Pack Security

Cassandra Wilson pushed open the bedroom balcony doors and stepped out into the cool morning air. The bite of the wind was sharp, but it cooled down her heated body. The bad dreams and sense of betrayal had her feeling ill.

She was still reeling from the events of the night before. Someone had broken into her studio and destroyed…everything. Hours of hard work ripped, torn, and broken to litter the floor. It’d appeared as if a tornado had gone through to ruin every piece she’d put her heart and soul into.

Her evening had started so normal but the end… Tears pricked her eyes again. After she’d eaten dinner with her brothers, sister-in-law and nephews, they’d taken the horses for a ride. The journey through the canyon had been freeing and she’d enjoyed the time with her family. It was nights she was able to spend in nature that helped feed her muse. Cassie knew she saw things differently from other people and believed she was blessed. On the back of her horse, she felt a connection to the world around her almost like when she was shifted. Even a short ride normally had Cassie so motivated that she’d spend the entire night in her studio.

But the previous night hadn’t gone as planned. The glorious sunset and warm sensations she’d had after their ride had vanished when she’d opened her studio door and seen the destruction. Her canvases had been torn and ripped, paint splattered over the floor and walls, and every brush had been broken in half.

She had a security system and cameras but had forgotten to set them that evening. Everything that had been ruined was really her fault. Alex was forever getting on to her about remembering to set her alarm, but in the middle of the Pack territory, Cassie never worried. Now her whole life had been destroyed.

It wasn’t just the loss of months of work that bothered her. She felt violated. And scared.

A knock on her bedroom door interrupted her, but she ignored it. She just wanted to be alone. Was that too much to ask? She didn’t want to go to her workspace and nor did she want to talk to anyone. The police, her family, her assistant, even some of the Pack had shown up the night before. While she appreciated their support and concern, they just didn’t understand. Someone had been in her house. Since her studio was located in her residence, there was no place that seemed untouched. A stranger could have gone through her things before tearing apart her creations.

She didn’t know what to do now, how to act or what to say.

Her first instinct had been to hide, covers over her head, and cry, but she knew that wouldn’t solve anything. As much as she wanted to pretend nothing had happened, she’d gotten up and showered to start the day. Cassie had made it as far as walking to the balcony to stare out at the territory she called her own. But that was as far as she’d made it. She just couldn’t force herself to go into her studio yet.

The rapping on her door grew louder and more persistent. She suspected it was her older brother. When the door opened and Alex called her name, she sighed. Her solitude was over.

“Hey,” he said as he joined her on the balcony.

Cassie glanced over her shoulder. “Hi.”

“You okay?” He groaned. “That’s a stupid question. I’m sorry. But what can I do to make things okay?”

She turned back to look at the sun rising above the canyon. That was the question all right. What could she do? Or Alex? Or any of them. It wasn’t just Cassie who was suffering. This was the home of their family. A home they’d protected for generations.

They were lucky. The Wilson ranch was one of the few privately owned properties that shared the public canyon land. The estate had belonged to their family long before the government had come in and sectioned off acreage for a national park.

The government had tried to claim their property, too, but years of legal battles had ensured that the Wilson land would stay in the family. Cassie got to rouse every morning to one of the most beautiful views in the world. Even after the night of heartbreak she’d experienced, there was nothing like standing outside and watching the earth wake up. Alex leaned against her and she soaked up the warmth coming from him. Her oldest brother might have a tendency to hold on too tight at times, but she appreciated it more than he’d ever know. Cassie wasn’t like others in the Pack. She wasn’t as outgoing and was most at peace inside her studio with a paintbrush in her hand. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I just got off the phone with the Alpha,” Alex told her. “We have a meeting with him this morning about how to handle this situation.”

Knowing that she couldn’t avoid the issue any longer, she turned and gave her brother her full attention. He’d set two mugs onto the rail and she hadn’t noticed. She smiled and relieved him of one of the cups. The scent of fresh, strong coffee drifted up and she was grateful. She was extremely dependent on caffeine to carry her through long days.

“What time?” she asked before taking a drink. Flavor burst over her tongue—she knew her sister-in-law must have made the coffee that morning. Alex tended to make his more sludge-like.

“An hour,” he replied.

So soon. Which made sense, because their Alpha would want to make sure she was safe. The traits that made her Alpha such a great leader were always right on the surface. Alpha Shawn was strong, dedicated, and fierce. She couldn’t have wished for a better protector.

“You’re going to get tired of everyone asking you if you’re okay,” Alex commented. “Just remember that we do it because we love you.”

To have time to phrase her answer correctly, she took another long drink. Her brother always worried. He said it was because as the eldest, so he was responsible for her and their younger brother, Jacob. Cassie just thought he was a worry wart.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him.

“Cas.” There was a growl in his tone.

“I just don’t understand. Why would someone break in and destroy my stuff?” She shook his head. “Why? Alex, I’ve never done anything to anyone.”

“Fuck.” Alex kissed the top of her head. “I want to tear out the throat of whoever did this.”

That shouldn’t make me feel good, should it? Instead of trying to get her brother to calm down, Cassie wanted to sic him on whoever had invaded her privacy. But she had to be an adult. “Is it because…we’re shifters?”

“Hopefully, we’ll find out. Alpha Shawn is concerned about the publicity you’ve gotten lately. That’s one of the reasons he wants to meet.”

Publicity? She snorted. Most artists wanted to receive credit for their work. All Cassie had ever needed was to paint. Her parents had supported her through the beginning stages and after their death, Alex had continued with encouragement. She’d made a good living, then the shifters had announced their presence and became public. There had been a surprising demand for her work after that.

The strangest part to her was that the Pack hadn’t gone public with the others. Alpha Shawn had decided to remain in secret. The fact that her art was considered as an authentic representation of the shifter world by both humans and shifters was surprising.

And a little uncomfortable.

The press constantly pressured her about her knowledge of shifters. She’d gotten to the point where she didn’t do interviews anymore. She just wanted to paint. She didn’t really care about the rest of it.

“I never meant to draw attention to us.”

Alex hugged her. “Ah, honey, there’s nothing to be done about it. I’m proud of you. So is our Alpha. We’ll get to the bottom of this and it’ll all work out. I promise.”

