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“What?” I press the bag to my chest, looking at him in horror. “You – you didn’t fix it?”

Cole smiles a little secret smile, slipping his hands into his pocket. “No, Nadia. We’re going to let you be expelled. This will fix itself.”

“What?”

“Look, would you just trust me?”

“But –“ I gasp, spinning towards the door. “The pups!”

“Hey,” he says. I feel him take my hand and I turn back to him, shocked and completely freaking out. “Shayne, Grace, and Tommy are going to keep the pups just fine, okay? I already talked to them about it. You’ll see them soon.”

“What’s happening?” I whisper.

“You got expelled, I quit,” he says, shrugging far too casually for how frantic I’m feeling at the moment. “I figured…why not take this rare opportunity when we’re both suddenly without duties to…to take you on a date?”

My mouth falls dead open, feeling like my jaw is going to smack against the floor like a cartoon character.

Cole grins at me, delighted – evenexcited.

And above me, in the distance and growing louder, I hear the sound of a helicopter’s blades slicing through the air.

“Cole,” I whisper, shaking my head at him. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, I did,” he says, nodding to me. “Come on. You’re going to like this.”

“How doyouknow?” I bite back, unsettled, glaring at him.

Cole grins, more wolfish than I usually see him. “I’llmakeyou like it,” he murmurs, slipping a hand around my waist and pulling me against him, sharp and tight. And I grumble, even as something within me goes all hot and loose at that. I go with the Prince, letting him guide me toward the door of the tent, thinking that if there’s anyone capable ofmakingme enjoy myself?

Hell, it might be him.

And even if I know that half my mind will be on the pups, and Slaken, and how we take down this horrible cult…damn it if the other half won’t be on wondering what the hell a date with Cole Kincaid looks like.

“Fine,” I grumble, leaning against him, letting Alpha Cole lead me out of the tent. “Just don’t forget that you’remyAlpha. Itamedyou – it was my teeth onyourneck in that cave.”

“Yes, Goddess,” he says, smirking down at me as we head out of the camp and towards the growing sound of our transport. “At least…until you beg me to bite you in turn.”

He flashes his teeth at me, and I blush, looking down at my feet as a wide smile crosses my face.

Because for the first time, I have to admit –

Iamtempted.