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Ella wasn’t staying at the castle—he’d purposely got her a home nearby. He needed her safe, but not right under his nose (or was that cock!) where both he and his wolf would be at risk of succumbing to the bond that tugged him to her.

Right now, he wanted to teleport her to his room and strip every inch of clothing from her body. Then take hours exploring her soft creamy skin and let every fucking vampire under the castle roof hear just how well he could make her scream.

Over and over.

Then one more time for good measure.

Shame the rooms all had vampire noise protection.

But unfortunately, Mack hadn’t been able to ignore Craig’s order. While not an official member of the SLC team—or the king's army—he still had to obey. That’s how a military structure worked. Everyone had to play by the same rules.

“What did you do to my mate?” Craig growled as Mack strode into the room.

It was almost empty.

“Where’s the fire? The meeting doesn’t start for ten more minutes?” Mack glanced around, noting the clock on the wall.

Craig crossed his arms as Brayden, Ari, and the king walked in via a side door. “Bri said you were upsetting her?”

Mack rolled his eyes, and the commander’s brows slowly lifted right to the top of his head.

Probably shouldn’t piss him off.

“I had a friend with me, and they took off with her. Your mate just manipulated you.” Mack shrugged.

The brow stayed where it was.

Then dipped.

Finally, the big male’s arms dropped to his side.

“Jesus fucking Christ. Fucking females.” Craig’s eyes snapped to him. “Repeat that, and I’ll rip your head off. Slowly.”

Mack held up his hands and laughed.

“Never heard a thing. But I need to make sure Ella gets home. I’ve set her up in a house nearby,” Mack admitted, wondering if he could do a quick teleport or two and then head back before the meeting started.

He had no idea where they had taken her so that it would slow things down.

“If Brianna took Ella under her wing, and if Willow has been introduced already, you’ve lost her forever buddy. Sorry. My condolences.”

“Jesus Christ.”

Mack flopped down into a chair. The girl gang seemed to adopt new females like they were running a damn ASPCA shelter.

“You talking about your girl?” Ari asked, propping open his laptop and connecting it to the technology.

The fuck, Ari!Ella wasn’t his girl. Well, she was, but she couldn’t be, and he’d just explained all of that to the ancient vampire earlier.

Craig and Brayden paid close attention as he physically recoiled. “No! She’s just a family friend. We grew up together.”

Mack pulled out his phone all,whatever,and sent her a text. There was no time to go hunting around the castle for her.

Go back to the house, Ella. I’ll see you tomorrow.

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