Page 23

EMME

H unter caught up to me in the entryway and drew me to a halt by wrapping his left hand around my waist. His right hand slid up to encase my throat, claiming me, as he tilted my head back to meet his gaze.

Hunger and heat pulsed from the alpha, and for the first time since I was taken, a flutter of arousal heated my core. My breaths quickened as my tongue darted out to slide across my dry lips, and Hunter followed every movement with predatory focus.

“If you need me, little omega,” he murmured, his scent stronger as he leaned closer, “just call out. I will be there in a heartbeat.”

His fingers flexed, and no one could have missed the low moan that slipped out from between my lips. A pleased expression flickered at the edges of Hunter’s features. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight. My wolf wants to claim you again.”

Our bond pulsed as his need filtered through to me, and the tingles in his bite weakened my legs.

“I’d like that too,” I said, desperate to erase the last memories I had of being claimed.

“I know I’m a mess at the moment, but I feel like I’m starting to work my way through it. There’s a faint light in the darkness.”

“You’re doing just fucking fine,” he told me, a rasp of truth in those words.

With a groaned huff, he leaned in and pressed his lips against mine, and I opened for him without hesitation, needing to taste him. It was a soft touch at first, but Hunter’s dominance soon pushed him to take control. His tongue slid into my mouth, eliciting a whimper from me.

Neither of us were bothered that our pack watched. If anything, I was more relaxed with them there. By the time he pulled away, pressing a few lingering kisses to my lips, his hand flexing around my throat, I felt grounded and calm. The calmest I’d been in days.

“I needed that,” I murmured, shaking my head to clear the drugging arousal holding me captive. “But we might want to wait a few minutes before we question Talon.”

“Great work, Hunt,” Kellan teased from the kitchen doorway, his grin lighting up my fucking world. “You’ve got our girl smelling like a candy shop again, and no time for us to indulge in our favorite sweet.”

Finley, who’d been silently perched beside him, released a rumbly, scoffing sound, and I braced myself for his remark. “Speak for yourself, Golden. I’ve got all the time in the world right now.”

My world ground to a halt, and I swear even the snow falling softly outside the windows of the kitchen slowed. Did he just…?

Kellan turned in the jerkiest of motions to gawk at his brother. “Did you just say…? You’re just saying inside thoughts out loud now? That’s fucking amazing! Don’t forget what I told you about the two presents, okay? Do not combine them! ”

I squint-glared at Kellan, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

Presents? Christmas presents?

It hadn’t escaped my notice that there were decorations around the house, and I’d found myself enjoying moments by the huge, pine-scented tree, decorated and filling one corner of the living room. But no one had mentioned presents.

More importantly, what was going on with Finley Thornton and his new personality? “I only hit your balls when I took you down, right?” I asked, crossing my arms. “You didn’t hit your head as well?”

Hunter let out an amused rumble, and even Slade cracked a smile. Finley met my gaze with a look I could only describe as determination mixed with a hint of desire.

“Look, I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again…

when you were taken from us, Emme, my entire perspective changed.

I stopped fighting the bond and started embracing it, because I need you in my life .

More than that, I want you in my life.” His eyes bored into me, and I was sucked into their velvety depths.

“I want this bond, and everything it entails.”

My insides swirled and tingled, and my chest ached like it was caving in. As much as I loved hearing that declaration, it didn’t erase everything that had happened. The chasm remained between us, and it would take more than pretty words to fill it.

“While I appreciate that sentiment,” I said, forcing my voice not to waver, even as my wolf screamed at me.

“I can’t just forget everything that has happened between us.

My feelings and trust in this relationship were damaged.

My feelings and trust in you are damaged.

If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure we can come back from this, Finley. ”

Even knowing I had to put the truth out there, and if his delicate feelings couldn’t handle it then he was only proving my point, I still internally cringed and braced myself for his sharp reply.

But Finley surprised me for the second time in as many minutes.

“You’re absolutely right—I fucked up badly.

Your rejection hurt me, but instead of being mature and giving you a chance to get to know us like my brothers did, I set out to push you away before you could leave me.

It was an emotionally stunted response, and I regret the way I acted.

I’m so sorry for the way I acted. You’ve told me before that it was my past trauma I was truly mad at, and you were right, Ice . You were right.”

A fucking light breeze could have knocked me over. I stared at him, trying to understand how he could take his previously nasty nickname and make it sound so soft and loving.

“How will you fix this, then?” Hunter interjected, while I mentally floundered.

Again, there was no hesitation from Finley.

“I’m going to ensure that I’m the shifter Emme deserves.

” His gaze never left mine, and I was so disconcerted by the weight of his sorrowful eyes that I almost crumbled.

“I will prove my worth, and I will embrace our true family when I know I am worthy of it.”

While I stared at this body snatched version of Finley, Kellan clapped his hands like a proud father and darted forward to hug his pack mate. “I knew you’d sort yourself out,” he crowed, holding on tighter when Finley tried to shake him off.

The bear eventually gave up and accepted the hug, patting Kellan’s back a little harder than was necessary. “Early days yet,” he murmured, but we all heard him.

For me, I was reserving judgment, but there was a stronger part now that hoped this was a true turning point for us. I could do nothing more than wait and see what the future held.

For Finley and Talon. For our whole quintet or sextet or whatever we ended up forming.

Slade, who’d remained quiet during Finley’s revelations, finally spoke up: “We need to deal with the prisoner.” His flat, frustrated tone had a new set of worries creeping in—Slade was retreating from us. From the bond.

Hunter must have had the same thought, as he dropped a final kiss on my cheek, nudging me in his brother’s direction.

