Wicked Cravings

CHAPTER TWO

“I’m guessing by your amused smile that you haven’t called for this meeting to defend Glory’s honor,” Dante said to Nick after he, Tao, Trick, and Marcus had all exchanged respectful nods with Nick, his Beta, his bodyguard, and Head Enforcer.

“No,” said Nick once they were all seated at the long table. “Not only does Glory make a habit of telling tales, but I think I know you well enough to know that you wouldn’t walk away from your mate.” Although his posture was casual, Dante knew there was nothing relaxed about Nick Axton.

Power seemed to hum around him, coiled in his muscles as if ready to strike at the slightest signal.

Nick didn’t have Trey’s menacing air or unapproachability, but he had an indomitable look about him that could unnerve people. Darkness lurked in his sharp green eyes, almost stained them. They were the eyes of someone who had seen many things he hadn’t wanted to see.

Each of them ordered coffee, and Marcus—apparently still hungry—also ordered a burger.

“As you’ve probably guessed, I can’t, and won’t, let what she’s done slide,” he told Nick. “A false claim is a serious thing, and no shifter would tolerate it. Having said that, I do acknowledge that, as her Alpha, you have a right to deal with her. So the question is, are you willing to order her to stop spouting this false claim, or do I need to get involved?”

Nick was quiet for a moment. “I’ve already spoken at length with Glory. She claims that she was mistaken, which we all know is a load of bullshit. She has been punished appropriately and ordered to cease making a claim on you. But I can’t do anything about her brothers. They all mated into different packs, so I have no control over whether they come after you for supposedly abandoning her.”

“I don’t suppose you have any idea why she’d lie about something like this, do you?” Tao asked the Alpha.

Nick puffed. “To answer that question, I’d have to understand how women operate. I’m still working on that one.”

“There’s one thing you need to understand, Nick.” Dante’s expression was grave. “I appreciate you contacting me about her claim and that you’ve taken her to task. But if she continues to make a false claim and spread any more lies about me, I will not ask you to interfere on my behalf.

I’ll act on it myself, with or without your say-so.”

Nick shrugged. “I’d say the same if the situation was reversed. I take it Trey didn’t let Taryn come to the meeting because of the pregnancy.”

“We’re planning to tell them later,” explained Tao.

“Good decision.” Nick nodded approvingly. “She can’t battle to come to a meeting that’s already taken place. So how’s she getting along with the pregnancy?” Dante smiled. “She’s not impressed about the waddling or the swollen belly, and she has a mood swing about every eight minutes, but other than that she’s fine.”

“Is she in touch with her dad, or has he disowned her again?”

“She’s talked to him a few times over the past month, but that was mainly because she was negotiating Shaya moving to our pack.”

“And, um, how’s Shaya doing?” The casualness with which Nick had spoken was forced, Dante knew.

The guy was genuinely interested in Shaya, Dante was sure of that. Whenever Nick was in their territory, he watched her with the same naked voracity that he had at Taryn and Trey’s mating ceremony. Oddly, though, he never spoke to her, and the bubbly female never made any attempts to speak to him—as if by mutual agreement they were each pretending the other didn’t exist. It was weird, to say the least. “She’s fine.”

A tall, slim blonde suddenly passed by, wiggling her ass provocatively…which was most likely why the guys at his table were practically drooling. Dante probably would have reacted the same way if he hadn’t felt…distracted. There was a trace of a familiar scent in the air that made his nerve endings come alive.

He scanned the diner slowly, confused and curious…and his mouth fixed into a hard line as his gaze landed on a particular table. Motherfucker. Dante’s wolf leaped to attention as he recognized that plush mouth, long sable hair, and pair of smoky-blue eyes that had a mischievous twinkle. But even as his cock was jerking and hardening, his mood was swiftly changing from relaxed to agitated.

Because she wasn’t alone. No, she was sitting opposite some guy, giving him that beaming smile that never failed to affect Dante. Whereas usually that smile shot straight to his groin, it was now twisting his gut, because it wasn’t directed at him.