She wanted to believe him, but the wound was too fresh. She hoped Alpha Shawn had some ideas. He was one of the smartest men she knew and just a tad devious.

“I spoke to James also,” Alex said. “He’s going to bring over everything we have in storage and order more supplies for you. We’ll have you back to work before you know it.”

Cassie always had back-up supplies. She lived in the guesthouse and her studio was one of the rooms. At the main house, where Alex lived, he kept a supply room for her so she didn’t have to have an order rushed to her.

“I’m almost ready for the show anyway.” She was supposed to be having a showing in less than a month. “If we even still have it.”

“We’ll have it,” Alex said. “I told you not to worry about it.”

She nodded and stopped herself from telling him she was going to worry anyway. The threat they’d received in the mail to stop the show or else still weighed on her mind. Even though everyone told her it wasn’t her fault, she knew it was. The crazy Church that had been after the shifters for months now had narrowed in on her town.

“We’ll talk about it with Alpha Shawn. He is aware of the threat and has Chase looking into it.”

“Okay,” she relented. It was never worth arguing with Alex. He would eventually get his way by wearing her down. Hopefully Shawn could talk some sense into him. He was one of the few people Alex listened to.

“Let’s go then.” Her brother motioned her back inside.

Cassie followed him through her bedroom and into the hallway. Her house consisted of four bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a small fenced-in area for a backyard. The guesthouse was just yards away from the main residence where Alex lived.

Alex hadn’t even wanted her this far, though. He’d tried to talk her into just remodeling a portion of the main residence, but Cassie needed space. She was an adult and way past living under the same roof as her brother. Plus, she’d gotten to design the entire place. She loved every inch of her home. And she was close enough to her brothers, sister-in-law and nephews to see them every day.

Jacob and Peyton resided a couple of miles down the hill in their own home. They had a nice six-bedroom dwelling that fit their family perfectly. Jacob worked for the Parks and Wildlife Department stationed in the canyon. Peyton stayed home and took care of their boys, one aged four and one aged six. Cassie enjoyed having her family so close to her most of the time. However, she would’ve preferred a little more distance right then. Alex strolled through her place like he belonged there. She didn’t comment as she followed him. Normally Alex tried to show her that he respected her space, although once in a while, he went overprotective on her.

Since she’d found the destruction the night before, Alex had been in full alpha male mode. She would never admit it to him, but his protectiveness was easing some of her fear.

The drive to the Alpha compound took thirty minutes. Shawn lived deeper in the canyon. If they’d taken the horses, it would have only been ten minutes.

Not all members of the pack lived inside the canyon. Most had houses and businesses in town. Only the oldest families had claim to any canyon land.

As he drove, Alex talked about the horses and his upcoming plans for the ranch. Cassie had heard it all before, so she was able to tune him out and respond with some sounds.

By the time they arrived at the large Alpha cabin, she’d almost fallen asleep. She’d barely slept at all the previous night and was bone-tired. The winding roads that led to the house, and the familiar trip, soothed her further.

Her brother stopped the truck and patted her knee. “Let’s get this over with, then you can get some real sleep. I can tell you didn’t get a wink.”

“Yeah, okay,” she agreed and pushed her door open.

There were other vehicles parked nearby, but that wasn’t a surprise. She’d never been to Alpha Shawn’s when the house didn’t have several guests. Having all those Pack members around would drive her crazy. She couldn’t stand to have people constantly underfoot. It was one of the other reasons she lived in the guesthouse instead of the main home. Alex worked from home, and Cassie couldn’t handle all the people who came in and out to do business with him.

The door opened before they reached it and her Alpha stepped out. Shawn Mathewson stood on the porch and opened his arms. He was an attractive man with dark skin and hair, his eyes and smile dazzling her. The power that rolled off him could be quite intimidating, but he was truly a good man and a great leader.

She grinned and walked up the stairs where her Alpha engulfed her. He held her tightly then patted her shoulder.

Taking a step back, she peered up at the impressive man in front of her. Just being in his presence helped calm the wolf inside her, which had been agitated since she’d found the break-in.

“Let’s go inside,” he said, placing his arm around her shoulder.

They entered his home and went through to the living room. Cassie saw the Beta of the pack, Chase Lawson. She inclined her head toward him in respect.

“Hey, sweetie,” he greeted. “You doing okay?”

Cassie nodded. “As well as can be expected.”

“We’ll find out who did this.”

A promise that she knew Chase would do his best to keep. The Lawson family had been part of the Pack for as long as hers had. Chase owned the local diner and was one of the best cooks in the area. She made a point of stopping by for home-cooked meals as often as possible.

He always greeted her with a smile and a kind word. He was Alex’s age and the two had grown up together as the best of friends since they’d started school.

Chase welcomed Alex with a hug and a manly slap on the back while Alpha Shawn moved Cassie to the couch, taking a seat with her. Alex sat across from her in one of the chairs and, after making four mugs of coffee, Chase passed them around before he joined them.

Cassie placed both hands on the large cup as she settled back in the corner of the couch. She felt protected and secure with the three men. If she closed her eyes, she had no doubt she would be fine.

Their voices flowed over her as they discussed who could have been responsible and why. Cassie couldn’t imagine anyone who would have wanted to destroy her work. Even with the shifter controversy, she was only an artist.

“We’re just guessing here.” Alpha Shawn’s words drew her out of her thoughts. “And until we get to the bottom of this, the entire Pack will be on high alert. I don’t want anyone alone. I’ll double the guards around town and here.”

“Cassie can stay at the main house,” Alex added.

“Wait!” She sat up straight. “I’m not moving out of my house.”

Three sets of eyes turned to her.

“No.” She shook her head. “I have to work hard to make up for the canvases that I lost.”

“It’s just temporary,” Alex assured her.

“I’ll set the alarm. I’m sorry I forget. And we have the cameras.”

“Cass.” Alex leaned forward and braced his forearms on his knees. “It’s more than that. We don’t know who or why someone did this. Luckily, you weren’t home but…”

Cassie saw the struggle on his face. He was concerned about her.

She set her mug down and spoke directly to him. “But if I just move to the main house, then they win.”

“This isn’t about winning! This is about keeping you safe!”

Cassie ignored the rise of Alex’s voice. “I’m not giving up my house.”

“Yes, you are!”

“Hold on!” Alpha Shawn tried to interrupt.

