Knowing she was going to sound needy, she simply cringed and forged on. “I just wondered if you knew where Alaric was.”

“Yeah, I think he’s still at Amanda’s but he should be heading back soon.”

The low buzzing in her ears from earlier flared to life. “Thanks.” Without bothering to respond further because she didn’t trust her voice, she hung up the phone.

She didn’t want to believe any of it but the proof was right in front of her face. The knowledge that Alaric was going to mate with Amanda rattled around inside her like hot, scorching lava. It burned up everything in its path with no mercy. She had no claim on Alaric but she’d thought he was different. The way he’d looked at her…a man couldn’t fake that kind of need. So he wanted her—big deal—she still wasn’t good enough to mate with. That burned a crater-size hole in her stomach. Tears pricked her eyes and she angrily brushed them away.

She was tired of everyone treating her as if she didn’t matter and tired of having to feel grateful for scraps. Overseas she’d made a difference, had friends, and she’d even resigned herself to living as a lone wolf once she’d come home. But with Alaric, she’d thought things were finally going to be different. That Alaric was different and that maybe she’d found a place to fit in. She needed time to think and she couldn’t do that here. Not in Alaric’s room, where his scent completely surrounded her.

Chapter Six

Alaric raced up the stairs to the second floor of the mansion, his heart pounding wildly after the conversations he’d just had. First his brother had called him and told him about Felicia’s phone call. Then he’d run into Chris on the way in and the young pup had asked him about his impending mating to Amanda. Apparently the rumor mill was out of control. And when Chris had let it slip he’d mentioned the same thing to Felicia—Alaric growled as his fists clenched into tight balls.

It had taken every bit of his self-control not to pummel the young wolf. If his intentions had been malicious in telling Felicia, Alaric would have done worse than that. Now he was focused on finding the woman who owned his heart. The intoxicating smell she exuded of raspberries and champagne was strong as he headed up the stairs to his room, but he feared it was an old trail.

The second he stepped inside his room, he froze. She wasn’t there. If she had run, he would find her. Of that he had no doubt.

Turning on his heel, he froze again.

Felicia stood in his doorway, her blue eyes darkened with smoldering, undeniable anger. But at least she was there.

“You’re here,” he said, needing it to be true.

Unfortunately, it seemed to piss her off. Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Would you rather I ran away with my tail tucked between my legs?”

“No, I—”

“I get to talk right now. Not you. You…you…” Her face flushed crimson as she faced off with him.

“I what?” he murmured, wary.

After the walk she’d taken to clear her head, Felicia thought she would be able to talk to him in a civil tone, but the emotion she’d kept bottled up for years suddenly exploded. “You’re a lying bastard! I can’t believe you’re going to mate with Amanda. You make me feel all these things and acted all possessive and caring. It’s bad enough that it’s her, of all she-wolves, but I wouldn’t care who it was. What kind of wolf are you that you could be so intimate with me knowing you planned to take another mate?” Pain laced her words and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she didn’t bother trying to keep up an emotional shield. She didn’t care if he knew how much he’d hurt her.

“I’m not mating with her.” His expression and his voice softened a fraction.

She paused. The statement took some of the steam out of her but… “What? Chris told me—”

“I’ve already spoken to him and he was misinformed.”

“But I called your brother and he said you were at her house.”

“I was.” She narrowed her gaze at his admission, but he continued. “I had some things to clear up with her.”

Felicia’s temper sparked as she thought about what “things” he might mean. “Have you ever slept with her?”

He snorted softly. “Never. Not that she didn’t try.”

A low growl filled the room and it took a moment for Felicia to realize it came from her. Surprised at the raw animal possessiveness that surged through her, she clamped her jaw shut for a moment, then frowned at him. “Why were you at her place?”

“She sent those wolves after you.” His voice had a deadly razor’s edge to it.

Felicia’s eyes widened at the sharp burst of uncontained rage that sparked off Alaric. “Did you…kill her?”

“Do you want me to?”

She paused for a moment and started to ask him why the she-wolf had sent anyone after her, but changed her mind. Some things could wait. “No, but what did you do to her?”