He’d felt the same way this morning after witnessing Jaime joking around with Dominic.

What, you’d expected her to sit with you even though you give her no encouragement whatsoever?

Well, yeah, he had, actually. It was what she normally did each morning.

He was conscious that conversation was continuing around him, and he was even occasionally contributing to it, but his attention was mainly on Jaime as he willed her to look at him. Willed her to move her focus from that asshole, whoever he was, for just one fucking minute. Then, suddenly, she did and her eyes found his. He could have sworn she shuddered slightly, but then she gave him a cool, polite smile and returned her attention to the guy at her table.

Dante’s wolf growled at her aloofness, pushing at him to go to her. So this was the reason she was no longer interested in him. What was so damn special about that guy? He just looked like some pretty boy. Not that Dante truly cared or anything. His ego cared, but that was different—Jaime’s abrupt indifference was a blow, and no dominant wolf reacted well to an ego blow. That was all it was.

Swallowing back a growl, Dante forced his gaze away from Jaime. He should be relieved that she had gotten the message that he wasn’t interested. Instead, he was annoyed. And he was annoyed that he was annoyed. He hadn’t realized until now that although her crush had made him feel uncomfortable, he’d liked it. He’d liked that there was someone around who wanted him that much, someone who would give him her undivided attention. His ego had liked it. And now he was battling the urge to go over there and drag her away from the other guy. With her attention suddenly gone, it felt…cold.

When the sound of her husky laugh met his ears, arousal shot through Dante in spite of his irritated state. Clearly, the guys had also heard it, because their heads all swerved around.

“Hey, it’s Jaime,” drawled Trick, smirking at Dante. “Looks really good today, doesn’t she?” Tao strained to look. “Who’s that guy she’s with?”

“No idea,” said Trick before turning back to Dante. “Well, it seems like you’ve been officially replaced.”

Dante ground his teeth so hard that it was audible, which made Trick’s smile widen.

Nick didn’t even have the decency to hide his amusement. “I think that concludes the meeting.

If I hear any more about Glory’s brothers, I’ll let you know.” Dante nodded as they all stood and headed for the door. Behind him he heard that husky laugh again, and it took everything he had not to turn around. His wolf growled his disapproval, not understanding why Dante hadn’t gone over there to warn off the other male, which served to remind Dante exactly why he was staying clear of this female.

Only once before now had his wolf ever been so incited by a female. Naturally, Dante hadn’t had a problem with answering that craving—over and over again, in fact—because he hadn’t suspected that things would get as complicated and painful as they later did. Never would he chance that happening again. Never.

Gathered with the pack in the living area after dinner, Jaime pretended that she couldn’t feel Dante’s eyes on her. His gaze had been drilling into her since she came home—and not in a good way. It wasn’t the kind of look that would heat a girl’s blood; it was a piercing scowl that sent a shiver down her spine. He had shot Jaime the same look in the diner, but rather than making her nervous, a bolt of heat had lanced through her the second her gaze met his. But then, Jaime had never responded appropriately to danger. She didn’t seem to have a “flight” response. That had gotten her into all kinds of shit.

Unable to think of a reason Dante suddenly found her scowl-worthy, she paid no attention to him. Instead, she allowed herself to be distracted by the blond pervert beside her on the gigantic sectional sofa who could always make her laugh.

“Look at you,” drawled Greta from a black leather armchair. “One minute you’re chasing Dante, and the next minute you’re all over Dominic like a rash.” Hunk, who was snuggled on Jaime’s lap, hissed loudly, but Jaime simply smiled at the fuzzy-haired old woman. Her face was twisted into a scowl that wasn’t all that different from the decorative swirls carved into the sandstone of the main wall. Greta had always terrified Jaime as a kid, just as she’d terrified every kid other than Trey, Dante, Tao, Marcus, Trick, Ryan, and Dominic —her boys.

“At one point, you practically stalked poor Dante.”

“Stalked?” echoed Jaime. “No, I just watched him. At night. From behind a bush. Using night-vision goggles.”

