“It seems the bitch has a sense of self-preservation,” commented Taryn as she sat beside Nick. “I find myself disappointed.”

“You’re not going on a run with Trey?” Nick asked her.

“There’s no point. Kye should wake up from his nap soon. Why, trying to get rid of me?”

He snorted, turning his gaze back to his mate. “There’s no such luck. But I have to admit I don’t much like talking to you.”

“Why? I’m a very nice person.”

“Because it’s like being arrested—everything I do and say can and will be used against me.”

She laughed. “How are things going with you and Shaya?”

He snorted again. “Like you don’t watch us like a hawk and quiz Shaya ten times a day.”

“She won’t tell me why her submissive status is suddenly no longer an issue for you. It makes no sense. According to Jaime and Dante, when they spoke to you about it, you insisted you couldn’t claim Shaya.”

Nick shrugged. “I changed my mind.”

“Huh. What did you do with the diaper?”

He threw her an exasperated look. “Don’t you have anything better to do than irritate me?”

“But it’s fun.”

He rolled his eyes. “On a serious note, must you really try to make things difficult for me where Shaya’s concerned?”

“Yup. You weren’t the one who held her while she cried, Nick. What you did devastated her.” She cocked her head, eyebrow raised. “What, nothing to say to that?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you, Taryn,” he reminded her. “Shaya, yes. But no one else.”

“She’s my best friend.”

“Then be her best friend and support her instead of making things hard for us.” When Taryn went to contradict him, he asked, “Remember that time you came to my old territory to see your uncle? Remember how he behaved toward Trey? Don’s your uncle, and you love him, but when he was an ass to Trey instead of being supportive in your choice of mate, what did you do? You chose Trey over him. You put Trey first, because that’s what mates do. Don’t put Shaya in a position where she feels she has to choose.” He wasn’t just saying that because he worried she’d choose Taryn. He hated to see his mate hurting in any way. “Support her.”

“I am supporting her.” But he could tell that Taryn was now realizing that her behavior had, in fact, been anything but supportive. “I told her I’d give you a chance.”

“But you haven’t. You’re determined to hate me. To be quite frank, I couldn’t give a shit what anyone other than Shaya thinks of me. But it’s hurting her. And I know that’s something you’d never want to do.”

Taryn was a silent for a moment, which was new. Then she turned perceptive eyes his way. “Do you care about her? I don’t just mean as your mate, the person who’s made for you—it’s instinctive to be fond of your mate. I mean do you care about Shaya the person?”

He looked again at the red she-wolf, watched as she bounded around with Roni. “Yes. It’s kind of hard not to.”

Taryn tilted her head, conceding that. “True. Do you know why she’s holding back?” Her tone communicated that she did. He knew Shaya confided in her a lot.

Nick sighed heavily. “She thinks I’ll suddenly decide I want a dominant female and then leave her.”

Taryn’s expression morphed into one of surprise. “She told you?”

“No. I’ve come to learn how her little mind works, realized how many insecurities she has—it isn’t surprising, given how her own mother constantly puts her down. I’ve told Shaya over and over that she’s all I want, but another thing I’ve come to realize about her is that words mean shit to her. The only way she’ll believe me is if I show her that she’s all I want.” Although Nick wasn’t sure what more he needed to do to convince her he was sticking around.

After a short pause, Taryn sighed. “I guess it’s fair to say that you’ve been pretty perseverant up to this point. But if you get what you want and she gives in, will you suddenly feel bored? That’s my question.”

Nick gestured at the snippy red she-wolf, who was now approaching him—even her walk was sassy. “How could I get bored with all that sassiness?” The wolf came to stand between his bent knees, nuzzling his hands. Taking the hint, he began to pet her. Apparently the wolf didn’t like that another female was sitting so close to her mate, because she snapped her teeth at Taryn.

The Alpha female gaped. “Hey! Not cool.”

Smiling in amusement, Nick continued to happily stroke his mate and rub his face against hers. She licked at his chin and then snuggled up against him.

“I didn’t expect her to be that possessive.” Taryn looked at them curiously for a minute before releasing a sigh of resignation. “Fine. I’ll stop being a pain. Not that I’ll stop coming around here—I want to be here for her. But I won’t poke my nose in or be a bitch. However…know that if you hurt her I’ll shove a beer bottle up your ass, use your sphincter to twist the top off, and laugh along with everyone as you scream in absolute agony.”

“People would find that amusing?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Well, I’d be laughing.”

When the she-wolf gave his chin another lick and then trotted inside the house, followed quickly by Roni, Nick guessed his mate was going inside to shift and get dressed.

“She’ll make a good Alpha female.”

It took a few seconds for Taryn’s words to sink in. He looked at her oddly. “What?”

“Are you going to let Kent join your pack too? I heard him talking to Shaya on the phone, saying that he’d happily—”

Nick held up a hand. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’re you talking about? I haven’t started a pack.”

Her smile was sympathetic. “You kinda have, sweetie.” She paused to nod at Derren as he came—now back in his human form—to sit at Nick’s other side. “You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if my uncle asks if he can switch from the Ryland Pack to yours. It’s safe to say your brother will definitely join.”

“There’s nothing to join.”

“Are you sure?” Taryn raised a brow. “Because if you count you, Shaya, Derren, Kathy, Roni, Amber”—said with a growl—“Jesse, Bracken, and Zander…Hmm, looks like the beginnings of a pack to me. By the time Roni and the unmated shifters have all found their true mates, your numbers will be—”