“We’re not doing that,” I say immediately.
Lance goes quiet.
After a moment, I can’t take the silence. “Lance?”
“If I don’t mark you, my wolf could get frantic.” He winces some more. “It’s a biological urge, you know. To make sure no other male tries to move in on you.”
I let out a pfft. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I know,” he groans. “But it’s real. Every minute I’m with you without claiming you, my wolf grows more restless. There’s a possibility I could lose control, which would be bad.” He looks across the cab at me. “Really bad.”
I shift in my seat. “Okay, you’re freaking me out.”
“Yeah. That’s why I didn’t tell you last night. I figured the whole I’m a wolf thing was enough for one big reveal.”
Once more, he wrenches a smile from me. “Okay, wait a minute. So how does biting me tell other males I’m yours, anyway? Like, they recognize your teeth marks or something?”
Lance chuckles. “My scent. The bite would embed my scent in you.”
I shiver. “I don’t like it.”
“Yeah.” He looks so miserable, I reach out to touch his leg.
“Just give me a little more time to assimilate all this, okay?”
“Of course.” He sounds relieved.
I want to crawl in his lap and kiss his neck. Never in twenty million years would I have believed a guy like Lance would be hanging on my every word, my every look. Needing something from me—no, needing everything from me.
It’s a strange, exotic power that I still can’t believe I have, and that I innately know is somehow precious and sacred.
I don’t understand the bond Lance feels with me, but I do believe it’s real. I believe in him.
Lance parks in front of what looks like a million-dollar ski lodge. Nestled behind a river and up against the pine trees, it’s the only building for miles around, which is probably why the pack picked it.
“This is idyllic. Do you own the place?” I ask.
“Yep.” Wow. Okay, they must have quite a bit of money. I guess private sector security pays much better than straight military work.
“Do you guys ski?”
Lance nods. “Sure.” He opens his door and gets out, then walks around to take my hand as I climb out of my side.
“Cross country or downhill?”
A shrug. “Both.” He says it like it’s nothing. There’s probably no sport these guys don’t excel at. They are superhuman, after all. But it tells me they didn’t buy the place for its proximity to the ski mountain. Or rather, they did— but not to ski. Probably to run and hunt.
“Oh my God, do you hunt?”
Lance stops and looks at me warily. “Like, with guns? No.”
A semi-hysterical laugh bubbles out of my throat. “With your teeth?”
A wicked smile stretches his sensual lips. He shrugs. “It’s in our nature.” He wraps an arm behind my neck and tips my face up to his, lowering his lips. “Does it bother you?” The words aren’t special, but his voice is a velvety caress that licks me right between the legs.
“I-I guess not.”
He brushes his lips over mine, then nips at my lower lip. “Come in.” He leads me up the wooden stairs.
I hesitate at the door. “Are they going to like me?”
“Rafe is pissed at me for doing this all wrong, but he would kill or die for you.”
I stare at him with wide eyes. “Your brother?”
He nods. “Our alpha. So that means they all would. I promise.” He pushes the door open, and ushers me in.
Lance
I told the pack I was bringing Charlie over tonight, and it looks like they went to the effort of looking presentable. Rafe smells freshly showered. Channing has the grill going out on the deck outside the kitchen, flipping burgers.
Sadie’s here with Deke, which instantly puts Charlie at ease. The two women hug and start to chatter away as Sadie unwraps a giant salad she brought. It’s a gourmet one—the kind with spinach and pears and candied pecans. She pulls out a container of gorgonzola cheese and shakes it over the top while she asks Charlie a dozen questions about how she’s feeling.
Deke nudges me with his elbow. “I don’t know if I’m officially supposed to know yet, but congratulations,” he says in a low voice.
A simultaneous ripple of pleasure and ferocious protectiveness runs through me. I almost can’t speak for a moment. “Yeah, thanks.”
Channing steps inside, holding a plate heaped with two dozen burgers. “Congratulations for what?” he demands, looking from me to Charlie. He lifts his nose in the air and sniffs, then looks puzzled. “You didn’t clai—”
“Would you shut up?” I snap. For fuck’s sake. I only just told Charlie about the claiming bite two minutes ago. What if I hadn’t even mentioned it yet?
“Testy.” Channing shakes his head, then cocks his brows at Charlie. “He’s been like that ever since you two—”