To her surprise, Dante’s frown melted into a smile. No one ever stepped in to defend the old woman, because they all knew that the only way to deal with her was tit for tat. If the unmated females couldn’t handle Greta, they’d never survive in the pack.

Greta sneered at her. “You shouldn’t be surprised that he isn’t interested. What would he want with a big-breasted, fat-assed slut like you?”

Jaime sighed dramatically. “I wish the wizard had lived up to his promise and given you a heart.” In some ways, Jaime found her amusing. Her wolf didn’t, however. The cranky animal wanted to lunge at Greta and take a bite out of her. No surprise there. Her wolf’s answer to everything was, sadly, “attack.” Once again, Jaime found herself grieving the patient, nurturing, playful wolf that had once lived within her until that fucked-up night all those years ago.

“I suppose you look a tiny bit better nowadays. You’d always been a fat child.”

“I prefer the term ‘charitably shaped.’”

“If you thought being thinner would bag you one of my boys, you’re very wrong. They can see right through power-hungry sluts like you. You wanted to be Beta female, and when that didn’t work you moved on to one of the enforcers, didn’t you? I told them that that’s the only reason you’d applied to switch packs. I told them not to accept you. But did they listen to me? Noooo. Don’t think that means you’ve won. I’ve got my eye on you. I always look out for my boys. Dante and Dominic are just as much my grandsons as Trey.”

“That’s nice. Maybe that means they’ll help you out with this emotional crisis that you’re going through.”

Greta narrowed her eyes. “That’s a terrible attitude you’ve got.”

“Yep, and I know how to use it.”

“You’re no better than her.” She nodded toward Taryn, who was laughing on the reclining end of the sectional sofa. Trey placed a possessive, protective hand on her pregnant belly. Their bond was so strong and solid it was almost visible. It had Jaime feeling a little jealous.

The tiny, blonde Alpha female gave the old woman a smile that dripped with pity. “Greta, maybe you should take a Valium and have a nice nap. You’re only raising your blood pressure, and we don’t want that.”

Ignoring her, Greta curled her upper lip at Jaime. “Have you always been such an insufferable flirt?”

“‘Minx’ would be the word I’d use.”

She pointed hard at Jaime. “Just remember that I’m onto you. Your cards are marked. So I’d give up your little seduction plan if I were you, because it won’t get you far. As if any of my boys would go for a submissive tramp like you anyway—big boobs or not!” Jaime cocked her head and frowned. “You know…it sounded like English, but…”

“There’s that smart mouth again.”

“If you don’t want to listen to it, by all means, go back to Narnia. I’d imagine you’re missing your wand and crown anyway.”

Greta glanced around the room. “Have you all heard the way she speaks to me?!” Many of them looked like they were holding back a laugh at the look of outrage on Greta’s face. Taryn, unsurprisingly, didn’t.

When the old woman again sneered at her, Jaime gave her a beaming smile. “Be honest, Greta, you’ve missed me all these years, haven’t you?”

“Ignore her,” Taryn advised Jaime. “Don’t let the senile old crone wind you up. It’s what she lives for.”

“I heard that,” said Greta.

“Well, it wasn’t like I was whispering.” Taryn gave Jaime a pleading look. “Any tips on how to deal with Old Mother Hubbard here? You’ve known her longer than I have.” Jaime pursed her lips. “Don’t get light in her eyes, don’t get her wet, and never feed her after midnight.”

“I’ve had enough.” With a humph, Greta rose from her seat. “I don’t have to sit around here and be insulted.” She practically marched out of the room, mumbling to herself.

Lydia shook her head, chuckling. “That woman will outlive us all.” Tao smiled, running a hand through his tousled chocolate-brown hair. “She’s more strong-willed than all of us put together.”

Strangely, Jaime found herself wondering why though she favored the shade of chocolate-brown over walnut-brown, she preferred Dante’s hair to Tao’s. In fact, if any of the enforcers should be her type, it was Tao. All her past boyfriends had been similar to him: intense by nature, hair that was short but long enough to ruffle, and with a body that was muscular but more athletic than burly.