“No, I’m not. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself.”

Alex rose and towered over her. “You…are…staying in the main house.” Each word was clipped.

She seldom argued with him, but she just couldn’t give in this time. She’d worked hard to gain her independence after their parents’ death. She was thirty years old and refused to be treated like she was five.

“No.”

Alex stepped forward, but Chase stood and got between them. “How about a compromise?”

Both she and Alex turned to him.

Chase motioned Alex back down and waited until he had settled again before taking his own seat.

“What’s your idea?” Alpha Shawn asked.

“Well, you know Max is back. He’s working in the diner right now, but we can use him as Cassie’s personal security.”

Max Lawson, Cassie mused. She hadn’t seen Chase’s elder brother in a long time. He was older than both Alex and Chase so Cassie hadn’t been around him much growing up. By the time Max had left the Pack at seventeen to join the Navy, she’d only been seven. She knew about him because he was the Pack’s only non-shifter. Not that he was human. Max was a shifter. He carried the DNA that made them different from humans. However, Max was unable to shift into his animal. Cassie didn’t know much about non-shifters, but Alpha Shawn had never allowed Max to be treated any differently, from what she could remember.

There were rumors about Max being part of one of the elite Navy Seal teams in the military, but that could have been all talk.

Alpha Shawn was smiling. “I like that idea.”

Cassie wasn’t so sure. “I don’t really think I need personal security. I hardly even leave the property.” She just didn’t feel right about having someone follow her around all the time. Yes, the situation was scary, but assigning a bodyguard? It was a little too much.

“I disagree,” her Alpha said. “The break-in was at your residence. Max would be able to keep an eye on you and look into who might have been responsible.”

She knew the expression on his face. Alpha Shawn had made up his mind.

“I’ll spend most of my time in the studio anyway,” she argued. “He’ll be in my way.”

Chase chuckled. “I promise he won’t.”

Knowing she was coming up against a wall, she sighed. “This is stupid.”

Alpha Shawn reached over and patted her knee. “Then just humor me. I want you safe.”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. She would make the best of the situation—she always did. Besides, how bad could it be? Chase was a good guy, so she doubted that Max was much different.

* * * *

Max Lawson pulled the skillets off the stove then dropped them into the sink full of soapy water. He stretched his arms over his head and rolled his neck. He liked working at the Canyon Café with his brother, even if it was dissimilar from what he had always done before. The most important thing was that he had something to do. He could concentrate on a task and not have to think or remember.

Not having enough to do worried him and made him nervous, so he was glad for the hard work.

“Hey, Max!”

He glanced over his shoulder and saw his brother in the doorway. “Hey, bro.”

His brother had been summoned to the Alpha house earlier that morning, leaving Max to handle the breakfast rush for him.

“Got a minute?” Chase tilted his head, indicating that Max should join him out front.

“Sure.” Max turned and followed him out of the kitchen into the dining area.

The rush was over. Only a few customers were still eating. Sue Ellen was taking care of the patrons, so Max didn’t have to worry about them. He always liked being in the back more than waiting tables.

He’d only been home about six months, so when the Pack members saw him, they wanted to know about his time away. And Max honestly couldn’t talk about it. Too much of what he’d done was still classified.

Chase took a seat on one of the chairs in front of the counter, next to another man. Max followed but remained back where the scarred countertop separated them. He still didn’t like to be too close to people.

Once he reached the two, he recognized Alex Wilson. Chase and Alex had remained tight, even as the years passed and they’d found different interests. Max grinned at Alex and offered his hand. “Nice to see you again, Alex.”

They shook hands and Alex smiled. Max tucked his hands behind his back. Just the small, polite gesture of shaking was hard. He didn’t want Chase to see his struggles, though. Being Beta of the pack was hard enough. At least he got to share the role with Alex, the two of them having someone by their sides. It reminded Max of how he’d been with the men in his unit. The men he’d promised to protect.

“You too. Glad you made it back safe.”

Max nodded but didn’t say anything. Yes, he had returned safely, but… No, he couldn’t think about that now. Instead, he noticed his brother’s obvious worry. Max offered Chase a small smile before giving his full attention to Alex.

The Wilson family was one of the oldest members of the Pack. Chase, of course, was closer to them, living as a Pack, but Max still had a connection with the family. He’d been out of the country when he’d received word that the Wilson parents had been killed in an accident.

Chase had been devastated and had told him how hard it had been on the kids. It seemed Alex had stepped up and done a good job getting his siblings through the grieving process.

“Coffee?” Max picked up the pot from under the counter.

Chase and Alex nodded.

He poured three cups then slid the first two across to them. “So, what’s going on?”

They exchanged a look that stood the hair up on the back of Max’s neck. “What?”

“We need your help,” Alex said.

“Of course,” he offered. He would do whatever he could to help any of the Pack members. Even though he hadn’t quite fit in with the kids growing up, they had never been mean to him. Their Alpha would not have allowed it.

Max didn’t understand why he was different from everyone else. What had gone wrong to make him unable to shift? But it was what it was and there was nothing he could do about it.

“Good.” Chase drew his attention. “Do you remember Cassandra?”

“Your younger sister?” he asked Alex. He could picture the freckle-face girl with skinned knees, running around in shorts. She had always been tagging behind Alex and Chase as the boys had grown up. “Sort of.”

Alex nodded. “We need security for her.”

“Why?”

As Alex and Chase filled him in on what was going on, Max found himself growing angry. He knew he had to get a handle on his reaction, though. After his last mission, he had gone through a debriefing and had been shown several techniques to control himself. The military did not want him to go off on civilians.

But the thought of anyone threatening a member of his Pack made his blood boil. He listened intently as Alex explained the entire situation.

“What do you need from me?” he asked when the man was finished.

“Cassie won’t agree to move into the main house. She wants to stay in her residence and studio. I’m not comfortable with her being alone.”

“You want me to watch over her?” he asked, surprised. He wasn’t a guard. He didn’t have a position with the Pack. His brother was the Alpha’s second, his Beta, but after Max had left for the Navy, he’d given up any rank within the Pack.

“Yes,” Chase answered. “Alpha Shawn agreed. We’re doubling all security for the Pack, but we want Cassie to have someone with her full-time.”

