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Greyson Blackwood

Wolves hunt for what they want, what they need. Wolf shifters also hunt when they need to. But what no one can get through your skull is that it’s fruitless to hunt for your fated mate. No matter how much you want to find her.

I now know it’s because your mate’s scent doesn’t trickle in. It slams into you. A sledgehammer strikes, the scent assaulting you, and it changes everything.

This is what’s happening to me now. The woman who attempted to murder Tyson Savage? The one poisoning us? She’s mine.

One minute I’m feeling relieved at the news Tyson’s flesh spit the bullet out and that he’s completely fine while I gear up to go back in and further interrogate the waitress from the diner. But the next minute, something in the air shifts and the onslaught of scent underneath the gunpowder takes over, slamming into my senses and making one thing clear as my world slants on its axis. I need to get her out of that cell, away from all other males, and into my bed.

Not only will Riley Savage finally get to face my cousin Erica Young tonight, but I’ll also take my own mate.

And shocker… yet another complicated mating for a council alpha.

Because after things got untangled between Mason and Tyson with the Brennan sisters, not only did Riley’s wayward mate show up, but my mate is here, too. She’s the one who’s been poisoning our pack, who shot Ty in cold blood.

This pretty, frightened little thing with the mass of dark, wavy hair and big, haunted, brandy-colored eyes? She belongs to me.

I sensed something was weird with her scent a few minutes ago, but standing outside the town hall it hit me as it intensified, and I immediately knew what it was. Whatever she masked herself with has worn off entirely and I now smell her. Her scent has filled my senses and become stronger than the gun powder. It smells stronger and better than any scent I’ve ever taken in.

She smells like warmth. Like comfort. Fresh baked goods. Like sex. And like she’s mine . This is the female who will give me pups. I need to claim her as soon as possible.

I was barely able to get the words out of my mouth to Joel about the knowledge that the change in the air is her true scent, and what it meant when I saw Riley moving toward the van across the street. He wasn’t the only one with a mission. I argued with Joel for a few minutes about my need to take her home and then I couldn’t stand there and argue anymore because I needed to get to her.

***

“Lily,” I breathe as I slip into the cell and pocket the key.

“I’m not speaking to anyone about anything. I’m sorry. I just… I can’t.” She gets to her feet.

This is the first time she’s said anything other than the thank you she gave me for my shirt.

Her fear scent is intensifying. And it strikes me as wrong. It strikes me as a problem I need to fix immediately. My destined mate is afraid of me. She plasters herself against the wall as I advance.

She’s in my t-shirt, covered by my scent. That’s the only thing that’s right about this situation. Her in bare feet, in this damp and cold cell? The fear in her eyes and in her blood, tainting her fragrance? That’s wrong. And it’s my job to fix it.

She didn’t strike me earlier as evil. As murderous. As a murderess. As someone who poisons patrons’ food. Not at all.

She struck me as a shy, softspoken, pretty little thing with beautiful eyes, small and perky tits, long legs, and a whole lot of thick, shiny hair.

As I take her in, I’m now thinking about fisting the length of her silky brown hair while she takes my cock. My mark. My knot.

My cock aches at the notion.

“What now?” she asks in a small, timid voice, not making eye contact.

She’s sensing the shifting mood in the air, too.

“Yet another curveball thrown by fate,” I say, advancing.

She’d back up further if she wasn’t already against a concrete wall.

“Huh?” she tries to shrink further.

“I smell your true scent.”

“I figured,” she whispers, like it’s the worst thing in the world.

Her chin trembles.

I shake my head. “Not just that you’re a wolf shifter, I can smell you. You .”

Tiny lines appear over the bridge of her nose.

“Me?”

“Yeah,” I breathe, the toes of my shoes meeting her small, bare feet. “I smell you, your inner wolf. I smell who you really are and more importantly, who you are to me .”

I reach out and she flinches as I fist that hair gently. It’s even silkier than it looks. I use it to tip her head so that she’s looking at my face.

“What’s your name?” I demand, staring deep into her eyes.

Now I don’t just smell her fear, I taste it on my tongue. I taste how wrong it is. My mate shouldn’t fear me.

Fuck, she’s not just pretty. She’s beautiful. The depth in her brandy-colored eyes has me in a chokehold.

“I can’t tell you anything,” she says and fuck, but her mouth is luscious, too.

“You need to tell me,” I manage, jeans feeling snugger in the crotch. So snug, they just might split.

“Why?” she asks, eyes pivoting away from my face.

“Because you’re mine.”

“I’m…” The frown lines deepen, and her eyes connect with mine again.

I can’t wait to press my body against hers, to touch her naked flesh. To sink inside, watching her eyes as I do. To give her the mate mark, give her my knot, my seed. Fuck, my cock is so painfully hard.

“You’re meant to be mine. And that’s what you’re about to become. So that said, it’s important you tell me everything. Now.”

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her tight to me. Yes. This .

“I’m Greyson Blackwood,” I say. “I’ll be your protector, the one you’ll fall asleep with and wake up to for the rest of your days.”

Her eyes flash with shock.

“I’ll give you pups, shelter, feed, and care for you. I’ll also make sure I make you feel good all over every single day for the rest of your life. Tell me your name.”