Dante didn’t fit into her type at all, and yet it was him she was drawn to. And didn’t that just chafe.

“So,” drawled Trey, turning to Dante. “Tell us more about this meeting you went to.” Once Dante was done telling the tale, Taryn cursed a blue streak that would have made any sailor proud. Oh, he’d definitely made the right decision by not telling her sooner.

“I never liked that bitch. She flirted with Trey when I went to that mating ceremony on Nick’s territory. I was five feet away at the time.”

“Yeah, but you scared her off.” Trey affectionately rubbed circles on her belly.

“Want me to kill her?” she asked Dante, sounding hopeful.

“No, I don’t,” he chuckled.

“Seriously, Trey can hold my hair back out of the way and I’ll—” Trey cupped his mate’s chin. “You will not get into any kind of confrontation with anyone.

Besides, Nick’s said he’s dealt with it. Let’s hope that’s the end of it.”

“There’s still the matter of her brothers,” Marcus pointed out, running a hand through his short, dark curls as if trying to straighten them.

Dante crossed his arms behind his head and sank farther into his chair. It was pissing him off that his eyes kept darting to Jaime of their own accord, but he managed to veil his irritation from the wolves around him. “It might be better to let Glory and her brothers sweat, leave them wondering what we’ll do or if we’ll do anything at all.”

Trey nodded. “According to Trick, her brothers are loons.”

“I don’t think they’re loony enough to turn up in pack territory looking for him, though,” said Trick. “That would be an act of suicide, and they’ll know that.”

“So you think it’s more likely that they’ll try to corner him somewhere?” asked Trey, to which Trick nodded. “The way I see it, then, is we can deal with this by going on the attack instead of waiting for her brothers to make their move, or we can deal with them when the time comes.”

“I have better things to do than hunt down a group of crazies.” Dante had to restrain himself from growling at Dominic for twirling a strand of Jaime’s long hair around his finger—something he had found himself wanting to do many times. Her hair was so shiny that it was kind of inviting. He wanted to know if it was as soft as it looked. “I wouldn’t give Glory the satisfaction of a reaction anyway.”

“You do realize you brought this on yourself, don’t you?” Dominic shook his head incredulously. “Out of all the girls out there, you picked her. Don’t get me wrong, I love women and I respect them, but come on, there are just some girls you make a point to stay away from. Glory’s like a bowling ball. She gets picked up, fingered, and thrown in the gutter, and yet she still comes back.” Trey laughed and looked about to say something, but his attention quickly went to the hand he had resting on Taryn’s belly. “Whoa, that was a big one.”

“How’s the little guy been today?” Marcus began giving Taryn one of his infamous shoulder massages.

“ She’s still kicking the life out of me. It’s almost like she’s trying to kick her way out. I think she’s just as eager to get the birth over with as I am.”

“What, you don’t like being pregnant?” Trick frowned. “I thought females loved it.” Taryn pursed her lips. “Let’s see…I’m constantly tired, emotional, hungry, and horny. Most of my clothes don’t fit, my back always aches, and I can’t see my feet. It’s such a magical experience.

Oh, and I walk like a fat, deformed penguin.”

“Aw, don’t say things like that about yourself, Taryn,” begged Dominic. “You’re beautiful. If you were words on a page, you would be what they call ‘fine print.’” Everyone groaned, except for Jaime, who laughed.

There was no doubt that Trey would have hit his enforcer if he’d been within reach. “How many times do I need to tell you to stop using those lines on my mate?” Dominic placed his hand over his heart. “I try, I really do, but my love for her is like diarrhea —I just can’t hold it in.” Again there were groans.

Taryn looked unimpressed. “Getting compared to diarrhea—awesome.”

“Only eight weeks to go until the baby’s here.” Dante’s gaze again wandered to Jaime. As if she sensed it, she looked right at him. He guessed that he was wearing a pretty intense expression, because her eyes briefly widened. She didn’t avert her gaze, though. Instead, she gave him an expectant look, one that dared him to speak his mind and explain what the hell his issue was. His wolf liked that.