Max owed his Alpha a lot for always supporting him. Hell, he owed his brother, too. Chase had welcomed him back with open arms. His brother let Max stay in his house and had given him a job. “Okay, when do you want me to start?”

Alex sighed heavily and dropped his head. “Thank you.”

Max wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of guy. Normally he did everything he could to avoid contact with others, but he found himself reaching over and patting Alex’s shoulder. “Sure, I’m glad to help.”

“I knew you would be,” Chase said proudly.

Max warmed to his brother’s praise.

“Chase can go over everything with you.” Alex stood. “I need to get back to the house. Cassie is with Jacob right now, but he has to work today.”

Max nodded and waited until Alex was out of the door before turning to his brother. “What else?”

Chase rubbed his hands roughly over his face. “Alpha Shawn is concerned about the publicity the gallery is getting. Several of the artists, Cassie in particular, have gotten a lot of attention. Last week we received a threat that if we didn’t cancel the upcoming show, we would regret it. It was from the Church for Humanity, the people the wolves have had problems with ever since we went public. Our Pack didn’t go public, and Shawn isn’t sure how much longer he can hide us if the Church has targeted us.”

“Is that really a big concern? From what I’ve seen, there have only been a few issues since the shifters announced their presence.”

“It’s a concern,” Chase told him. “The Coalition between all the shifter species is brand-new. We’re hoping that will protect all shifters, but until we know for sure, we still want to remain secret. Some of the human lawmakers are talking about forcing shifters to register.”

“Register?”

“Yeah, so they can have a database on all of us.”

“That’s not right,” Max said in disgust.

“I know. Shawn is talking with the council about what we can do, but he’s worried.”

“Well, I’ll do what I can,” Max promised.

“Good. How are you feeling?”

He knew his brother was concerned. Chase might not know everything that had gone down with his last mission, but his brother knew him well. Chase had also witnessed some of his nightmares.

“I’m fine.”

Chase didn’t look like he believed him but didn’t push. “Scott’s coming in. I thought we could grab your stuff, then I’ll follow you over to the Wilson ranch.”

“Sure.” Max picked up the empty coffee cups. “Let me just finish cleaning up real quick.”

“Okay, I have to grab a few things from the office, anyway.”

Max went back into the kitchen to wash the last of the pans he’d used earlier. He didn’t like leaving a mess. His brother might own the diner, but Max always pulled his weight. He hoped he would be an asset for the Wilson family. He remembered they had always been so happy. Very similar to his own. They’d never treated him any different either.

He was scrubbing the last pan when Scott Little walked in the back door.

“Hey, man!” Scott waved at him.

Max inclined his head since his hands were still in the water. “Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” Scott assured him. “Didn’t have anything planned today anyway.”

Scott attended the community college in the next town over and was an okay kid. Max enjoyed their shifts together as well as Scott’s quirky humor.

“You about ready?” Chase called from the front of the diner.

Max rinsed off the pan then placed it in the strainer. “Yeah.”

He waved to Scott as he joined his brother out front. He grabbed his jacket and keys from under the counter. Together, they left.

One of his first purchases when he’d returned to the States had been his Harley. Chase had tried to get him to use one of the Alpha’s many vehicles, but Max enjoyed riding the bike. He craved the freedom that the motorcycle provided him.

He’d found that the best time to ride down the canyon was just before sunset. The gorgeous views on the back of his Harley could not be seen the same way in a truck or an SUV. Max threw his leg over the bike and turned the key. The machine came alive under him. He couldn’t suppress his grin. Yes, motorcycles were dangerous, and he loved every single second he was on his.

Chase waved at him as he climbed inside his truck.

Chase’s house was just outside the city limits. He needed to be close to the Alpha in case any problems arose. The fifteen-minute ride was smooth and without a lot of traffic. Max’s brother was ahead of him as they both drove in the same direction.

The Wilson ranch was farther inside the canyon lands. He would be able to take his bike there and hopefully would have time to ride some of the private roads. Plus, there was good hiking around the Wilson place. He didn’t know if Cassie Wilson hiked, but he sure hoped so. It would be nice to be able to get some fresh air and just be away from everyone and everything.

He pulled up beside his brother’s truck then turned the engine off. Chase’s abode was small compared to a lot of the other Pack houses. But the three-bedroom structure was enough for them. Chase had welcomed the company when Max had come back to town. Their parents had offered to let Max stay with them. However, he was glad Chase had suggested they live together. He loved his mom and dad, but at forty, he didn’t want to live with them again.

“I’m going to take a shower while you get your things together,” Chase informed him.

Max nodded and made his way to his bedroom. He didn’t have a lot. Just clothes and a few things he’d kept in storage. Even the furniture in the bedroom was his brother’s.

Finally, Max felt like he was putting roots down. Eventually, he would buy his own home and concentrate on discovering what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Whether he’d stay in Canyon or move on, he wasn’t sure. He had time to decide.

He grabbed two duffels out of his closet then started to pack. He didn’t know how long he would be needed at the Wilson ranch. It was better to have too much stuff than to have to leave Cassandra to go pick up what he needed.

He threw in jeans, T-shirts, boxers, socks and a light jacket. Back at his closet, he reached up to the top shelf and brought down the lock box. Max carried the box to the bed and sat.

It had been six months since he’d opened it.

He removed the keys from his pocket and carefully unlocked then lifted the lid. Inside was his favorite gun. A .45 Desert Eagle.

He ran his fingers over the stainless-steel barrel and sighed. He hadn’t held a weapon in his hand since he’d left the Navy. He wasn’t sure he would even be able to fire it again.

As he sat on the bed, he could still smell the smoke from the last gunfight. He hadn’t been shooting his Desert Eagle that day. The M4 that he’d had on his shoulder had run out of ammo and Max had looked down in horror when he’d realized the entire team had used all the bullets they’d brought with them.

The house they’d been hiding in was small. Evan Cruise had lain at Max’s feet, wounded and crying out in pain.

Deep down, he’d feared that was it. They were all going to die over in some godawful place and no one would know all they had wanted to do was rescue the captured aid workers.

The missions were classified and Max wondered if Evan’s family would even be given his body.

The guerilla fighters who had gotten the jump on them had still been shooting into the house. Max had knelt beside his friend and gripped Evan’s hand. He’d been in charge of his five-man team. It’d been up to him to get them out.

