The Challenge (The Pack 2)

“Dom,” my voice was barely more than a whisper, the word a breath of forgiveness and he shook his head.

“Caleb was there. I assumed you’d come back with him. It wasn’t until you reached out through the bond that I realized you were in danger. Your emotions –” He pressed his lips together. “I felt what you felt.” He met my eyes. “You will never feel that way again,” he swore.

I patted his rock hard jaw, hoping he didn’t crack a tooth with how hard he had his teeth clenched. “You can’t worry about that. I’m a human female in a world of wolf shifters and bad people. Sometimes, I’m going to get scared.”

“That wasn’t scared,” he argued, shaking his head. “That was petrified.”

I couldn’t really deny his words because even in his arms, remnants of my earlier fear coursed through me. It had been close, too close, and I couldn’t have predicted the affect it would have on either of us.

Somehow, my brush with death had made me less afraid. I wasn’t sure if it was because I’d faced death and won or because one person could only feel so much fear before they cracked.

Dom felt differently. “I’m going to teach you to protect yourself,” he stated and my mouth dropped open. I’d been expecting him to say I was on house arrest or something equally restrictive. “And how to use the mental bond.” His eyes were guilty as he stared at me, my face for once even with his as he held me. “I should have already done it. You would have been more prepared.”

“You’re serious,” I said, dumbfounded. He smiled, his tense expression finally easing.

“I am.”

“Okay, where’s the real Dom?” I looked around, tilting my head to look behind him. “Seriously, what did you do with him? Oh God, did I break you?” My forehead furrowed as the thought that maybe my terror had somehow infected him though our bond.

He chuckled.

Bastard, actually chuckled!

“You didn’t break me,” he assured me. “You just reminded me of a lesson my father taught me a long time ago.”

“Don’t teach your mate how to kill you in your sleep?”

He laughed, the sound vibrating from his chest to mine as I stared at him in disbelief. “Actually, that’s exactly what I’m going to teach you.” He lifted me up so my legs dangled and then set me down. “And no, that wasn’t the lesson.” His hand smoothed down my neck, settling on the mark branded into my skin. “The lesson was that fear is easily conquered by knowledge. Knowing how to defend yourself, how to defeat someone who wants to hurt you, those are things you own, that belong to you and only you. I want you to have the security of knowing you can defend yourself. That you don’t have to rely on me to save you.”

Familiar pressure burned behind my eyes as I stared up at him. “You are such a jackass,” I burst out, surprising both of us. “Then you go and say something like that.” I slapped his chest, ignoring the sting as I barreled into him a second later, squeezing him around the waist. His arms came up slowly, gingerly resting on my hips until he decided I wasn’t angry.

“You confuse me,” he admitted and I sniffed, nodding.

“Good, keep you on your toes.”

“Always,” he rumbled, a hint of laughter in his voice. “I need to go though.”

My head dropped back as I squinted at him suspiciously, “Go where?”

“Get rid of the dead body and make sure no other Hanleys are hanging around,” he replied, lifting an eyebrow. “Does that meet with your approval?”

“It does.” I thought for a second. “But don’t hurt a wolf with gray eyes. He saved me.”

“Then I owe him a debt of gratitude.” Dom’s eyes grew cold. “In fact, his entire pack owes him a debt of gratitude.”

I gulped at the lethal tone, patting his arm cautiously. “I’m fine. Really. No need to go on a murdering spree.”

His jaw worked for a second before his expression eased. “No murdering spree,” he agreed before adding, “At least not today.”

I opened my mouth to argue but then decided hell with it. “That works,” I approved. “I’ll just head home then.”

He stilled and I gave him a sharp look. “I am going home. I need to wash this day away with some scalding hot water.”

“I have a shower,” he mentioned, gesturing to the bathroom. “You can even wear my clothes.”

“I’m sure your wolf would love that,” I retorted. “My dad however….” Dom winced and I bit back a smile.

“You father is a formidable man,” he acknowledged. “At least let me get someone to walk you home.”

I nodded in agreement. I was independent, not stupid. Dom stepped out the door, surveying who was around as I perched on the edge of his oversize sectional. It was one of the few pieces of furniture in the room, mainly because it took up the entire room. It was sized to fit Dom which didn’t leave much space for anything else. He had a couple of bar stools shoved under the kitchen island and nothing on the countertops. Clutter was not in Dom’s vocabulary.