“Maybe then you’ll all stop smothering and coddling me.” Taryn flicked a disgruntled snarl at Trey.

“Now, Taryn, we just want you and the baby to be safe.” Trey gave her a soft, placating kiss. It didn’t work.

“Safe or confined? Seriously, I’m surprised you haven’t placed me in a sterilized room where everyone can wave to me through a window.”

“Sorry, Taryn, but I’m pretty sure that all this Glory crap will only make him worse,” Tao said with a cheeky smile and no sympathy whatsoever. Taryn gave an almost imperceptible nod to Ryan, who nodded back and then whacked Tao over the head obligingly.

“Hey, don’t mess with the hair,” Tao whined. Although his chocolate-brown hair was tousled, it was purposely styled that way.

“Why don’t we all go for a run?” suggested Dante. “We’ve all got a lot of frustration to burn off.” Everyone rose from their seat and went to leave the room with him. Well, almost everyone.

“Jaime, aren’t you coming?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m heading to my room to take a shower.” It was only then that Dante realized something—he had never seen Jaime shift. She had never gone on a run with the pack. She must have gone for one with Gabe or someone, but she had never accompanied the entire pack. Wolves needed that kind of closeness, so why would she ignore it?

The confusing female rose from the sofa and, without meeting Dante’s eyes, gave him a polite smile as she walked past him. His wolf didn’t like her indifference, and a low growl escaped Dante before he could stop it. That damn ugly cat hissed at him over her shoulder. Dante saw her tense slightly, but she kept on walking. And he kept thinking about how she hadn’t been on a pack run.

Was it because she was holding herself back from the pack? Was it that she wasn’t relaxed and trustful enough? Was it that she didn’t feel as welcome and a part of the pack as the others? The whole thing bugged him. He was Beta; it was his role to see to the safety, well-being, and protection of his wolves. If for some reason Jaime wasn’t feeling settled here, he needed to know why and solve the issue.

So when he saw her the following day sitting on the patio near the lake, staring almost longingly into the mountains, he slowly approached her. “Hey.” Almost imperceptibly, she stiffened.

Had he not been so totally focused on her, he wouldn’t have noticed. So was it him that made her feel uncomfortable in the pack? Or was she just feeling awkward because he had, in a roundabout way, rejected her? Well, he was about to find out.

Silently cursing the universe for shoving this wicked temptation in her face, Jaime turned her head and forced a smile. The cocky ass was so magnificently masculine, so deliciously male, that it simply wasn’t fair. Instantly her wolf was alert and pacing. “Hi.” He nodded toward one of the chairs. “Can I sit?”

It wasn’t really a question, but Jaime nodded anyway. “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” Christ, that voice…It was like a throaty purr. It sent a sizzle down Dante’s spine and practically stroked his cock—which was now quickly hardening. “Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble.” He straddled one of the chairs. “What’re you doing out here all by yourself?” Jaime was feeling pretty jealous of that chair right now. “Just thinking,” she replied with a nonchalant shrug.

“About what?”

About things she had no intention of sharing. “Nothing interesting. What about you?”

“I was on patrol and I saw you sitting here looking all glum. I thought I’d check on you.”

“I do not look glum,” she countered, indignant but smiling.

Dante held her gaze with his own as he spoke. “Jaime, you know if there’s ever anything you need to talk about that you can come to me, don’t you?”

Having no clue what this was about, she frowned in confusion. “Sure.”

“I mean it. I know things have been a little…I don’t know…awkward between us because I—” He cut himself off, not sure how to phrase it. She did it for him, looking very amused.

“Because you don’t want me. It’s all right, you can say it. I’m a big girl.” He almost laughed. She had no idea how wrong she was; his cock roared to life at just the sound of her voice. Her scent—Christ, that fucking scent—made his mouth water. “Jaime, I’m not a good partner for a submissive wolf.” The last thing he had expected her to do was laugh. “What?”

