Page 46 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

“He’s already demoted you for going to Nora’s wedding.”

“I disobeyed him.He had to do something.”

“If you disobey him this time, he’llreallyhave to do something.”

“Lehr can’t kill me.”

I raised an eyebrow.“Why not?”

“I’m the better fighter.”He made the statement as if it were an obvious fact.

“Oh my God,” I said, much more comfortable with this conversation.“You’re such a werewolf.You think you’re invincible.”

“Yes, I’m a werewolf and no, I’m not invincible.You destroy me with your touch.”

I groaned.“Stop.”

“Stop what?”The smirk in his voice was downright blatant.

“Stop talking like that.Between your words, your…” I waved at his shirtless chest, “you-ness, and your magic manipulating—”

“I’ve been extremely careful to keep my magic caged.”The atmosphere around us changed again, roughening the air and casting dark shadows across his face.Damn it.I hadn’t meant to offend him.

“Blake.”

“This way.”He jerked his head toward the right.We were still about a hundred yards from the decoy house.He was leading me toward the thick line of brush and small trees that separated the property from the road on the other side.

His strides lengthened.I tried to keep up without jogging but fell a few paces behind until we reached a break in the bushes.Blake held back the one stray tree branch that crossed the path so I could step through.The way he released it behind me said he was still upset I’d accused him of manipulating me with magic.I knew his magnetism affected me some, but I also knew my attraction to him wasn’t due to his werewolf influence.I wanted him inside the Null.I wanted him when he wasn’t anywhere near me.

“Blake.”His name turned into two syllables, the first starting as an apology, the second ending as a drawn-out groan.

Blake’s truck was parked carelessly on the side of the road.I kept hoping it would break down, forcing Blake to drive one of his other cars, but the damn thing clung to life despite the number of pieces that kept falling off it.I kept my thoughts to myself though.I’d asked Blake once why he kept it.He’d replied that it was the only thing he had left from his human life.It was something that meant a lot to him, a memory, and I wasn’t going to insult that.

He opened the passenger door for me, which I appreciated since he had to punch it just right to get it to budge.

“You know this can’t work out.”

“We don’t know that,” he grated out.

“You have to stop coming to The Rain.You need to stay away.”

He gripped the open door with his right hand, the frame of the truck with his left, sandwiching me between his body and the scarred and torn passenger seat.“You don’t think I’ve tried?You defy me.You don’t back down.You interfere in pack matters, and Lehr hates you.My wolf should want to kill you, but he fuckingpranceswhen you’re around.”

Prances?I tried to stop the corner of my mouth from quirking up—shouldhave stopped it given the amount of gold that now shone in Blake’s eyes.

I pressed my lips together, trying to flatten my smile.Too late though.He definitely noticed.

“Get in,” he growled.

I hopped backward onto the seat.

His eyes narrowed.He slipped his arm under my legs, lifted, then plopped me down facing the windshield so he didn’t hit me when he slammed the door.

He walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in behind the wheel.He’d left his keys in their usual place, the small cubby in the dash.He slid the truck’s key into the ignition and turned.

Nothing happened.

Blake turned the key off, then back on.Another pitiful series ofwhirrsfaded off like a sad trombone.