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CHAPTER FIVE

CLAIRE

For the first time tonight, I realize how stupid I’ve been.

I got in the car with a total stranger without telling anyone where I was going. A very good-looking stranger, but still. This guy could be a serial killer for all I know. We’re parked in some kind of underground garage that looks as though it was built into the mountain itself.

Sebastian gets out, and I hastily unbuckle. Shadow emits a low growl as the wolf shifter takes his carrier out, looking none too pleased.

“I don’t think your cat likes me,” my rescuer observes as he carries Shadow toward a steel-plated door equipped with a keypad. My eyes dart around the garage, which is sparsely furnished with a few shelves and surveillance cameras in every corner.

Sebastian punches in a code, and I hear the heavy clunk of the deadbolt being drawn back into the lock .

“It’s not you,” I say, rubbing my arms nervously. “Shadow has some . . . trauma. His previous owner kept pit bulls for dog fights, and he trained them to be really aggressive. Half of Shadow’s left ear had been ripped off when he was dumped at the animal shelter. His wounds were so bad that the vet there didn’t think he’d make it. But Shadow is a fighter . . . He just doesn’t like dogs.”

“Or wolves, apparently,” says Sebastian dryly, turning over his shoulder and tossing me a crooked smile that makes my stomach flip-flop. “I won’t take it personally.”

Sebastian leads me out of the garage, and my shoes scuff on polished concrete floors. Lights wink on automatically, and it takes my eyes a moment to adjust.

I’m standing in a kitchen with an enormous island that looks as though it was carved from one gigantic block of marble. Chic dark cabinets frame the space, and the open floor plan leads into a gorgeous great room dominated by a stone hearth that stretches all the way to the vaulted ceiling. There’s a comfortable-looking leather couch, a sleek coffee table, and little else.

Other than the section of the room with the fireplace, the entire first floor is wall-to-wall glass. He must have incredible views.

“Wow,” I breathe. “Your place is amazing.”

Sebastian lifts one shoulder in a blasé shrug. “I have a very sought-after decorator. ”

I shake my head in disbelief. This is easily the nicest house I’ve ever set foot in.

“The toilet’s just through there . . . dining room’s around the corner. Study through there.” His tone is casual as he orients me, but there’s tension in his glorious body I didn’t notice before.

He seems . . . self-conscious. Nervous, even — as though it really matters to him what I think of his house.

“What should I do with Shadow?”

Sebastian’s mouth twitches in a grimace, which he quickly hides. “He can . . . make himself at home. I’ll bring in his shit box in a moment.”

I press my lips together to hold back a laugh. It’s obvious that my big, bad wolf is not a cat person, and yet he’s opened his home to me and Shadow. There’s a tiny, hopeful part of me that wants to read into that, but I know better than to think this gorgeous man wants anything to do with a sad, lost girl who’s knocked up with Dane’s baby.

“He’d probably do better in a smaller space like a bathroom. That’ll give him a chance to get acclimated to the sounds and smells here.”

A look of relief flashes across Sebastian’s face, and he obligingly takes Shadow into the bathroom and sets his carrier on the tile. He steps out of the room to let me by, and Shadow hisses as I open the door to his crate.

“You’re safe here,” I say softly, more to myself than the cat .

Shadow stops hissing but remains curled in the back of his crate.

Coming out of the bathroom, I feel a prickle of awkwardness dance over my skin. Sebastian is a complete stranger, and yet he invited me into his home. If he’s not a serial killer, it’s incredibly generous of him. And if he is, well, I never thought my murderer would be so . . . beautiful .

His face is all sculpted angles, further accentuated by choppy black locks that are just long enough to fall into his eyes. His sharp jawline is shadowed by stubble, and he’s got a pair of full, lush lips that look way too kissable.

Those deep-blue eyes flare when they see me, and Sebastian clears his throat. “That’s all for the main floor. I’ll show you upstairs to your room.”

My room . For some reason, I get a little burst of disappointment that I won’t be sharing his bed. It’s crazy considering I waited over a month to sleep with Dane, and even that felt like a big decision.

It’s got to be the pregnancy hormones making me want to climb this man like a tree.

Following Sebastian up the metal staircase, I can’t help gaping at the gorgeous artwork that adorns the walls. I don’t know anything about fine art — only that these pieces look like originals.

My gaze snags on the portrait of a man whose face is scrunched in misery. Velvety shadows engulf his features in broad paint strokes, as if he’s drowning in the darkness .

