Page 114 of Mated
My insides ripple. “It’s okay.”
And it is. I know Tanner is doing whatever he has to in order to get answers.
There was something so damn deadly in him earlier. He wanted the man’s throat, I could see it. Practically feel it. The violence of it should scare me. But the man tried to hurt him. Tried to hurt me. Caine. Daisy.
As savage as it is, I’m good with whatever Tanner has to do.
The Alpha’s mouth tightens perceptively but he doesn’t speak for several long moments. “You shifted.”
I peer at him in surprise. “How can you tell?”
“Most new shifters smell more strongly of their beast after the first few changes,” he says mildly. “Cat?”
“Jaguar.”
His head inclines. “Strong animal. Fierce.”
My face heats. “Thanks.”
“He took you.”
My eyes raise and I stare into Callus’ golden irises. No need to ask who. Tanner’s scent is still all over me. “Yes,” I say simply.
Another brief nod. “Regardless, Silver Rock is still open to you. If you ever want to join.”
For the longest time, I can only stare at him. “Can Tanner be my plus one?”
Callus snorts. “Tanner will always have guest status simply for helping Daisy.” His expression turns almost soft. Gentle. “I can never repay him for that. Though I will never tell him.”
My lips curve. “We may take you up on that,” I say and am surprised by how much I mean it.
Tanner is my pack. As odd as that sounds, there is a rightness to the thought. A truth to it. But Silver Rock is special to me too. And I will never say no to running here.
There is a soft knock on the door. As though we summoned him, Tanner opens the panel and peers inside. His face is grim, his eyes dark. “Callus.”
The Alpha rises slowly from his perch on the side of his desk. “Problem?”
Tanner glances at me and steps into the room before carefully closing the door. Trepidation builds in my stomach until even the smell of the tea makes me nauseous.
“The human was working with a member of the pack.”
Callus goes rigid. “What?”
“They were undercutting your authority. Wanted to weaken your hold on Silver Rock.”
I glance between them. Both men are silent for so long, I am sure my heartbeat is the only thing that fills the quiet.
“Who?” Callus finally asks and there is such desolation in that one word. Such grief.
Tanner’s face twists and the sick feeling grows.
***
The room is quiet, and Tanner’s hand in mine is hot. Burning with his anger. His pain.
Across from us, Caine, Gage, and Callus stand in silence. But my eyes keep going to the Alpha. To the hard set of his shoulders and the tight line of his jaw.
There is no way to make this better. To make this easier on any of them.
