Page 17

I ignored it.

When it sounded again, it was more impatient.

I ignored it again.

There was a moment’s pause before I heard it open.

“What the fuck happened last night?” Madd growled from the front room.

I cursed under my breath, but turned the shower off and grabbed a towel. My jeans from the night before went back on.

They smelled like my mate.

I tucked the panties I’d stolen from her into my pocket.

Hopefully, they would ground me.

I’d kept her bra too—but it was already tucked beneath the blankets of my bed. It would make the mattress smell like her, which might help me sleep.

I didn’t bother with a shirt, drying my hair with a towel as I strode out to the kitchen. Madd was leaning against the cabinets, his arms folded.

“Lovene woke me up in the middle of the night because her friend was missing. When I called around, I found out she was with you.” His eyes narrowed at me. “You took her out of the bar before she met Ox. You know we thought he would be the one.”

“And you know I said he was too rough for her.”

“You don’t make decisions for her, Bauther. I’m her alpha.”

“And I’m her mate.”

His eyes narrowed further.

I let out a steadying breath, then tossed my towel on the counter, crossed the kitchen, and opened the fridge.

Hopefully, I’d find something that would ease my need to be beside her.

I didn’t.

“Since when?” Madd demanded.

“I’ve suspected for months, but knew she wouldn’t react well to an alpha-style mate abduction.”

“Suspecting isn’t enough, Bauther.”

“Last night, she washed her hands, and gave me the chance to smell them. Her scent was faint, but it was there. When I brought her home, my theory was confirmed, and there’s no longer any doubt.”

That was all the information he was getting.

He gave an annoyed growl. “I’ve been trying to find her mate for months, and you’ve been hiding this from me. While she’s been hiding from you.”

“Of course she has. Her life was hell before she came to Wildwood.”

He made a reluctant noise of agreement.

While we both knew how blood wolves were created, he was the only one who had heard the story directly from one of them.

“Why aren’t you with her now, then? You told her she’s yours, didn’t you?” Madd asked.

“No.”