“I’m not sure you’re a good partner for a dominant wolf either. No female likes to be controlled as much as you’d want to control them.” His controlling streak would undoubtedly be ten times worse with a female he was in a relationship with.

He shrugged unapologetically. “That’s just who I am. Besides, I don’t touch females in my pack, Jaime. I don’t do relationships either; it only ends up a mess when true mates come along.” She hadn’t asked him for a relationship, but whatever. “You sound like you’re speaking from personal experience.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “So you won’t commit to anyone but your true mate. That’s sweet.” And unfortunate. Sigh.

Not willing to touch that subject, he went back to his original point. “All I was trying to say is that although things have been awkward between us, I don’t want it getting in the way of anything. I don’t want you feeling like you can’t come to me about stuff. I’m your Beta. If you’re having any problems in the pack, come to me, so that I can help.”

If she was having any problems she’d take care of them herself—dominant females took care of their own shit. But, as she needed him to continue believing that she was submissive, she simply said, “Thanks.”

“Nice ring.”

“Huh?” When he gestured at her hand, she looked down to see that she’d been absentmindedly fiddling with her ruby—something she always did when she was nervous. “It was my mom’s engagement ring.”

“I heard about what happened,” he said in a gentle voice. He was about to say that it was lucky she and her brother hadn’t been at home when the attack happened, but there was really nothing lucky about it. Lucky would have been for her parents to still be alive. “I’m sorry, I know it’s hard.” Yes, he did know, she thought. Well, sort of. He knew what it was like to lose his parents. She remembered how she used to watch him sitting near their graves, silent tears trailing down his cheeks.

She remembered wishing that she could help, that she could understand how he was feeling. She got her wish, just not the way she ever would have wanted.

“Is that what’s got you so down? You’ve been thinking about them?” Not today, but if she said that he’d keep pressing her until she gave him an answer, so she nodded.

“It might help if you shift and let your wolf run.” He could have sworn that anxiety flashed across her face, but if it had, it was gone as quick as it came. “I’ll come with you.” Jaime quickly got to her feet and backed up. “Um, I can’t. I, um, have somewhere I need to be.” She’d arranged to go to the movies with Riley tonight. But even if she hadn’t, she knew better than to spend time alone with a person who made her entire body hum and melt for him—against her will, no less.

He stood and approached her slowly. “Where?”

“I’m meeting someone, and I don’t want to be late.”

Pretty Boy. Although Dante had told himself that he didn’t particularly care about the whole thing, he couldn’t let his questions go. He wanted to know who this male was that had replaced him in her thoughts, wanted to know what he was to Jaime. Or, more specifically, his bruised ego wanted to know.

Ordinarily, Dante wasn’t much of a brooder—that was Trey’s department—but he didn’t like unanswered questions. He was very good at reading people and situations, had always had very good intuition. But for some reason, his intuition always failed him around Jaime. Sometimes he got the feeling that she was hiding something, that there was a lot more to her than what she allowed people to see, but his instincts didn’t go off around her like they usually would around someone with secrets.

It made no sense.

“A date?” he bit out. Before she could reply, he asked, “With the guy I saw you with at the diner?”

Wondering at the strain in his voice, Jaime started to say no, but again, he didn’t give her the chance to speak.

“Who is he?”

“Shawn’s a guy I work with.”

“Just a work colleague, nothing more? Because it sure looked like more.” She might have corrected him about the whole “date” thing if he wasn’t firing questions at her so abruptly. His accusatory tone had her totally confused. “I’m not sure I understand what this is all about.”

Dante wasn’t sure he understood either, but he couldn’t let it go yet. He wasn’t going to get a break from his ego until his questions were answered. “What pack is he from?”

“He’s not a shifter. He’s human.”

“Human?” he repeated disbelievingly. “What are you doing dating a human? Are you stupid?” Bristling at the way he was talking to her, she straightened her posture and folded her arms across her chest. The natural and very potent pull in his voice to give him the answers that he wanted sent tingles down her spine. Damn if she would let it faze or fluster her. “You do understand that this is none of your business, right?”