“You okay?”

Max started at Chase’s voice. He slammed the lid closed on the gun box and stood. Quickly, he stuffed the container at the top of one of the duffels and faced his brother. “Yeah, just about done.”

Concern was evident on Chase’s face. Max had to ignore it. He wasn’t ready to talk about what he’d been through. Actually, he couldn’t speak to anyone about anything. He rushed into the bathroom then quickly packed everything he would need for the next several days.

When he returned to the bedroom, Chase was zipping up one of the bags. Max dumped his toiletries into the other then closed it. They each grabbed one as they headed out of the door. Max was relieved that Chase wasn’t pushing him. He knew that he would have to share something with Chase soon. At the moment, his brother was giving him time.

“I’ll take your bags over for you,” Chase offered.

“Thanks.” He passed the second duffel to his brother. Ready to go, he strode to the bike.

He could probably find the Wilson ranch on his own, but any time he had a flashback he was always a little shaky. He needed a few minutes to get his bearings, but he would have to follow Chase so he wouldn’t get lost.

Chase backed out and Max waited until the dust settled, then followed. He was happy to have something to keep his thoughts off what he’d been through.

Hopefully this new job would help him clear his mind.

It took longer than he expected to reach the Wilson property. He slowed at the large gate where Chase was waiting. His brother waved him through and Max drove on. He pulled off to the side as Chase closed and locked the gate again.

Max was glad to see that they were indeed taking precautions on security.

Chase climbed back into his truck and started south. Max followed, using his senses to get familiar with the area. The main house loomed in the distance, a strong, solid structure that appeared inviting. Max could remember the barbecues that he and his family attended there when he was younger.

Even with the passing of their parents, it looked like the Wilson children had kept the property up. Green grass filled both sides of the paved road. As he pulled next to his brother and turned off his motorcycle, he could hear horses not far from him.

He turned his head to see if he could spot them and couldn’t. He hadn’t ridden in over a decade. His family didn’t keep animals, and in the service, he hadn’t had the opportunity. Excitement had him swinging off his bike. He’d always enjoyed the freedom of being on the back of one of the large animals. Luckily, even though the horses could sense the predator in a shifter, as long as a mount was treated with respect it didn’t have any problems accepting shifters as riders or caregivers. The stallions and mares sure were trusting. In that regard, Max was envious of them.

“They still have horses?”

Chase nodded. “Yeah, Alex puts a lot of time into them.”

“I thought he worked in the gallery.”

Chase waved his hand. “He does. But his love will always be the horses first.”

The front door opened and the subject of their conversation stepped out. “Hey, guys.”

Smiling widely, Alex stomped down the stairs to greet them. He’d changed out of his slacks into jeans. Max was relieved to see Alex more relaxed, and glad he had agreed to help. It was great to be needed again.

They shook hands and Alex motioned toward the house. “Cassie’s inside. Let’s talk here before you go over to the house.”

Max nodded and followed Alex and his brother.

The cool air hit him as soon as he walked inside. Max hadn’t noticed just how hot he was until the air conditioning blew over him.

He must have made a sound, because Alex glanced back at him. “Cassie keeps the air on frigid. She can’t stand being hot.”

Since Max had spent way too much time in deserts and jungles, he agreed with her. “Feels good.”

Alex grinned. “You’ll fit in just fine.”

He hung back, taking in the homey feel of the ranch house. The Wilsons had money, but he wasn’t uncomfortable walking through the hall. The simple touches around the place were welcoming, not intimidating.

The hall opened into a large living room with beautiful wood flooring. Dark-brown leather couches dominated the space and a huge flat-screen television was placed over the stone hearth. In the corner, standing by the curved bar, was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen.

She smiled wide when their gazes met. “Wow! You grew up.”

Max opened his mouth to respond then closed it again quickly. There was no way this sexy creature in front of him was Cassie Wilson. Gone were the braids and the crooked teeth. Instead, she had a pixie cut of short brown hair with streaks of blonde. She had to be only five foot five or so. She was tanned and had a body built for a man’s hands. He had to clench his teeth to keep from reaching out for her.

He groaned mentally. Not what he had expected. Cassie Wilson was an attractive woman. Her soft chocolate eyes sparkled with amusement as she licked her lips.

Fuck! His cock hardened painfully. Max struggled to push aside his carnal needs and remember there were two other people in the room.

Max’s reaction shot a thrill through her. The way his gaze traveled up and down her body had Cassie holding back a shudder. Heat flushed into her face as his eyes lightened with arousal. His appraisal of her also gave her the opportunity to stare back at him. She’d suspected Max would be good-looking, since Chase and their dad were both attractive. Still, the hot, heavily muscled man across from her was not what she’d been expecting.

He was taller than both her brother and his, so that had to put him a few inches above six feet. His short black hair was a reminder that he’d just gotten out of the military. Wide hazel eyes stared into hers and his massive chest expanded with each breath. A tight black T-shirt, faded jeans and heavy boots made up his outfit. She wanted to see what was underneath those garments.

The tattoos covering both arms intrigued her. She wondered how he would respond if she ran her tongue along them—and wherever else he might have ink. How much of him is covered in designs?

She flushed and had to tear her gaze away from his body. She turned back to the mini fridge. “So…a beer?”

Alex chuckled and she wanted to sink into the floor. Of course her brother had caught her attraction to Max. There would be no living with him now. Alex was always trying to get her to step away from her studio and date. But until she’d gotten a look at Max, dating hadn’t been a high priority. She’d grown up in a small town. Sure, she’d gone out with a few of the guys, but she had never been serious about any of them.

She popped the tops to four beers and strolled around the bar.

Max had settled on one of the couches and Alex and Chase took the one closer to her. She was going to have to take a seat next to Max. She glared at Alex, who merely grinned in response.

Her heart pounded as she moved farther into the middle of the room.

She passed the bottles to Chase and Alex, ignoring the gleam in her brother’s gaze. She walked over and held out another beer to Max. Their fingers brushed as he took it from her and she barely held in a gasp at the electricity that sparked between them. A glance at his lap showed he was indeed as attracted to her as she was to him. The heavy aroma of arousal and need surrounded them. His erection pushed at the zipper of his jeans. A nice-sized package, she believed.

