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Something seemed to break loose inside her. Her hands came up to grip my shoulders, and she kissed me back with a raw hunger that sent fire racing through my veins. My wolf surged forward, straining against my control, wanting to claim, to mark, to make mine.

Fuck. This wasn’t supposed to feel this good. This real.

Her heart hammered against my chest, her scent blooming with heat and unmistakable desire. I pulled her closer still, lost in the taste of rosemary and rain and Annabella.

Then, abruptly, she broke away, shoving me back hard enough that I had to catch myself against the wall. Her pupils were blown wide, cheeks flushed, breathing ragged.

“What the hell was that?” she demanded.

I honestly had no fucking idea. But this was Felix, not Sam.

I grinned. “That, Moonbeam, was a kiss.”

She touched her fingers to her lips, looking momentarily disoriented before her mask slipped back into place. “A warning would have been nice.”

“Ah, but then it wouldn’t have been authentic.” I pushed off the wall and stalked toward her. “Couples don’t warn each other before they kiss. They just do it. Like this…”

I reached for her again, cupping her face with one hand, my thumb tracing the curve of her lower lip. She didn’t pull away, though I could see the internal battle raging in her eyes—desire warring with caution, need fighting against fear.

“We need to be able to do this naturally at the gala,” I murmured, close enough that my breath mingled with hers. “No hesitation. No surprise.” I let my hand drift down to rest at her waist, keeping her close as my voice dropped even lower. “Like we’ve done it a thousand times before.”

The door swung open with a bang, and we both jumped apart as Duke stormed in, followed by the rest of the team. His nostrils flared as he took in our proximity, the lingering scent of our mingled breath, the unmistakable arousal still perfuming the air.

“What the fuck?” he growled, shoving me out of the way and stepping between us like an oversized guard dog.

I stepped back, raising my hands in mock surrender, though I couldn’t resist needling him. “Just practicing our cover, big guy. Gotta make it convincing.”

Mira bounced in behind him, tablet clutched to her chest. “Ooh, are we interrupting something steamy?”

“No,” Annabella said firmly, at the same time as I drawled, “Definitely.”

Duke’s eyes narrowed to slits. “You’re awful comfortable with your hands all over her.”

“All part of the job description.” I shrugged, watching his hackles rise. “Speaking of which, did Mira bring the intel on the security layout? Or are we just gonna stand around arguing about who gets to hold Annabella’s hand?”

“Fuck you, Masters.” Duke stepped closer. “I’ve known Annabella for years. You’ve been here, what, a few weeks? And suddenly, you’re her right-hand man?”

I heard Annabella’s sigh as Lydia drifted in, her crisp accent cutting through the testosterone. “Are the children squabbling again? How tedious.”

“Maybe we should focus on the mission?” Zeke suggested as he followed her in, glancing up from his phone. “You know, the extremely dangerous one where we’re targeting a Wolf Council member with decades of experience, and if we get it wrong, we’ll either be dog meat or locked away in the Kennel?”

The Kennel—Adarcan Prison—was the Council’s maximum-security facility for supernatural threats. No one had ever escaped, and few ever returned to society. I’d done three months there as a guard during my training, and even for enforcers, it was a grim assignment.

Duke ignored both Lydia and Zeke, jabbing a finger into my chest. “I don’t trust you. Keep your filthy fucking hands off Annabella.”

I didn’t move, didn’t react to the finger digging into my sternum. Just smiled, slow and easy, watching his control fray at the edges. I needed to push Duke, needed to hammer some cracks into this team.

“Got any actual concerns about the mission, or is this just you marking your territory?”

“I’m second-in-command. I should be the one going in with Annabella.”

“Because that wouldn’t be suspicious at all,” I countered with a mocking grin. “What’s your cover story going to be? That Annabella finally took pity on you after years of following her around like a lovesick teenager?”

Duke’s face flushed with color, his jaw clenching so tight I could hear his teeth grind. “You think you’re so fucking clever—”

“I think I can play the role of besotted mate better than a guy who looks ready to rip someone’s throat out at the mention of Annabella’s name.” I kept my voice light but direct. “It’s called self-control, Duke. You might want to try it sometime.”

The punch came fast but I was ready for it. Instead of dodging, I caught his fist mid-swing, my fingers clamping around his knuckles with enough force to make him wince. For a split second, surprise flashed in his eyes.

“The problem with being predictable,” I said conversationally, “is that everyone sees you coming.”

Duke snarled and twisted, trying to break my grip.

He was strong—I’d give him that—but I had leverage and technique.

I rotated his wrist outward, creating a pressure point that had him instinctively leaning to relieve the strain.

The moment he shifted his weight, I swept his supporting leg and simultaneously pushed against his locked elbow.

He went down hard, face-first, with his arm twisted behind his back and my knee pressing between his shoulder blades.

The whole sequence took less than three seconds.

“You done?” I asked quietly.

Mira’s delighted laugh echoed through the room. “Holy shit!”

“Get off me,” Duke snarled, the words muffled against the mat.

I released him and stepped back, keeping my stance relaxed but ready. Duke jumped to his feet and lunged toward me.

“Enough!” Annabella’s voice froze him in place as she stepped between us. “Both of you, stand down. Now.”

I took another step back, hands raised. Duke remained rigid, his breathing heavy, the rage in his eyes promising this wasn’t over.

“We’ve got less than thirty-six hours before the biggest mission we’ve ever attempted, and you two are having a pissing contest like teenagers. Get your heads in the game.”

I grinned. Yes, this whole operation was turning into a shitshow, and I had no fucking clue what I was going to do about Annabella. But one thing I did know: pushing Duke’s buttons was a fuck load of fun.