Page 38 of The Bodyguard and the Alpha (Witch Twins #2)

Bastien

My nostrils were filled with my mate’s luscious scent. Soon she would have her magic back. I hoped that would help her mood. I could protect myself and her—in fact, my instincts demanded it— but it was clear that she still thought it was her job to protect me.

We would protect each other. It was what mates did.

She would stand by my side. Together we would be the strongest partnership ever.

Even stronger than my parents. Maybe in time, Luc and Caly would be such a powerful pair, once Caly was fully trained.

But my little Pixie had been using her powers for almost twenty years and she was the strongest Witch in two hundred years.

I was so fucking proud of her and I would make sure she knew that every single day.

But first, the manacles.

I focused my attention on the metal that remained on her slender wrist. I hated to cause her pain, but there was no way to get the manacles off without hurting her. But she hadn’t complained when her delicate skin shredded.

She is tough . The man inside me approved.

She is , I purred.

But the feelings I sensed down the bond told me she was conflicted.

Since my little Pixie had demanded that I remove her manacles, her emotions had become chaotic.

I knew that her body wanted me, I could smell the scent of her arousal.

I knew that if I reached into her panties, that her sweet cunt would be wet and ready for me.

That wasn’t the problem. The problem lay in her mind.

One moment I could sense that she yearned for me the way I yearned for her.

The next, she was withdrawing, trying to put distance between us.

Literally. She asked me to move away from my place between her sweet thighs.

When I did as she bid, her mind filled with doubt and confusion.

Suppressing a growl of frustration, I checked that the manacle was firmly gripped by the vise.

The sooner I got these damn manacles off her, the sooner I could take her to bed and worship her.

Whatever dark thoughts she’d allowed to fester in that big brain of hers would scatter like sparks from a bonfire when I made her scream my name.

Over and over. Until she thought of nothing but being mine.

Whatever was holding her back, causing her to doubt our mate bond, I would eliminate it.

Utterly and completely. There was no other option.

My little Pixie was mine. Claimed and bitten. Nothing would keep us apart.

As I bent my head back to the task, the fine hairs at the back of my neck lifted.

When had the birds outside stopped their calls?

Showing no outward sign of my awareness that something might be wrong, I extended my senses, listening for any sounds that didn’t belong here, pulling in scents with my sensitive nostrils.

But after several moments, nothing unusual was apparent. The scents in the garage were cold concrete, the perfume of my mate, scat from the mice that live in the walls. Pulling in the smell of snow from outside, there were no signs of intruders anywhere close.

One more manacle, then I would do a full perimeter sweep, and my mate would have her pre-cog again, giving us more warning.

Re-settling the chisel in my hand, I rested it against the manacle, bringing the mallet up. Bang .

The sound was wrong. Too loud. I snapped my head up. The shadows in the room had changed. The smell of fresh snow was strong in my nostrils, blown in on the wind through the garage door, that must now be now wide open. Footsteps sounded close by. How had I missed them?

Magic. They had hidden their approach with spells.

Danger. My mate was in danger.

I had failed her once already. I would not fail her again.

Roaring my intent, I whirled to face the intruders. I’d kill them all.