“So, now that you’re pure Silence,” Valentin said after making the turn, “you ever think about rerunning the sex experiment?”

“Whatever compelled me to do that, it’s been shut off by the operation.”

“What about the scientific benefits? Regular sexual contact with a willing partner is meant to improve health and general well-being.”

Ignoring that deliberately provocative statement, Silver gave him another direction choice. This time, he ignored it. “If we go this way,” he said, “I can show you something.”

“I have a schedule to keep,” she said. “There’s just been an assassination attempt on Bowen Knight. He was shot.”

Valentin’s muscles bunched, all playfulness erased. “How bad?”

Silver knew he considered the other man part of his extended family, but she had no good news to give him. “Early reports say it may be fatal.”

“You need to mobilize EmNet?”

It was a good excuse, but Silver couldn’t lie to this bear. “No. It’s a political situation, not a humanitarian emergency.” If Bowen Knight did die, it could plunge the world into chaos, but for now, the peace was holding. “I’m sorry for the impact this may have on your sister.”

Valentin’s hands flexed on the steering wheel. “Nika is tough—she’ll be there for her mate. But I’m going to give Stasya a heads-up.” A glance at her, their eyes colliding. “I might be alpha, but Stasya’s the big sister who can bully Nika into telling her if she needs clan help.”

Silver didn’t interrupt while he used the vehicle’s system to make contact with Anastasia Nikolaev. “Make sure Nika’s mate and his family know StoneWater will offer any assistance we can,” he told his second.

“I’ll call her now,” Anastasia said before hanging up.

Silver spoke into the quiet. “How is the situation with Sergey and the clanmates who returned with him?”

Valentin shrugged. “We’re growing stronger together as a clan. They’re loyal, just scared.”

Silver found herself turning to look at his profile, taking in the harsh angles of his face. He’d never be called beautiful, but Valentin Nikolaev had a presence that demanded attention. “You have a deep ability to forgive.”

“Prerequisite of the job. You’ve seen the shit bears pull—imagine how crazy I’d be if I held grudges.” He brought the vehicle to a stop in front of a shop with a pink awning.

She stared through the car window. “I’ve had my nutrition for the morning.”

“Yeah, but have you had waffles with maple syrup and strawberries?” He was out of the vehicle before she could respond.

Opening her door, he said, “It’s looking like the world might soon go to hell again, but today there’s time for waffles.” Deep, dark eyes locked with hers once more, his big body blocking out the light.

“Remember your promise,” he said, and though she’d lost her emotional core, she had memories to draw from, knew it was a profound hurt he was trying but failing to hide.

The bear inside him was badly wounded. And she was the cause.

“I remember,” she said. “Ten dates. That was the promise.”

A ring of amber around his irises, his body a muscled wall.

She took a breath and his scent washed over her. Wildness and soap and warmth. So much warmth. Like that which kept her safe in her dreams. “I can’t get out of the car if you block my way.” He was so close, she could count each individual eyelash. “Why is your bear rising to the surface?”

“It wants to lick you up like honey,” he said, his voice a rumble and his attention that of a predator’s. “It’s missed you.”

Silver knew that, despite the memories between them, there was only one answer she could give. “It needs to get over that.” Because she wasn’t his mate any longer, couldn’t ease his hurt.

A smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Come on then, Starlight. Let’s go eat waffles.”

Starlight.

The address clicked into place inside her. Unable to process the sensation or to explain it, she waited for Valentin to step back. He took his time, until she wanted to lift her hand and shove at his chest. Her palm tingled, remembering all the times she’d done exactly that—not just to Valentin but also to other bears who’d tumbled into her. It hadn’t been done in anger. That was simply how bears interacted, tactile and a little rough.

Never too rough with her, however. As they were never too rough with the cubs.

Stepping back at last, Valentin said, “After you.”

Silver was expecting Valentin’s steadying hand on her waist, knew it was a stabilizing gesture done out of habit. “I can exit on my own.”

He severed contact at once. “Whatever you say.”

Suspicious of his quick agreement, Silver had her guard up when they entered the waffle restaurant. The maître d’ looked Valentin up and down with a jaundiced eye. “Break it and you pay for it.”

Valentin’s response was startling. Grinning, he grabbed the stern and well-built brunette up into his arms and off her feet, pressing a kiss to her lush red lips. “Nice to see you, too,” he said after setting her down.

Smile wide, she slapped at his chest. “I mean it. I’ll send you an invoice if you so much as bend a spoon.”

“I only did that once.” Valentin released her with that scowling statement. “You got a table for us?”

The brunette tilted her head, the smile she bestowed on Silver blindingly warm. “It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Victoria.”

“Thank you for fitting us in,” Silver said, waiting until she and Valentin were seated and alone to ask her question. “Do you kiss all maître d’s?”

“Sure, why not?” His eyes were bear again, amber and challenging, his voice bad-tempered. “It’s not like my mate’s kissing me.”

Chapter 42

“YOU DON’T HAVE a mate.”

“Semantics.”

Silver stared pointedly at her organizer. “How long will this take?”

Reaching over, he grabbed her organizer, switched it off. “Confiscated for the duration.” He placed it beside his cutlery. “You promised to go on ten dates with me. No fair if you spend it with your nose in your organizer.”

Silver knew he was playing a dominance game. And she knew never to let an alpha bear win. “I can have my nose in my telepathic senses. How will you confiscate that?”

He leaned back in his seat, sprawling to take over all available space, his booted feet on either side of her chair. Shoving his hand through the windblown strands of his hair, he said, “Starlichka. You know I’d never take away part of what makes you, you.”

“Alpha Nikolaev—”

“Valentin.” A firm word. “You know you’ve been calling me Valentin since the day we met.” In his eyes, she saw the more intimate name he didn’t say: Valyusha.

“Things have changed.”

“My name hasn’t.” Primal amber eyes held hers.

Silver refused to blink. “You’re being difficult.”

“That’s my other middle name. Valentin Mikhailovich Difficult Nikolaev.” Stubborn words, but the hurt he was trying so hard to hide, it remained.