Dante wasn’t sure why those words bothered him as much as they did, but he couldn’t hold back a growl. His wolf growled angrily inside his head. “None of my business?” he echoed quietly as he invaded her personal space.

Jaime tensed. Although Dante was a very dominant, assertive wolf, he was quietly forceful.

He barely ever raised his voice, but he didn’t have to. Even back when he was in his teens, the change in his mood could alter the emotional temperature in a room and put the fear of God in whoever was in his sights. This was partly why he was such a good interrogator. From what she’d heard, there wasn’t anyone he had failed to break. In spite of all that—or maybe because of it—

people respected him. Or feared him, whichever. When he lowered his voice like this, well, that was always a bad thing. It meant he was totally and utterly pissed.

Fear didn’t overtake her, though. She knew that despite the strength and the power that ran through that very muscular body, he would never hurt her. He would never hurt any female. Her instinct was to snap at him, to return his attitude with her own, but that wasn’t how a submissive wolf would behave. So, although it killed her to do it, Jaime lowered her eyes and let the tension leave her body. That seemed to placate him, because although he growled again, it was a growl of approval. It shouldn’t have been like a zap to her clit, but shockingly, it was. Her body was so damn weird sometimes.

“I shouldn’t have snapped at you the way I did,” he allowed. “But you must know why dating a human isn’t wise. You can’t seriously be thinking about having a relationship with him.” It was hard to think past the way his scent—an alluring blend of pine needles, cinnamon spice, and sandalwood—caressed her senses. Looking up, she replied, “Shawn knows the score.” He snickered. “He would say that, wouldn’t he.”

“He and I had a brief fling a long time ago and it ended fine.”

“Oh is that right?” Those quiet words dripped with a menace of which Dante didn’t understand the source. Nor did she, if her expression was anything to go by. “You need to break it off with him, Jaime, before things go tits up.”

See, this was the thing about Betas—they often took their role as “protector” a little too literally. Jaime didn’t need this big-brother behavior, and she especially didn’t want it from a guy who she could never see in a fraternal sense. “Seriously, Dante, you’re letting yourself get frazzled over nothing.”

“I mean it, Jaime. You need to break it off with him.”

Aw, the poor guy really thought she was going to comply. It was kind of cute. “Not going to happen, Popeye. Sorry.” Giving him a slight wave, she turned and strolled away.

“Jaime?” he called after her. “Jaime, don’t ignore me!”

Without breaking stride, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “It’s not that I’m ignoring you.

I’ve just lost interest in the conversation.”

He growled at the smart-ass comment. The female was too obstinate for her own good. His wolf was raging within him, wanting Dante to stop her from meeting this other male. In truth, Dante didn’t like it either. He gritted his teeth against the urge to march over there and grab her. He didn’t want her leaving pack territory knowing that she’d be out somewhere with Pretty Boy; he didn’t want the human touching her or kissing her. He wanted to hoist her over his shoulder and lock her in her room—or maybe his. That irrational response was exactly why he let her go.

His mind, however, didn’t let it go—not even when he was back in his office with paperwork in front of him needing his attention. His wolf was severely irate. Not that his wolf’s sense of possessiveness surprised Dante. His wolf had wanted her badly since she arrived, had felt slightly possessive of her on sight. What did surprise Dante was that he felt a sliver of possessiveness, too.

Being protective and controlling with Jaime were two things he could easily rationalize. Of course Dante was protective, since she was one of his wolves. Of course he was being a little too controlling with her—or, at least, attempting to—as that was who he was. But the hint of possessiveness that was suddenly making itself known…well that was new. He wasn’t, by nature, a possessive person. He’d never been much of a jealous person either, yet that very emotion was circulating through him, curdling in his stomach.

It had to be all tangled up with the blow to his ego, Dante deduced. Plus telling himself that he would not, could not, have her made him want her more. Naturally, that was messing with his head.

Naturally.