“You two go and see if you can get any useful information out of the asshole while the rest of us continue threatening everyone we know until one of those fuckers tracks down Fletcher, the Termaine witches, the Sorenson pack, and anyone else involved.”

I paused, having missed any updates in my week of baking. “There’s been nothing on any of them since we returned? No sign at all?”

“Not a fucking hair sighted,” Hunter rumbled, his eyes filled with storm clouds. “We can only assume they’re all being protected by magic, which hinders our ability to track them.”

Swallowing roughly, I fought down the anger pulsing in my core. Ever since Chelsea had stolen my will and delivered me to Fletcher, I’d been trying to understand her motives.

“There’re so few of us left in the world,” I bit out with a scowl.

“Omegas were rare to start with, and Fletcher has helped inch us close to extinction. For another omega to betray us… Even if she was trying to keep her pack safe, there’s no excuse.

And where are they now? My bet is Fletcher was lying to her all along, and he took her anyway. ”

Which was the least she deserved, and I only felt a slight pang that her pack had gotten caught up in her deception.

Hunter shrugged, as if it didn’t give a shit either way.

“If they’re with Fletcher, they want to hope he keeps them hidden forever.

Once I get my hands on the Sorenson pack, they’re all going to die.

There’s no fucking explanation that could make what happened right. ”

Slade grunted his agreement, and I heard Kellan’s, “Fuck yes,” along with Finley’s nod—all the alphas were on the same page about this.

“You don’t think Soren and his pack deserve any grace?” I found myself asking, and I couldn’t figure out why since I was pissed off with them too. “I mean, you’d run to protect me, right?”

Hunter snarled, the harsh, menacing sound ringing out through the room.

“I would do whatever it took to protect you. Run, fight, end life as we know it on this planet. And if you were slated to die for your actions, I’d fight in front of you and die before you.

But I already know I wouldn’t have to deal with that, because you’d never make the same choices as Chelsea.

You have integrity, and you would have fought at her side. ”

Heat filled the entryway as Slade and his dragon joined the conversation. “I agree,” he said shortly. “Now, let’s get down to the containment room and Talon. We’re wasting time by letting that fucker recover.”

Recover . That didn’t sound good.

Slade, all decked out in enforcer gear, was a great distraction, but I hadn’t missed the smears of blood on his arms and face. Had he been interrogating Talon for most of the week?

None of the alphas stopped us again as Slade led me down into the garage, and I wondered if we had to drive to these containment rooms. I’d been certain Talon was in the house, considering how relaxed our bond felt.

Not that it mattered, since I trusted Slade implicitly, and if he led, I would follow.

“How are you handling all these new revelations?” I asked as we moved between the cars.

There was no response until he grunted. “And what revelation are you referring to, Emmeline?” When my full name spilled from the harsh lines of his lips, I swallowed hard.

He was even angrier than I’d realized. “The revelation that when I left the cameras off during your prank, so I could experience it without any spoilers, it resulted in you being kidnapped and forcibly bonded. Or are you referring to the revelation that the shifter who forcibly bonded you wears my fucking face? A shifter who was clearly the call I felt to return to my place of birth all those years ago, and he was out there plotting against us the whole time.” His breaths grew heavier, and I was sweating from the heat in the air.

“Or maybe it’s the revelation that if I hadn’t stopped Hunter from tearing Fletcher into pieces years ago, you wouldn’t be crumbling inside.

” There was another pause, and I searched desperately for what to say to reassure him that none of this was his fault.

“I promised I would keep you safe,” he continued, “and then you were taken under my watch and hurt worse than ever. There’s not much I can say about how I’m handling all of these revelations . ”

It was one of the longest speeches I’d ever heard from him, and every single revelation broke my heart.

Slade picked up the pace, as if he could prevent me from responding by simply getting the heck away from me, but he was sadly mistaken.

I started running to keep up. “We need to talk about this,” I called toward his broad shoulders.

“None of what happened is your fault, and I’m not sure it’s fully Talon’s either. ”

His grunting response didn’t clue me in on what he thought of that, but he didn’t sound happy.

There was no time for me to force more conversation, as he paused before a slightly raised panel near the back of the garage.

I’d never noticed it before, blending almost seamlessly into the wall, but it was clearly a door.

There was no handle, just a keypad, and I covertly watched the code Slade entered for access.

A whoosh followed, as if it were pressure sealed, then the panel slid into the wall.

Slade entered without a word, and I followed, breathing in new scents that weren’t connected to the garage.

I got hints of maple and metal. The hallway was white and shiny, giving the impression of a sterile environment, and lights flickered to life as we crossed under them, until we finally stepped into a large room with a barred area along one wall.

“This was designed to contain a dragon,” Slade said, gesturing for me to step to his side.

I moved cautiously, searching for Talon in the barred-off section of the larger room.

A shadow moved from the back of the cell, and when Talon stepped into the light, his expression was hard until he noticed me beside Slade.

The moment I met his dark eyes, he slammed against the bars, his hands clutching them as he locked in on me like a predator.

It had been a week since I’d last seen him, and my wolf howled while the bite on my shoulder pulsed. Talon’s maple scent amplified until I was drowning in it, and when Slade twitched beside me, I knew it was in response to my chocolate and honey tones swelling to match Talon’s scent.

“Scent match,” I breathed, unable to help myself.

I’d had the thought we might be when I first scented him strongly, but this moment here cemented it. Now that my wolf had returned and was back to full strength, her bond with Talon had strengthened too, and there was no denying it any longer. We were also a scent match.

How was it possible, though, and what did this mean for the quintet?