Sebastian leads me to the room at the very end of the hallway, and my jaw drops when I walk inside. Like the main level, the far wall is floor-to-ceiling glass. A king bed with a minimalist canopy frame is situated opposite a huge stone fireplace that’s a smaller version of the one in the great room.

Sebastian touches a button on the wall, and a fire crackles to life.

I shake my head in disbelief and wander into the en suite bathroom, where a cream-colored stone soaking tub is positioned in front of another giant window.

I groan aloud at the sight of the tub. Already this pregnancy is giving me weird aches and pains, and my crappy apartment only has a shower. A warm bath sounds like heaven.

“This is . . .” I grope for the right words but can’t manage to find them. “ Thank you .”

“Don’t mention it,” he says, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. “Make yourself at home.”

“Oh.” I slap a hand to my forehead as the realization hits me. “I forgot to pack a bag.”

I’d been so out of sorts from Dane showing up that it hadn’t even occurred to me. I did, however, remember Shadow’s litter box, bed, and food dish.

“Don’t worry, love. I can lend you some things. Why don’t you run a nice hot bath while I make us something to eat? I’ll leave a change of clothes for you on the bed.”

I nod mutely, my shoulders sagging with relief and gratitude. He must think I’m such a mess. I have no idea why he’s being so nice to me, but I decide not to question it.

Sebastian backs out of the room, and for a long moment, I just stand there, staring out the huge window at the shadowy trees beyond.

I should be horrified that my ex is a shifter. I should be terrified that I’m alone in the mountains with a man who can transform into a giant wolf. And yet, for the first time in months, I feel absolutely safe.

SEBASTIAN

My wolf whines at the prospect of leaving Claire all alone, but my angel has been through enough for one night. She needs some time to relax and unwind so that she can feel safe again.

I want her to feel safe with me, but she doesn’t know me. Not yet.

My blood boils at the thought of Murphy hurting her. I’m going to kill that motherfucker.

Pulling on my boots, I follow the lighted path out to my shed, which is just a small outbuilding that I’ve converted into an office. Pressing my thumb to the pad outside the door, I turn the handle and walk inside.

The low lights flip on behind my monitors, and I’m greeted by the cheerful blink of my servers. Even without the heater running, it’s pleasantly warm inside my shed, thanks to the heat generated by my setup .

I wiggle my mouse, and all the monitors flicker to life. Along one wall, screens display security feeds for every room in my house. On the opposite side, lines of code wiggle across a black background.

Before I left Claire’s place, I made sure her ancient laptop was open and oriented toward the main living space. She was running an outdated version of her operating system, and it was pitifully easy to gain access to her webcam.

It’s dark inside her dreary flat. It doesn’t look as though Murphy has been there since we left, but I’ll continue to monitor the feed.

I’m furious with myself for letting him slip through my fingers — even more so after hearing Claire’s story. There’s no way I’m letting her go back to her place until I’ve caught the bastard.

My wolf doesn’t ever want to let her go.

It’s a strange feeling for someone like me, who’s designed every facet of my life to minimize human contact. My pack brothers are the only people I can stand to be around for more than a few minutes. Until today.

The second I laid eyes on Claire, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my days getting to know her. I want — no, need — to have her in my life. I want to learn everything about this woman — what movies she likes, how she takes her tea, what she sounds like when she comes . . .

Having her in my home and not being able to touch her is pure fucking torture. All I wanted to do the second she walked through the door was take her up to my bed, peel off her clothes, and spend the next several days exploring every inch of her creamy skin.

My cock swells at the thought of Claire sprawled across my sheets, those soft blond curls fanned out behind her as I sink deep inside her warm, wet —

Just then, a flicker of movement on one of the feeds captures my attention. It’s the camera in the guest bedroom — Claire’s bedroom.

My beautiful girl is undressing for her bath. Her light-blond hair is still plaited down her bare back, and I groan as I imagine wrapping my hand around it and tugging her head back as she rides me. I’d suck one of those gorgeous nipples into my mouth and—

I shut off the monitor before she turns around and gives me another visual for that fantasy.

This isn’t why I brought Claire here. I brought her here to protect her from predators like Murphy. I brought her here so that she would feel safe.

It doesn’t seem right to start our relationship by spying on her through a computer screen. Besides, the first time my angel bares herself to me completely, I want to be able to do more than just watch.

You can’t be serious , says a voice in my head. She’ll never go for a monster like you .

She went for Murphy , I snap back. Clearly her taste in males isn’t all that discerning.

And even though I shouldn’t, I find myself hoping she’ll make one more mistake by falling for someone like me.