No matter how hard he tried to focus on the paperwork in front of him, his wolf and his ego tormented Dante until he found himself taking his cell phone from his pocket. Before he knew it, he was typing a text message. He wasn’t sure where exactly the compulsion came from to type those particular words, but he didn’t fight it.

Remember one thing, Jaime: A human can’t satisfy you the way you need him to.

Not like I could, he thought only a second after he’d sent the message. Thank God he hadn’t typed it.

Interrupting the silent berating he was giving himself for letting his frustrations get the better of him, his cell phone beeped. Immediately he read the incoming message.

He’s always managed just fine in the past, no need to worry. ;) Dante ground his teeth so hard it hurt. Motherfucker. He’d originally intended to shove his cell back into his pocket and sling the whole thing from his mind now that he’d given his anger a small outlet.

No fucking way would he ignore that taunting response.

“Fine” is enough for you, is it? Never had you down as someone who settled for second best.

He waited impatiently for a response. It came a minute later, though it felt like much longer.

Beta or not, my sex life isn’t any of your business.

A fierce growl rumbled its way up his chest. Those words got to him again for a reason he had yet to understand. She’d wanted to provoke him, and she’d succeeded.

Everything about you is my business. Don’t ever forget that.

A voice in his head pointed out that wasn’t entirely accurate, but it was merely background noise to Dante right now. Her response made both him and his wolf bare their teeth.

Whatfreakingever.

Growling at her dismissiveness, he typed a reply.

Don’t blow me off, Jaime. You need to end this thing with the human before it gets complicated. If things mess up between you and him, it could be bad enough that those idiotic religious groups leap on it and start hanging around outside pack territory again. That’s the last thing we need right now.

He wouldn’t have thought that anything could have made him more pissed than he already was. He was so wrong.

Whoa there, Popeye, that had a hint of paranoia to it. Maybe you should quit the crack pipes. Gotta go.

He so wanted to spank that female’s ass—and hard. Maybe spanking that little attitude out of her would make her finally stop baiting him and rebelling against his every order. Maybe he should also kick his wolf’s ass for being unreasonably possessive of a female to whom he had no rights. His wolf growled at that. He was just as stubborn as she was.

Acknowledging, albeit rather begrudgingly, that she’d won that round, Dante fixed his attention on the work that awaited him, intending to ignore his wolf’s foul mood and the unfamiliar feelings needling his ego. He was not going to think about Jaime Farrow again tonight. Not even once.

The second she had sent her final message, Jaime switched off her cell phone and returned it to her purse, since the movie would be starting any minute now. What was wrong with that guy? She hadn’t realized he had such a hard-on for humans. Recalling that he had a few friends who were humans, she shook off the bigot theory. No, apparently there was another reason Dante had switched from being distant to poking his nose into her business and even attempting to interfere with her sex life.

“What do you make of it?” she asked Riley, who had read every message and had even tried advising Jaime on how to respond.

Riley swallowed the popcorn she’d been munching on before speaking. “The whole thing stinks of jealousy to me.”

“But that makes no sense.”

“He’s a guy, it doesn’t have to make sense.”

She had a point. In Jaime’s experience, when it came to male shifters it was often a case of

“logic optional.” Still, if Dante had had any interest in her, there would have been no reason to hide it. And then, there were the things he’d said to Trick about her. “It can’t be jealousy.”

“I find that hard to believe, but I’ve never even spoken to the guy, so I can only speculate. If you’re sure he’s not jealous, then maybe he just doesn’t like it that you’re not chasing after him anymore.”

“Objection, I never chased him.”

“Okay, maybe he doesn’t like that you’re not gazing dreamily at him anymore.”

“I did not gaze dreamily.”

Riley patted her hand. “Sure you didn’t, sweetie.”

“Patronizing bitch.”

“Giant-loving skank. Now shush, the movie’s starting.”

With a playful harrumph, Jaime turned her attention to the movie screen, ready to let it distract her from thoughts of his peculiar behavior. A minute into the movie, she groaned. The hero just had to be named “Dante,” didn’t he?