“It doesn’t bother them that you’re half human. So is Shaya.”

Okay, that threw her, since she was usually good at sensing a fellow half shifter. “If the local extremists somehow track me here, they could try to bomb your territory. I’m not good with you or your pack being in danger, and I seriously doubt they like this much either . . . unless you’ve downplayed the situation?”

“They know everything.”

“Yet your Alphas are okay with me staying here? Are they crazy?”

“Depends on who you ask.” Most would say yes. “I’m one of their wolves. They’ll protect what’s mine.” He threaded his fingers through hers, tightening his grip when she tried to tug her hand away. “They’re good people, Harley. Give them a chance. I know you’re worried that you’ll never feel settled here, but you don’t need to be.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’ve lived in the human world for a long time now. Were you happy there, Harley? I don’t think you were or you wouldn’t have drifted from place to place, like you were searching for something but you didn’t even know what.”

Tess had once said something similar. She’d been right too.

“Even for half shifters it’s difficult to be without others of our kind. Humans don’t understand that we need touch—social and sexual. Our animals need it. You had a good life with your human family. Tess gave you the best of everything, took you on expensive holidays, and sent you to a good school. You graduated at the top of your class and then went off to college—”

“Wait,” she said, face slack. “How do you know all that?”

“I watched over you. Even went to your graduation ceremony. The point I’m making is that, even with that good life, you never felt fulfilled. You didn’t really want it. So why not try this life?”

Recovering from the startling knowledge that he’d been keeping tabs on her, she folded her arms. Part of her was rightfully pissed, but part of her liked that he’d been so interested in her life all these years. “Speaking of families, yours won’t ever accept me, and I doubt my human relatives will accept you.” Except for maybe Tess.

“I know that, sweetheart. I just refuse to let it matter.” A knock at the door interrupted what he would have said next. “That’s probably Nick and Shaya. They’ll want to know more about the hate mail.” He headed to the front door and swung it open. And double-blinked at the female now smiling at him.

“Jesse, hi,” said Kim, eyes bright.

Both bemused and annoyed, he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Her smile didn’t falter at his arctic tone. “You weren’t at the training session today. Ally said you wouldn’t be training me anymore, and I just wanted to check that you were okay. I was worried that you might be sick or injured or something. It was no fun without you there. I get the feeling Ally and Eli don’t like me. I don’t feel comfortable with them like I do with you,” she added shyly.

Jesse ground his teeth. He didn’t have the time or patience for this shit. His priority was Harley, who was probably going to be pissed that he’d walked away from a very important conversation to deal with . . . whatever this was. And he seriously doubted that either her or her cat would be happy about another female turning up at his home, because, whether Harley was prepared to admit it or not, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

“How about a drink? I’ll tell you all about the talk I just had with Ally.” Kim snickered. “I tell ya, she was in a bad mood this morning and I had to bear the brunt of it; she even gave me an ultimatum.”

Clearly she was referring to the formal warning that she completely deserved.

“Well, are you going to let me in?”

“Let me be very clear with you, Kim,” he rumbled, his tone stone cold. “Being a guest on our territory does not give you the right to appear at a person’s home uninvited.”

She lowered her eyes submissively, which was an odd thing for a dominant female to do. But, confusingly, she often downplayed her dominance around him. “I didn’t think you would mind.”

“This is my personal space. You have no business at all being here.”

Her eyes snapped back to his. “We’re friends.”

“No, we’re not.”

“Is this you feeling awkward about spending time with your friend’s baby sister? Like you think it would upset Bracken?”

“No, this is me being offended that you turned up at my home uninvited.” Irritated that he was wasting time out of his life with this conversation, he declared, “We’re done here.”

“It’s not good for you to keep everyone at arm’s length.” She took a brave step toward him. “I miss Torrie too, you know. It’s okay to let some people in and—” Her nostrils flared, and her smile fell. She leaned in and took another sniff. “Is that . . . ?” Ducking under his arm, she charged into his lodge.

He was reaching for her when she came to an abrupt halt, gaping at the feline sitting at his table. Another female might have shot to her feet and growled a warning at Kim. Harley did something far more insulting: she glanced at Kim, gave her a quick head-to-toe inspection, and went right back to her meal. Dismissed.

Jesse planted himself between the two females and bared his teeth at Kim. “If you ever, ever enter my home again without an invitation, I will have you removed from this territory—I don’t give a fuck whose sister you are.”