NathanI deserve a fucking medal for leaving my unclaimed mate in a hotel room during her heat. There should be a prize for my selfless deeds. I have no idea how I manage to walk out that door while she has her hands between her legs and is making those breathy little moans. When I hear my name tumble from her lips, I almost turn back. While I appreciate there are some other things that need my attention, my brain is barely functioning. All I can think about is how I need to get back to her quickly, mark her and claim her, and plant myself deep inside her for the rest of her heat. Apart from my own needs, she's in pain and it's killing me to leave her suffering, but I know that once we give in, we won't surface for days. And so, I need to deal with all this other shit right now so I can get everyone out of here.“Ethan, are you going to live?” I ask brusquely as I charge into the now spare bedroom because Maya won’t be leaving mine ever again.Ethan grunts, standing just inside the do

NathanMaya’s eyes widen in surprise, and she looks at me, confusion written all over her pretty face. She’s holding her breath, afraid to hope, but eventually, she takes in more air in through her nose and moans. Then I feel her joy through our strengthened bond and I jump up to my knees, grinning down at her as she giggles and rolls over onto her back.“You can scent me, can’t you?” I think I might be happier than she is about it. She smiles coyly at me and then nods, just once, but it’s enough. I pounce on top of her, wrapping her up in my arms and rolling us so she’s lying on top of me.“Nathan!” she shrieks, batting my arms and trying to get off me, but there’s no way I’m letting her go. Her struggles are having an unintended side-effect. I had planned on letting her rest. Her heat and the trauma of nearly being forced together with Ethan have to have taken their toll on her. While she has a brief reprieve from the most extreme symptoms, I wanted her to sleep and recharge her bat

NathanLeah offered to arrange a family dinner when we arrived back in Grey Ridge to celebrate our mating, but it didn’t feel right. The pack is reeling from discovering Kim and Beth were the traitors that allowed Toby to go free and almost got Leah and the wolf guarding him killed. Beth was always in and out of trouble, and we knew she was hanging out with Leon Lennox’s crew, so she was always a suspect, but Kim was always so good. Model employee, nice to everyone, nothing that would hint she would fall for our prisoner and betray us all.My role in her unhappiness weighs heavily on me.I had always assumed that because Kim said nothing, she was happy with us just being friends with occasional benefits. It’s made me rethink my harmless bachelor lifestyle and wonder about the careless way I conducted myself previously. I have some apologies to make once the dust settles.Everyone’s thoughts are on Carla now. Did she run away because she thought she was going to get the blame for her s

Nathan “No. Absolutely no way.” I look to Maya for support but she looks away, hands up in front of herself to distance herself from me. Clearly, I’m on my own. My mate is abandoning me, edging toward the door slowly. She’ll pay for this later. “It’s only for an hour. I’m desperate, Nathan. You have to help me.” Cooper looks it. His hair is a mess, and he has dark bags under his bloodshot eyes. Stepping forward, he holds a bundle in his outstretched arms. I shrink back, terrified to accept it. He’s so tiny. But when Cooper moves near and I get a glimpse of tiny fingers gripping the edge of a soft blue blanket, my heart melts a little and some of my panic ebbs away. “What if I break him?” Cooper gazes adoringly at the newest member of the Jones clan and future alpha, that is if he wants the job, of the Grey Ridge pack. Such responsibility is on such teeny shoulders. “You won’t. You’ll be a natural.” While I stare at him with curiosity, Cooper takes advantage of my moment of weak