Page 5 of Midnight Bond (Wolves of Midnight #5)

JAGGER

Never in my life had I come so close to disobeying a direct order from my alpha.

There had been times when I’d needed to become Kolton’s voice of reason, but I’d never been tempted to challenge his command without just cause.

Until today.

I’d nearly lost my cool in front of everyone when Brielle had swept by me with her rainbow-colored suitcase in hand. Unable to watch her leave, I’d gone to my room to take a shower. Half an hour later, I was clean, dressed in my usual black garb, and practically crawling out of my skin.

Get mate, a deep gravelly voice growled inside my mind. When I ignored him, my wolf familiar growled more forcefully, GET MATE.

No, I growled back with equal intensity, swiftly putting Onyx in his place before he made me do something stupid.

Like go after her.

The demonic spirit that had turned me into a hybrid snarled quietly at my command.

I tensed in the middle of my bedroom, ready to fight if he tried to wrestle control from me.

He’d tried to at the wedding and had almost won, nearly losing his mind when that arrogant male from Lunar Falls Pack had made it clear he’d wanted Brielle for sex.

I waited for Onyx to challenge me, but when he chose to settle back down with a disgruntled huff, I relaxed my stance and strode for the door. Sensing someone on the other side, I tensed again as I opened it.

When Kolton’s broad form greeted me, I had the sudden urge to puff out my chest. Quickly shoving the feeling down, I made sure my emotions were carefully in check before saying, “You should have warned me. I had a right to know.”

He searched my face in that unflappable way of his before replying, “I know how you’re feeling. I was in your shoes not long ago. But if you’ve chosen to reject the bond, the kindest thing you can do for Brielle right now is give her space so she can move on.”

Onyx reared up again, his howl of protest exploding through our telepathic connection.

I barely flinched, more than prepared for his outburst after an entire year of enduring them.

Hearing Kolton mention the bond felt strange, though.

He and Nora had been there during Brielle’s first shift when I’d let slip that she was my soulmate, but we hadn’t spoken of it since.

I’d asked them not to tell Brielle about the bond, but without her here, Kolton probably felt it was time to give me “the talk.” Only I had no intention of letting him do so.

As soon as Onyx’s howls started to fade, I said to Kolton, “This isn’t about the bond.

She hasn’t been surrounded by humans on her own before, and the full moon is less than two days away.

You know she still struggles to control her wolf, especially when her emotions are heightened.

She’ll be stressed about seeing her parents after the way she left them last year, and her instincts will be amplified.

For her safety and theirs, she shouldn’t have been allowed to leave. ”

Kolton studied me for a long moment, no doubt picking up on my uneven pulse. I’d tried to remain calm, but the thought of her out there all by herself was messing with my instincts.

Just when my patience started to wear thin, Kolton replied, “She’s a free spirit, Jag. Keeping her here against her will would only foster resentment.”

“I don’t care. At least she’ll be safe.”

The words were out before I could stop them. Kolton’s dark amber irises flashed in warning, but he calmly said, “I’m not calling her back. If Brielle needs us, she’ll let us know.”

It took all of my restraint not to reply. Staring at my alpha a moment longer, I finally relented with a curt nod. He studied me for another beat, then nodded in return and stepped back.

“We need a few last-minute items for Thanksgiving dinner before the stores close. I told Griff that you’d join him on an errand run.”

I nodded again, all too aware that his goal was to distract me.

As a male who’d found his own fated mate, Kolton understood better than anyone why I was so agitated.

It didn’t matter that I’d kept Brielle at arm’s length this past year.

The pull to be near her was relentless, and it had only grown stronger over the last several months.

Knowing that I wouldn’t see her for a full twenty-four hours was maddening.

As the day wore on, though, no amount of distraction could keep my agitation at bay.

Even when Nora’s parents joined us for Thanksgiving dinner and the celebrations were underway, I couldn’t relax.

With my meal practically untouched and my mood darker than ever, I made my excuses and retreated to my bedroom.

Hours later, as the house settled into slumber, something terrible happened. Something I never let happen. Something that would fill me with regret the moment I was thinking clearly again.

I gave in to my instincts.

Jumping from my bed, I grabbed the keys to my Porsche and strode from the room. Onyx sat up in excitement, encouraging me onward. I left the house without telling a soul, consequences be damned.

All I could focus on was the need pounding through my body. The instinct that only cared about one thing.

Bringing my mate back home where she belonged.