Season of the Witch (Claws Clause 2)

“I think that’s enough for now,” he announced. “Tell Wolfe to call me if you want more time later. I’ll be sitting outside of Mr. Moonshadow’s room tonight.”

Guarding it. Because even the human cop knew that Hudson was a target—and Julian was one hell of a threat.

She nodded. “Thanks again, Corporal.”

“Get some rest, Ms. Moonshadow.” Then, under his breath, he muttered, “You’re probably gonna need it,” before he took up position behind the wheelchair and grabbed the handlebars.

As soon as Hudson was wheeled out, Colton stepped back into the room and closed the door behind him.

For maybe a heartbeat, Shea hoped that her grandmother’s wards were a match for Colt’s shifter hearing. And then he looked down at her, his brow furrowed and the points of his canines peeking out from behind his lip, and she knew that he’d listened to every word that passed between Hudson and Shea.

Of course.

“I think we need to talk.”

“Now? Colton, I’m tired and—”

“I know, and I promise I’ll back off as soon as I say what I’ve gotta say. But it’s important.”

“Well, if it’s important...”

“It is.” Colton crossed his arms over his chest. “You can’t bond with that corpse.”

She sucked in a breath.

He… he wasn’t wrong. And, okay, they’d had a conversation just like this one barely a week ago, but they both knew that something was different.

Something had changed.

Before, Shea forced herself not to believe he meant it when he said she was going to be his mate after all.

Before, she convinced herself the only way to save Hudson was to go through with the blood-bond.

Before, she thought Colton would be glad to let her go.

Hey. It was what he was after all along, right?

One look at the wolf riding Colton right now and Shea knew that was all… before.

After her night with Colton and the way Julian retaliated by leaving Hudson for dead, Shea had no intention of going near the Nightwalker ever again. Compared to her bond with Colt, the blood exchange wasn’t as strong. She might not have found a spell to dissolve her mate-bond with her shifter—and, okay, maybe she hadn’t really tried all that hard—but with her grandmother’s help, she was sure they could reverse the beginning of the blood-bond.

Before, she was willing to go through with it because she gave her word. She’d thought she was saving Hudson’s life. Julian had lashed out, slicing Hud’s throat so easily during their first meeting, she could imagine him draining her brother if he didn’t get what he wanted.

Her worst fears had come true. Hudson nearly died because he couldn’t stay away from his fix—and because Shea couldn’t stop herself when Colton rumbled out that he wanted nothing more than to feel her hands on him.

There was no going back from that.

She’d chosen Colton over Julian long before she wrapped her hand around his erection. She knew it. Julian knew it, too, now, even if Colton was still clueless. Still, it was definitely a no go for Shea on the whole becoming a Nightwalker queen thing.

But she hadn’t talked about it with Colton yet—so how did he know?

“Why would you say that?” she asked him.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You telling me you want to bond with him?”

“Goddess, no. It’s just… I don’t… why do you think I shouldn’t?”

“Simple. Didn’t I make myself clear the other day? Because you already have a bond with me. I had the prior claim. I met you first. You weren’t able to break the bond—”