Page 20 of Nick
The low growls—Of approval?she wondered—from the pack were drowned out by the thunderous beat of her heart.
Each brush of Nick’s lips against hers sent ripples through her, awakening a primal connection that resonated deep in her bones.
As the intensity of their embrace grew, Sarah’s carefully constructed facade melted into a pool of longing and desire.For an instant, she allowed herself to feel the full depth of her passion, even as her mind warned her of the potential consequences.
Their kiss was more than just a meeting of lips; it was a silent conversation, a dance of vulnerability and strength.With each heartbeat, Sarah felt the barriers between them crumbling, revealing the raw truth of their connection.
Caught in the whirlwind of sensations, Sarah clung to Nick, her nails gently grazing his skin.And for a fleeting moment, Sarah dared to hope their shattered bond might be mended.
It was the raucous laughter and applause from the pack that dragged Sarah back into reality like a cold splash of water.The sound jolted through her, breaking the spell Nick’s presence had woven around her heart.She blinked, her breath catching as she finally wrested herself from the depths of Nick’s embrace.
Her fingers trembled where they had been knotted in the fabric of his shirt, reluctant to release their hold.She searched his gaze, looking for any sign of the anger or betrayal that had once shadowed his features.Instead, she found an intensity that mirrored her own—a silent recognition of the bond they both fought so hard to deny.
The moment stretched on, taut as a bowstring, as if time itself was holding its breath, waiting for them to shatter the fragile peace that hung between them.
As they both turned outward to face the pack, Sarah felt the echo of Nick’s lips on hers, a phantom sensation that threatened to draw her back into his arms.
But the reality of their predicament lay heavy on her shoulders, and she knew there was no place for lingering on stolen kisses—not when the safety of the pack hung in the balance.
Sarah forced a smile as the pack’s laughter swirled around her, the sound grating.Nick’s arm was still draped over her shoulder, a brand of possession that seared through the fabric of her shirt and sizzled on her skin.
Every muscle in her body tensed, yearning to lean into his touch, even as her mind screamed for composure.
“Great meeting, isn’t it?”she managed to say, her voice slightly higher than usual.All around her, pack members laughed their agreement.
Nick’s grip tightened ever so slightly, and Sarah’s heart skipped a beat, each thump resonating with the memory of their kiss.She fought to keep her breathing steady, focusing on the chatter of the pack, the warmth of the ground under her feet, anything to distract her from the longing that threatened to consume her.
Unfortunately, Vincent distracted her quickly enough.
Sarah’s gut clenched as the alpha ascended the jagged rock that jutted out over Sunburst Mesa—the rock Vincent liked to use as a judgment seat.Dust stirred by restless movement within the gathered pack floated into the air.
“We have a traitor among us.”Vincent’s voice boomed, and his gaze again turned toward Nick, who dropped his arm from around her shoulder but still stood beside Sarah.
After that kiss, she found Nick’s presence both a comfort and a source of deep anxiety.
At Vincent’s accusation, the muscles in Nick’s jaw tightened, the cords in his neck standing out.His body tensed, the air around them practically crackling, and Sarah’s skin prickled with dread.
“Does he mean you?”Her voice was barely a whisper, the words catching in her throat as she glanced up at Nick.
Could Vincent be seeking retribution now?
The unfinished business from four years ago, when Nick had been run out of Sunburst under a cloud of disgrace and whispers, hung between them, an unspoken curse coloring everything.Sarah’s fingers twitched with the urge to reach out, but she knew better than to show any vulnerability before the alpha.
In that moment, Sarah fully understood the risk Nick had taken by returning to the place where old wounds lay open and festering.
“Wait and see what he says,” Nick replied quietly.
Sarah nodded, trying to swallow down the knot lodged in her chest.They stood together, waiting for the alpha’s next move.
Vincent’s gaze swept over the assembled pack members before settling on one.
Not Nick.
“Martin,” Vincent commanded.“Step forward.”
A murmur rippled through the pack as Martin, a rangy wolf with wide, darting eyes, moved hesitantly toward the alpha.Sarah’s shoulders tensed as she watched the man who had been nothing but a background presence in the pack suddenly become its focal point.
“Why Martin?”Nick continued to keep his voice low, but Quinton had slipped through the crowd and now stood on Nick’s other side.He answered the question under the cover of the pack’s murmuring.
