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“I’ll help,” Olivia said, meeting my gaze over the desk. I hoped my beta could talk some sense into Emma.

“I’ll go too,” Dr. Wise said, also standing. “As I mentioned, I will compile a collection of historical information about multi-shifters on a thumb drive and bring it by as soon as I can. For obvious reasons, I don’t like to send anything classified via regular email. Do you have a secured email server?”

“Makes sense,” Emma said. “No, I don’t have a secure server. As a vet, it didn’t seem necessary.”

Dr. Wise reached into her attaché case, pulled out a handful of parchments, and placed them in front of me on my desk. “Meanwhile, I have these for you.”

“Thanks,” I said, not relishing the idea of another stack of nonsensical prophecies to go through. I’d much rather make time to share another meal with the new woman in my life.

If wishes were shifters…

They both escorted Dr. Wise out of the room, and I closed myself in my study to go over the notes while Olivia tried to talk Emma into taking time off from her practice and staying at the manor until she could defend herself from attacks.

An hour later, I leaned back in my desk chair and rubbed my eyes. Emma’s laughter filtered through the walls, and the sound sent warmth through me. I liked her. As a person, as a woman, as a mate.

My thoughts returned to Friday night, when she’d been a willing and eager participant in what could have been an incredible night.

Nothing in the prophecies I’d read said Icouldn’tbed her…

Though, nothing had said Icouldeither.

As the alpha, I wasn’t accustomed to adjusting my desires to suit someone else, and I usually got what I wanted.

And I wanted Emma.

Fuck whoever she thought she craved in her bed. I intended to convince her she needed me. With the unsatisfied demand she’d lit in me, gods help her if she ever fated to another shifter. A white-hot fire burned between us, and it would take a long time to put out.

The sound of her laughter tickled my ears once more, sending an amplified rush of desire burning through my veins. What could be so funny out there? My curiosity brought me to my feet and into the foyer before I heard the familiar lilting voice of an unwelcome visitor.

When I stepped into the dining room, five shifters were seated at the table. Four of them belonged there, but the fifth?

Fuck no.

Jasper Sionnach had no businessbeing in my house, making Emma laugh or making her eyes glitter like that. Her smile, every inch of her, belonged to me. Red creeped into my vision, and my skin burned as though I stood at the edge of a nuclear meltdown. My self-control slipped.

“What are you doing here?” I snarled at him, rage seething through to my bones.

Olivia stood almost immediately, stepping away from the table warily. She should have known better to let the fox into the manor when we had so much at stake.

The two other shifters also stood and took positions on either side of Olivia. Invisible apprehension snapped through the air.

“The nose wants what the nose wants,” Jasper said without shame and without cowering beneath my glare. He lounged nonchalantly in the table chair with an empty plate in front of him. “Besides, Miss Emma hasn’t mentioned being ready for me to leave. I believe she’s enjoying my stories.”

With effort, my hands remained fists at my side. Jasper had a nose. He knew I was furious about his presence.

“You must be exhausted after last night. Emma, and it’s been a busy day,” I said.

Emma’s gaze narrowed, and a new scent rolled off her. “Huh. I guess I must have gotten a second wind. Aren’t you sweet to worry. I feel fine,Lo-gan.” She drew out the syllables of my name and poured every bit of sickly sweet Southern threat into her words as she could.

My temper flared, and another snarl threatened. “Phil,” I commanded the shifter to the left of Olivia, “escort Jasper from the premises. I’m sure he can find a more willingconversationpartner elsewhere. Perhaps Rachel would be willing to take in the stray?”

Before Phil could move, Emma jumped up from her seat and swayed slightly before catching the back of the chair to steady herself. Fire flashed in her eyes, and a breath of wind stirred the strands of her hair. “Fuck off.”

Jasper’s mouth twisted into a smile, and his head swiveled between us. “Seems our foxy girl has sharp little teeth, ay, Logan?”

Our?Our? Mine!Emma was mine.

Emma screamed when I launched myself at Jasper, grabbed the back of his collar, and dragged him from the chair and out the front door. Then I tossed him on the seat of his pants onto the circle driveway next to Emma’s car.