“She’s been kicked out of our pack and sent somewhere out west. My Alpha’s mate and most of the females of the pack couldn’t stand her so don’t worry about anyone holding a grudge.”

She was surprised he hadn’t done more to Amanda, but at the moment Felicia was more concerned about her own relationship with Alaric.

Before she could question him he closed the distance between them until he stood inches in front of her. “I’ve wanted you from the moment we met. I told Lamont that I planned to take you as my mate years ago, but at the time you were too young. He promised he’d keep an eye on you and inform you of my plans when you were older. I never thought he’d…” He shook his head. “If I’d known he wanted you for himself I’d have claimed you long ago. Or at least asked you to join our pack.”

“Why didn’t you ask me to join your pack anyway?” She couldn’t help the hurt in her voice.

His expression softened. “I didn’t trust myself around you, but if I’d known what his pack treated you like, I swear I would have brought you in to our pack.” Before she could respond, he continued. “For about a year I started that first letter a hundred times. I knew you were ignoring your pack’s attempts to contact you and I wasn’t sure I’d be any different.”

She remembered that first letter. Just a quick hello and he’d asked her if she needed any care packages. He’d also told her he was worried about her. It had taken him a year to work up the courage to write that? The pressure in her chest lifted at his small confession.

She started to respond but he wasn’t finished. “I’m telling you right now that I want you as my mate. I guess I didn’t make that clear this morning, but I promise no one will ever hurt you again as long as I’m still breathing.”

As she digested his words, shock rippled through her. It stunned her that he’d wanted her for so long. “And if I say no to mating?” She didn’t plan to but wanted to hear his response.

“Then I’ll just have to convince you otherwise.” He reached out and cupped her cheek.

Raw, hot desire flared inside her. To go from anger to this intense feeling of need was insane. But this was exactly what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? To feel such intense sexual hunger for someone who wanted her right back. When she’d thought Alaric was mating with another female, it had felt as if someone had hit her in the stomach with a two-by-four. She still needed to clear something up with him though. “I’m sorry I assumed the worst about you and Amanda.”

He was silent for a long moment, as if considering his next words. “You’ve gotten a raw deal from your own kind. If I could rewrite history I would, but from this point forward you’ve got to know I’ll always have your back. Always.”

She nodded, knowing bone deep that it was true. They might still have a lot to learn about each other, but the man she’d been exchanging emails with the past few months before she’d cut off contact—the man who’d basically just offered to kill someone for her—was telling her everything she’d wanted to hear. If she didn’t take a chance now, she’d never be able to look at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t keep expecting people to disappoint her or turn on her.

Before she could change her mind, she stripped her sweater off and then her pants, letting them silently fall to the floor. Her hands shook the entire time and all she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears. When Alaric raked her from head to toe with a scorching gaze, some of her nervousness faded. She was putting herself out there the best way she knew how.

Alaric’s entire body heated up as he stared at the she-wolf in front of him. The thought of her leaving again had shaken him bone deep. It still did.

His inner wolf had howled in pain and frustration and he was having a hell of a time convincing himself she was standing right in front of him. Naked and beautiful.

As she started to cover her breasts, he grasped her wrists and pulled her tight against him, savoring the feel of her lush body. “Don’t ever cover yourself in front of me. You’re beautiful.”

Her cheeks flushed at his words.

“Has no one ever told you how beautiful you are?” he murmured, unable to tear his gaze from the fullness of her lips.

A slight shake of her head. “Just you.”

“Get used to hearing it.” Her mouth curved up and it soothed his inner wolf to please her. Though he wanted to pounce and take what was his, he knew he had to play it smoother than that. Especially now. Rubbing his thumbs over the pulse points in her wrists, he was entranced as he watched her lips part seductively. An invitation.

“It’s not fair that you’re still dressed,” she finally said, breaking the silence.

He didn’t plan to stay that way for long. Not with Felicia pressed up against him like this, lust rolling off her in potent waves. And not with his own just as strong.

Knowing how much it had taken her to bare herself to him in this way—literally—he felt awed she was putting her trust in him. He wasn’t going to screw things up either. He couldn’t afford to.