Since dropping to her knees to help him out wouldn’t go over well with the other two men in the room, she backed away.

When she’d agreed to have Max hang around as security, she’d had no idea what she was getting herself into.

“Thank you.”

His deep voice sent a thrill down her spine. Cassie managed a smile and nodded. She sat gently on the edge of the couch as Max took a long pull on his beer. She watched his throat work. Who knew a throat could be so damn sexy?

She caught herself staring and looked away. Her gaze passed over Alex, who was still smirking. She needed to get control over herself and stop fantasizing about what Max’s large hands would feel like on her body.

Especially under the watchful attention of her brother.

“Shall we get started?” Alex asked in amusement.

She shrugged.

Alex, Chase and Max started going over the plan to beef up security on the property. Since she wasn’t hearing anything that she objected to, she just listened. Listened and watched.

Max reclined back with the bottle held loosely between his fingers. He was a big guy but appeared comfortable. He had a certain amount of power surrounding him. The wolf inside her recognized it and wanted to present herself for him. The only other person she’d ever felt that kind of radiating dominance from was her Alpha.

The inner strength that she was picking up on could very well be why she was so attracted to him. Constantly surrounded by such domineering men, she had found herself more and more comfortable around the type, although her reaction to Max was different from how she’d responded to anyone else she’d ever met.

She studied her brother as his voice rose and fell in a calming manner. Alex was leaning forward, speaking directly to Max about the alarm system. She’d grown up in a loving home. Every day she had known she was loved and her parents had doted on each of their children. Alex had taken on the role after their parents’ deaths in a car accident on an icy road. He’d just graduated from college and had returned to care for her and their younger brother, Jacob.

While he had a business degree and did in fact make a lot of money at the gallery, she knew that it was the ranch, the horses, that Alex truly loved.

The money that the family had, that Alex had made, always went to the animals first. Alex put everything he had, every free minute into the horses. Back when he’d first returned, Alex had been involved with a woman in college. Cassie had met her once, right after their parents’ deaths.

She didn’t know what had happened between Alex and the woman, but she’d never seen her again and Alex refused to talk about it.

Instead, Alex spent his time trying to get her to settle down like Jacob. So far Cassie had managed to turn the tables on him about settling down, but now she wasn’t certain she wanted be able to anymore.

Chase picked up where Alex trailed off, getting into the security cameras and how more should be added. They only had cameras outside the house and stables. Chase wanted some installed in the interior of the buildings, too.

“I don’t want cameras in my studio,” Cassie spoke up.

The three men turned to her.

“The studio was the target,” Chase responded. “It makes the most sense to cover that area.”

Cassie shook her head. “No. I can’t work knowing someone is watching me.”

“They will only be there for your protection. It’s not like we’ll be watching them all the time,” Alex assured her.

There was no way she could handle even that. “No, please.”

Alex opened his mouth, but beside her, Max held up his hand. “Let’s wait. We can go ahead and order some more cameras. If Cassie doesn’t want them inside, we’ll place them over the entry doors. We can work it out so everyone is comfortable.”

Relief washed over her. She was glad Max seemed to understand. She nodded in acceptance.

“Let me look through the houses and I’ll make a map of where I think the new cameras should go. I assume we’ll do both the main house and Cassie’s?”

“Jacob’s, too,” Alex added. “I want them covered.”

Max inclined his head. “I agree.”

Chase stood. “It seems like you all have everything under control. I need to stop back by the Alpha’s place and make sure the new shifts in town have been sorted out. I’ll update him on the situation here.”

Alex and Max both rose with him.

“I expect you’ll hear from the Alpha soon anyway. He’ll want to check on things himself.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Alex offered.

“If you’re ready to take me over, I’d like to see the studio.” Max turned to her.

Cassie placed her beer on the side table then wiped her hands down the legs of her jeans. Suddenly she was very nervous about having Max in her personal space. She spent the majority of her time in the studio. It was her heart and soul. Only a few people had ever been there.

“Yeah, sure.” She climbed to her feet. “Uh, thanks, Chase. We’ll see you later, Alex.”

She waited while Chase hugged his brother and he followed Alex out before she turned to Max.

“Ready?”

He nodded.

She led the way out of the patio door and down the steps.

It was only a few yards from the main house’s porch to the front of her place. Since the break-in, she had been better at locking and setting the alarm whenever she left.

Alex still hadn’t forgiven her for forgetting the night before. But in all honesty, she’d never been the best at remembering. She’d never been worried about someone breaking in. They would have to get into the canyon, go through the property then get in and out without anyone seeing them. And why would anyone want to destroy her art, anyway?

All the questions that she just couldn’t answer, no matter how much she thought about it, weren’t really helping her not to worry, either.

She unlocked the front door with Max close behind her. Her hand shook slightly, but she didn’t think he noticed.

After she pushed the door open, the long beep from the alarm alerted her that it was still armed. She punched in the four-number code and turned to face Max.

“Who has the code?”

“Me, Alex, Jacob and Peyton. Oh, and James.”

“James?”

“He’s been working as my assistant. He just graduated and is trying to get his own showing. He’s very talented.”

“How long has he been working for you?”

“About six months or so. He applied at the gallery and Alex hired him for the reception desk. We met and started talking, and he now works part-time for Alex and part-time for me.”

“Last name?”

Cassie frowned at him. “James wasn’t involved.”

Max lifted an eyebrow.

“Strut. His last name is Strut.”

“Is he part of the Pack?”

“No, he’s not a shifter.”

Max nodded, but Cassie couldn’t let it go. “He’s a good kid. There is no way he was involved.” She needed to be heard. James had seen how hard she’d worked each and every day. He respected art and what she did.

The look Max sent her said he wasn’t convinced. “Then he has nothing to worry about.”

She sighed and figured he was right. She knew James was too dedicated to art for him to ever get involved in something like the break-in. In time, Max would realize he was off base suspecting him.

Max was glancing around and Cassie wondered what he saw. The entryway was open and painted a bright white. There were three wide archways that led farther into the residence.

“Through there is the kitchen.” Cassie waved a hand. He would be able to see the stainless-steel appliances from where they stood. She pointed behind her. “Living room and patio door.” Then she faced the hallway opening. “Back here are the rooms.”

He motioned for her to go ahead, so she stepped around him.

