peer down at her, the temptation too much.
“Stop…” she rasps, but she makes no move to untangle herself from my hold.
My grip tightens around her.
“Dammit,” I curse, pushing her away. “Let’s go.”
She whimpers softly, and we head back into town silently, energy pulsating between us. There is no way Brax won’t sense it.
We slow down in front of her house, and Brynn turns to me.
“Wait five minutes and then come in,” she suggests. “We won’t make eye contact or sit near one another. We’ll act the same as we will at Emeric’s party.”
As she walks inside, I feel the urge to follow her. Instead, I stand on the sidewalk out front and contemplate the repercussions of offering Emeric another female from the pack.
But that won’t work. I’ve already thought about this. He’ll wonder why the switch, and when it comes out that Brynn is my mate, all hell will break loose.
Brynn is the female in our pack with the highest standing, because I have no female relatives, and she is the Beta’s sister.
I offered Emeric Brynn, because it makes the most sense. And even with Brynn’s standing in our pack, he is still being overly cautious.
I can’t afford to give him any more causes for alarm. A promise is a promise, and I can’t back out of it. We’re already on shaky ground with Willow Grove. Emeric won’t trust me if I go back on my word. I can’t let my desires be the reason our packs finally go to war.
A half-moon rises overhead, cascading an eerie glow on the clouds. A small part of me hopes Brax senses it and calls it out, ending the charade so we stop sneaking around.
I’m ashamed of my thoughts. That’s the last thing I need.
