Page 12 of Tempting the Wolf (Rebellious Mates #1)

Three dead wolf shifters lay inside his cabin, and the High Council would inevitably demand answers. His father was still expecting him to eliminate the human witness. Yet in this moment, with Maya's steady heartbeat against his skin, Kieran had never felt more certain of anything in his life.

She's mine to protect. Mine to keep. My mate.

He brushed a strand of red hair from her delicate face, marveling at how quickly she'd become essential to him. The mate bond had taken root deeply, twining through his soul with an intensity that left no room for doubt.

Kieran shifted slightly, wincing as his healing wounds pulled. The injuries were nearly gone—far faster than normal, even for a shifter. Maya stirred against him, those intelligent green eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze.

"I'm still amazed you're still here," he murmured, a hint of wonder in his voice.

She stretched against him, seemingly unconcerned by their proximity or his nakedness beneath the woolen blanket. "Where else would I be? You're the most fascinating specimen I've ever encountered."

"Specimen?" Kieran raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a predatory smile. "Is that all I am to you, Dr. Collins? A research subject?"

A delicious blush colored her cheeks. "I didn't mean?—"

"I know exactly what you meant." He cut her off with a finger to her lips, savoring the way her pulse quickened at his touch. "And I think we both know now, I'm more than just data for your journals."

Maya sat up, tugging the blanket around herself. Her breath caught when she saw his nearly healed wounds. "Your wounds look significantly better. The accelerated healing is so remarkable."

"I agree," Kieran said, stretching his powerful frame, unashamed of his nakedness as he stood. He felt her eyes tracking the movement of his muscles. "I need to make some calls. We need reinforcements."

She averted her gaze as he moved toward the small dresser. "Is that really necessary?"

"Three dead Granite Ridge wolf shifters in my cabin? Absolutely." He pulled on a pair of dark jeans, watching her from the corner of his eye. "I need people I can trust."

Maya hugged her knees to her chest, suddenly looking small and vulnerable. "More wolf shifters?"

"My brother and my Beta, maybe a few others," Kieran confirmed, noting how her shirt—what remained of it after she'd torn strips for his bandages—hung in tatters. "You need a new shirt. Here."

He tossed her one of his black t-shirts, watching with satisfaction as she caught it one-handed.

"Turn around," she instructed, her chin lifted in defiance.

Kieran's wolf bristled at the command, but he found himself complying, amused by her boldness. The rustle of fabric behind him sent his imagination into overdrive.

"I need to check your wounds before you get fully dressed," she said once she'd changed.

His t-shirt swallowed her smaller frame, hanging to mid-thigh and sliding off one shoulder. The sight of her in his clothing triggered something primal—a need to scent-mark and claim.

"Be my guest." He sat on the edge of the bed, presenting his shoulder to her.

Maya's touch was clinical at first as she peeled away the makeshift bandages, but Kieran caught the slight tremor in her fingers when she applied more of the healing salve she'd found in his cabinet.

"This should have taken weeks to heal," she murmured, her scientific mind warring with disbelief. "It's almost gone."

"Perks of being what I am." Kieran caught her wrist before she could pull away. "Thank you, Maya. Not just for this—" he gestured to his wounds, "—but for trying to secure the cabin. The window, the door. Smart thinking."

Her eyes widened slightly at the praise. "I wasn't sure it would hold, but it seemed logical to create some barriers."

"Logical and brave," he corrected, pulling on a navy henley that stretched across his shoulders. "Most humans would be catatonic after what you've seen."

"I'm not most humans." The defiance in her voice delighted him.

"No," Kieran agreed, reaching for his phone. "You certainly aren't."

He dialed Damon's number first, his mind already mapping out contingencies. His Beta answered on the first ring.

"Sir."

"I need you at my cabin. Bring Malcolm for sure, maybe a few others you trust." Kieran kept his voice level, his eyes on Maya as she busied herself straightening the sparse cabin. "We have a situation."

"The human witness?" Damon's voice remained neutral.

"And three dead Granite Ridge wolves." Kieran watched Maya freeze at his words. "I'll explain when you get here."

He ended the call and crossed to where Maya stood, her back rigid with tension. Without hesitation, he placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

"You have my word, no harm will come to you," he promised, his voice dropping to a growl. "Anyone who tries will answer to me."

She studied his face, those remarkable eyes searching for deception. "Why? Why risk everything for me?"

The truth burned in his throat—mine, forever—but he swallowed it back. There would be time for that revelation.

"Because some things are worth fighting for," he said instead, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "Now, let's clean up this place before my reinforcements arrive."