“The first door is the second bedroom,” she told him as she turned the knob. The room was sparse with only a bed, dresser and nightstand. “This is where you’ll be staying.”

Max walked in and placed his two bags on the bed. He spun in a circle. “Okay, show me the rest.”

Cassie didn’t respond right away. It had just dawned on her that she would have a man staying in her house with her. A very attractive man who she wouldn’t mind seeing naked. And he was just a couple of doors down from her bedroom.

When her palms started to sweat, she rubbed her hands down her thighs again.

Max’s presence was a big deal in her life. He would see everything she was. There was no way she could hide her quirks from him.

“Cassie?”

She jumped, not realizing he had moved so close. She tilted her head back to look up at him. Damn, he was tall.

“It’ll be all right,” he assured her.

Cassie found herself shivering. She wanted to reach for him, have Max pull her into his arms. Have the press of his lips against hers. She swallowed and took a step back.

“Uh, I’m…uh…”

He smiled, his hazel eyes bright.

She was losing her mind. She whirled back around into the hallway and took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

“Okay,” she said. “Next door is the bathroom. Then the office.” She moved forward as she spoke. Then paused again. “My bedroom.” The nervousness disappeared only to be replaced with dread when she stood in front of the last room.

She hadn’t been back inside since she’d first discovered the incident. Cassie placed her hand on the wood. “The studio,” she whispered. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She couldn’t do it…couldn’t go in, not yet.

“Has it been cleaned up?” Max asked behind her. Just hearing his deep voice helped the nauseous pit in her stomach.

She nodded. “Alex took care of it. He said…”

Max’s chest pressed into her back and he lifted his hand. “Deep breath,” he spoke softly, his mouth close to her ear.

She inhaled through her nose then let the air out.

“Good,” he said and opened the door.

In her mind, she could see the ripped canvases, the paint spilled over the floor and walls and her brushes in pieces. Cassie gasped in horror.

“It’s all right,” Max told her. “I’m right here with you. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.” Max held his hand down on her shoulder and she blinked.

None of that was there.

Alex had come through like always. The walls had been repainted the mint green that she’d had before. The hardwood floors were glistening and clean. The room had also been restocked.

Slowly, she stepped forward, one foot in front of the other. Her easels stood with blank sheets, her paints were lined up in their holders along the walls and her desk held a variety of brand-new brushes.

She made it to the middle of the room as tears fell from her eyes.

It looked good, but it also reminded her of what had been taken from her. Months of work ruined. She’d put her entire being into each piece. Now there was nothing to show for it.

Cassie sobbed. Max wrapped his arms around her.

“Shh,” he cooed. “It will be okay.”

Sure, she knew it could have been worse, but her heart ached. She clung to Max, allowing him to rock her gently. He felt good pressed to her body. As she soaked up the comfort he offered, peace filled her. Closing her eyes, she rested her cheek against his chest and just breathed in Max’s spicy scent.

Her body started to respond. It was with regret that she forced herself to pull away. “I’m going to lie down for a little bit.”

He released her. Their gazes locked, causing her breath to catch. His sparkling eyes were kind and called to both the woman and wolf inside her.

She spun on her heel, escaping into her bedroom. She had a lot to think about, because all signs were pointing to Max being more than just a bodyguard or security for her. The connection was so strong between the two of them that Cassie was unsure how she would let him go when everything was resolved. There’d never been another that made Cassie want to just curl up on his lap and relinquish control.

Cassie shuddered as she walked down the hall.

Could she give in to her desire and give Max what he was obviously offering? Yes, she thought she could. But should I, was the next question. She didn’t even know Max as a man. Little pieces of gossip were not enough to tell Cassie what Max would truly want and need from her.

She sighed loudly once she was behind her closed bedroom door.

There was no denying she wanted him. Badly craved his hands and mouth on her. Her entire body tingled with need. How was she supposed to live in the same house with him and not give in? Hell, why would she even want to deny herself?

Yeah, she needed a nap, a hot shower and food. Then she could decide how to seduce Max Lawson into her bed, and hopefully, long term into her life.

* * * *

Max woke up with sweat pouring off him and his heart beating frantically. He had been back in that house, the room where he’d thought he was going to die, where his best friend hadn’t made it out alive.

He clenched his eyes closed and tried to get control of himself and regulate his breathing. At least he hadn’t woken himself up screaming. That would have probably scared the hell out of Cassie.

Even once his heart rate had slowed to almost normal, he wasn’t able to get back to sleep, so he swung his legs over the side of the bed. A glance at the clock on the nightstand told him it was two in the morning. It had been so long since he’d gotten a full night’s sleep. He should probably take one of the sleeping pills that the doctor had given him, but he didn’t like how they made him feel the next day. Given his need to keep an eye out for Cassie and the Wilson family, he couldn’t very well be stoned during the day.

Max pushed himself off the bed then pulled on the jeans from earlier. He would get a bottle of water from the kitchen and look over the plans for the Wilson ranch. He’d already gone over everything with Alex the night before, but another look wouldn’t hurt.

He opened his bedroom door quietly, not wanting to wake Cassie, who slept only a few doors down. The fact that he could picture how sweet she’d look curled up in the middle of a large bed spoke volumes to how complicated this assignment was.

There was no doubt he’d been shocked when he’d seen her again. He wasn’t sure why he’d still pictured the young girl from his memories, but Cassandra Wilson was in no way a little girl.

She was a beautiful woman.

It had thrown him off balance when she’d looked at him with those expressive chocolate-brown eyes. He hadn’t been prepared for the punch he’d felt from the pixie woman.

She was much smaller than his big frame. And every single part of him had wanted to wrap her up and protect her.

It had just about killed him when they’d entered her studio and he’d seen the devastation on her face. Yes, the room had been cleaned, but he could see that she was picturing the way she’d found it before.

With her in his arms, he’d wanted to kill whoever had hurt her. His normally quiet and calm wolf had not been any happier. The itch under his skin had been an experience he had only felt a few times in his life. Since he couldn’t shift into his animal, he could pretend it wasn’t even there more often than not. But sometimes, when he was stressed or emotional, there was an extra awareness of his wolf.

Just as he’d started to wonder about his wolf’s response to Cassie, she had shut down.

She’d excused herself from the room and told him she was tired. A door inside the studio apparently led to the bathroom that then connected to Cassie’s bedroom.