Her mouth drops open, but she doesn’t say anything.

I continue, “Me and our pack will be your circle, we’ll love you and make sure you have a good life. You’ll love us and contribute to making sure we’re all having a good life, too. This is a large pack, but every member matters.”

Her large eyes grow even wider.

“What?” she whispers.

I watch her pupils dilate and half-expect arousal to hit my nose.

I only smell fear. Her body is trembling.

“Don’t be afraid of me,” I command. “Let’s go.” I grab her hand and pull her out of the cell.

My senses have sharpened. I feel her heartbeat. I smell everything about her. Her shampoo. Her soap. My gums throb right now, and I know it’s because my wolf wants to taste her, mark her. Find out what her arousal smells like. There’s buzzing in my blood, as if it’s carbonating. I need her home. Now.

“But…” she starts, but lets it hang.

“I’ll get the answers I need. And give you whatever answers you need. After I claim you.”

“Wh-what?”

“After I knot and mark you, you’ll tell me everything.”

“Wait. What?”

She’s confused. Adorably so.

We climb the stairs.

“I think… either you’re joking, or you’re trying to trick me,” she states.

“Neither,” I deny.

“I was sent here to kill the black wolf with the green eyes. To get information, to weaken your pack. Not to be your...” She lets that hang.

“Like I said, yet another of fate’s curveballs.” I pull her along with me heading for the exit.

“But…” I see her staring into the library with wide eyes.

“Those curveballs have been bouncing around a lot here lately. It’ll work out. Let’s go, Lily.”

“My name isn’t Lily.”

“What is it?”

She shakes her head.

I see Linc and Joel and my body goes rigid.

“Out of my way,” I order, feeling hostility. Because they’re blocking the door and looking like they want to stop me.

This is not typical. Me being hostile. But that’s how it goes, so they say, and I can see why. They’re in my way. I need to get her home and claim her. They’re blocking my exit. They stand between me and my bed.

They’re alphas. They’re threats.

No . My brain halts. Not threats. My pack council co-alphas. My brothers by fate if not by blood. But they’re in my way.

“Greyson?” Joel calls out. “She shot Ty. She’s gotta be who poisoned Gus, Cade, and Lor. You know what you’re doing here, bro? You sure about this?”

Jase steps inside and looks right at me. Surprise registers on his face, but I know he knows with one look what’s going on here.

“She’s mine!” I clip. “She’s coming home with me.”

“She’s dangerous,” Joel warns.

I lean in and I’m growling in Joel’s face.

Her small hand starts to quake in my grip.

“Whoa. Let’s calm down,” Linc tries to diffuse the situation.

“Let’s get the fuck out of my way,” I offer an alternative.

“Grey. Buddy…” Jase tries. “Be reasonable. She tried to murder Ty. She’s obviously the one who poisoned the other guys. She’s–” He gestures to her.

“Mine is what she is. I already told these guys. Either I take her home with me or I stay here in that cell with her tonight and claim her there.”

I don’t want their eyes on her. I don’t want her scent in their nostrils. Yeah, these are my pack brothers, like real brothers to me. But this woman is my mate, and nobody belongs near her now. I need to claim her. Mark her. Take her home. Cover her with my scent. Fill her with it. Away from all other males.

“Claim me?” she whispers, sounding horrified.

My eyes dart to her face. She’s absolutely terrified.

And now her eyes widen. “Your eyes are glowing. They’re like… like… molten mercury,” she whispers.

I lean in and inhale her skin at her throat. “Time to get you alone so I can light you up, too, Blossom.”

She gulps down a swallow as her eyes widen further.

I turn to the guys. “This is not negotiable. Either I take her home or you lock us in. But if you do that and make me claim my mate on that cold, dirty floor downstairs for the first time, I won’t forget it.”

“Greyson,” Linc touches my arm. “What if she–”

I lean forward and snarl, “Take a vote! Decide. Because I need to claim my mate. Now.”

“Holy cow,” she whispers. “I think you’re confused.”

“I’m not,” I vow.

“Maybe because my scent was disguised. I… I dabbled with some potions and–”

“You’re mine,” I state. “Every cell in my body knows it.”

“Maybe you’re confused,” she whispers again, eyes bouncing to the other guys and then hitting the floor.

Absolutely not.

“Wh-what do I smell like to you guys?” she asks timidly, eyes pointed at her feet.

“You smell like you’re Grey’s,” Linc answers firmly while pointing his eyes at me. “Smell the gunpowder stronger outside now. There’s a mild trail. Want me to hit it, brother? Find the gun?”

“Yeah,” I say, grateful for the way he answered her. If I’d seen any of their noses twitch I might have lost it.

“I’ll report back,” Linc says.

“I’ll reach out when I’m ready. I’ll be busy. Unless you all insist I’m staying in that cell. Am I stayin’ or goin’?” I demand.

None of them look like they want to stop me from leaving.

Good. I really don’t want the first time I claim my woman to be in that cell. Though if it were the only option, I’d have no choice but to take it.

They move out of my way, and I scoop my trembling, barefoot mate into my arms and walk past them.