“Jaime, aren’t you coming?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m heading to my room to take a shower.” It was only then that Dante realized something—he had never seen Jaime shift. She had never gone on a run with the pack. She must have gone for one with Gabe or someone, but she had never accompanied the entire pack. Wolves needed that kind of closeness, so why would she ignore it?

The confusing female rose from the sofa and, without meeting Dante’s eyes, gave him a polite smile as she walked past him. His wolf didn’t like her indifference, and a low growl escaped Dante before he could stop it. That damn ugly cat hissed at him over her shoulder. Dante saw her tense slightly, but she kept on walking. And he kept thinking about how she hadn’t been on a pack run.

Was it because she was holding herself back from the pack? Was it that she wasn’t relaxed and trustful enough? Was it that she didn’t feel as welcome and a part of the pack as the others? The whole thing bugged him. He was Beta; it was his role to see to the safety, well-being, and protection of his wolves. If for some reason Jaime wasn’t feeling settled here, he needed to know why and solve the issue.

So when he saw her the following day sitting on the patio near the lake, staring almost longingly into the mountains, he slowly approached her. “Hey.” Almost imperceptibly, she stiffened.

Had he not been so totally focused on her, he wouldn’t have noticed. So was it him that made her feel uncomfortable in the pack? Or was she just feeling awkward because he had, in a roundabout way, rejected her? Well, he was about to find out.

Silently cursing the universe for shoving this wicked temptation in her face, Jaime turned her head and forced a smile. The cocky ass was so magnificently masculine, so deliciously male, that it simply wasn’t fair. Instantly her wolf was alert and pacing. “Hi.” He nodded toward one of the chairs. “Can I sit?”

It wasn’t really a question, but Jaime nodded anyway. “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” Christ, that voice…It was like a throaty purr. It sent a sizzle down Dante’s spine and practically stroked his cock—which was now quickly hardening. “Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble.” He straddled one of the chairs. “What’re you doing out here all by yourself?” Jaime was feeling pretty jealous of that chair right now. “Just thinking,” she replied with a nonchalant shrug.

“About what?”

About things she had no intention of sharing. “Nothing interesting. What about you?”

“I was on patrol and I saw you sitting here looking all glum. I thought I’d check on you.”

“I do not look glum,” she countered, indignant but smiling.

Dante held her gaze with his own as he spoke. “Jaime, you know if there’s ever anything you need to talk about that you can come to me, don’t you?”

Having no clue what this was about, she frowned in confusion. “Sure.”

“I mean it. I know things have been a little…I don’t know…awkward between us because I—” He cut himself off, not sure how to phrase it. She did it for him, looking very amused.

“Because you don’t want me. It’s all right, you can say it. I’m a big girl.” He almost laughed. She had no idea how wrong she was; his c**k roared to life at just the sound of her voice. Her scent—Christ, that f**king scent—made his mouth water. “Jaime, I’m not a good partner for a submissive wolf.” The last thing he had expected her to do was laugh. “What?”

“I’m not sure you’re a good partner for a dominant wolf either. No female likes to be controlled as much as you’d want to control them.” His controlling streak would undoubtedly be ten times worse with a female he was in a relationship with.

He shrugged unapologetically. “That’s just who I am. Besides, I don’t touch females in my pack, Jaime. I don’t do relationships either; it only ends up a mess when true mates come along.” She hadn’t asked him for a relationship, but whatever. “You sound like you’re speaking from personal experience.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “So you won’t commit to anyone but your true mate. That’s sweet.” And unfortunate. Sigh.

Not willing to touch that subject, he went back to his original point. “All I was trying to say is that although things have been awkward between us, I don’t want it getting in the way of anything. I don’t want you feeling like you can’t come to me about stuff. I’m your Beta. If you’re having any problems in the pack, come to me, so that I can help.”

If she was having any problems she’d take care of them herself—dominant females took care of their own shit. But, as she needed him to continue believing that she was submissive, she simply said, “Thanks.”

“Nice ring.”

“Huh?” When he gestured at her hand, she looked down to see that she’d been absentmindedly fiddling with her ruby—something she always did when she was nervous. “It was my mom’s engagement ring.”

“I heard about what happened,” he said in a gentle voice. He was about to say that it was lucky she and her brother hadn’t been at home when the attack happened, but there was really nothing lucky about it. Lucky would have been for her parents to still be alive. “I’m sorry, I know it’s hard.” Yes, he did know, she thought. Well, sort of. He knew what it was like to lose his parents. She remembered how she used to watch him sitting near their graves, silent tears trailing down his cheeks.

She remembered wishing that she could help, that she could understand how he was feeling. She got her wish, just not the way she ever would have wanted.

“Is that what’s got you so down? You’ve been thinking about them?” Not today, but if she said that he’d keep pressing her until she gave him an answer, so she nodded.

“It might help if you shift and let your wolf run.” He could have sworn that anxiety flashed across her face, but if it had, it was gone as quick as it came. “I’ll come with you.” Jaime quickly got to her feet and backed up. “Um, I can’t. I, um, have somewhere I need to be.” She’d arranged to go to the movies with Riley tonight. But even if she hadn’t, she knew better than to spend time alone with a person who made her entire body hum and melt for him—against her will, no less.

He stood and approached her slowly. “Where?”