Alex had shown up about thirty minutes after Cassie left him. When he asked about Cassie, Max explained what had happened. Alex had finished the tour and told him about the adjoining doors to Cassie’s rooms.

While Alex went and checked on his sister, Max had started drawing a map of where he wanted the extra cameras installed.

Cassie’s studio had a balcony door that linked to the sliding glass door of her bedroom. He’d made a note that both of those exits needed a camera above them. Cassie would still be able to open them when she wanted, but they would be able to see if anyone tried to enter that way.

He didn’t turn on any lights until he reached the kitchen. There, he flicked on the switch and saw a half-empty bottle of wine on the marble counter. Cassie must have gotten up during the three hours he’d managed to sleep.

He pulled a cold bottle of water from the fridge and drank half of it down. He was starting to calm down and feel better already.

Thoughts of the woman replaced the aftershocks of the nightmare.

Since Cassie had been holed up in her room, he’d had a simple meal of a burger and some chips with Alex earlier in the night. He wished he could offer the family more reassurance, but he still didn’t know what was going on.

The worry Alex had for his sister had been evident as they’d talked over dinner.

Max had vowed that he would get to the bottom of the break-in. And he would keep that promise. His laptop still sat on the island top. He checked the alarm and cameras Alex had given him access to. The blinking red light showed him that one of the balcony doors was open. He frowned. Surely Cassie wouldn’t have forgotten to close up once she returned to bed. Not after what had just happened to her studio.

He grabbed his water and hurried down the hall. All the interior doors were still closed. Not wanting to go into Cassie’s bedroom without invitation, he paused at the studio door.

He listened but couldn’t hear any sound coming from inside.

Slowly, he turned the knob and, as silently as he could, pushed the door open. The first things he spotted were several large canvases tossed on the ground half-completed. One of the easels held a blank sheet and paint tubes lay scattered around on the wheeled table. She had made it inside and began working after all. Pride filled him. Cassie was a fighter and this just proved it.

He peered further into the room and spotted her.

She did, indeed, have the balcony doors open as she sat on the deck leaning against one of them.

Max stepped into the room. He hadn’t expected to really find her there. He’d thought the worst. That another break-in had taken place and he’d failed her. His heart was still pounding with the flood of adrenaline.

Max wasn’t sure if he should leave without being noticed or venture farther inside. He didn’t want to disturb her.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked quietly, not even turning her head.

“No,” he replied. Since she’d spoken first, he decided to take a chance. He walked closer. “I see you started working.”

She snorted. “It was all shit.”

The anger in her tone surprised him. He strolled forward then paused in the doorway. She looked a little lost, holding an empty wine glass and staring out into the night.

“I’m sure it will take a bit to get back into the rhythm.”

She shook her head. “Fucking sucks.”

Max wondered if she was drunk. He crouched down beside her. “What?”

She turned her head to look at him.

He saw frustration in her eyes. “I can’t reproduce what I lost, never have been able to. I paint…what I feel at the time. And right now I feel nothing, so all that”—she waved a hand back into the studio—“was just a waste of time.”

Unable to offer much in words, Max decided just to listen to her talk. He didn’t know much about art. However, even he had heard about Cassie’s work. She’d been scared, but if he were honest, he preferred the fury. He stretched his legs out and mirrored her position against the second door. He knew what it felt like to have his entire world turned upside down. Sometimes a person just needed to vent. Max could offer her an ear at least.

“I wonder if they knew,” she continued. “Whoever did this shit—did they know that I would never be able to make up what I lost?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I guess it doesn’t matter, anyway.”

When she didn’t say anything else, he racked his brain on what he could do to help. “Tell me about your favorite painting.”

Her eyebrows drew together. “Favorite?”

He nodded. “Yeah, out of everything you’ve ever done, what’s your favorite?”

She smiled. “Jacob and Peyton’s wedding present.”

“Tell me about it.”

“About six months before the wedding, Peyton and I went for a run. She was getting nervous about everything left to do for the wedding and I’d just finished my first showing and was exhausted.”

She paused and looked at him. He inclined his head for her to continue.

“We drove farther into the canyon where no one else would be. We shifted and… God, I still remember it. It had been so long since I’d transformed into my wolf. The freedom… I remember thinking that if I never turned back it would be okay.”

She laughed then. “But Peyton was still all tied up inside, so we ran. It must have been for hours. It was still early when we’d first started out and even when it got dark we didn’t stop. We chased turkey and a few small critters, but we weren’t after any of them. We just needed to let loose.”

Max could see it. He could picture it perfectly as she shared her memory. He’d never experienced for himself what she spoke about. Although, listening to her, he felt closer to another shifter than he ever had in his life.

“Alex and Jacob must have gotten worried. They followed our trail and found us. I knew Alex was mad, so I shifted back. But Jacob just went over to Peyton and buried his muzzle into her neck.”

Her voice softened. “It was then that I realized how much they really loved each other. Watching Jacob and Peyton together, I could feel my fingers wanting to reconstruct that moment. Alex and I left the two of them alone and I came straight here. I painted the two of them in a couple of days. Didn’t eat, didn’t sleep, I just had to get it down on a canvas.”

Cassie met his gaze with tears in her eyes. “It was perfect. The moment that I saw, and I gave it to them. They both cried, they loved it so much.”

Max wished he could see the painting she was talking about so passionately.

“That was my favorite.”

Since she was smiling, he was glad he had asked.

The silence was comfortable as they relaxed for several long minutes.

“Can I ask you a question?” she said.

“Sure,” he said easily.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want. I’m just curious.”

He couldn’t imagine anything that he wouldn’t want to tell her. “Go ahead.”

“You can’t shift, right? Like at all?”

Surprised, Max jerked. Everyone in the pack knew he was a non-shifter. “No.”

She pressed her lips together. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

He hadn’t meant to snap. “No, it’s okay. It’s just been a long time since anyone has brought it up.”

She nodded but didn’t look at him.

“Why do you ask?” He wasn’t sure why he wanted to know but he couldn’t see Cassie being cruel. There must have been a reason she was curious.

“I was sitting out here thinking,” she said quietly. “I haven’t shifted in a few weeks and was getting restless. I just wondered if you felt like that. If it bothered you?”

Max took a long drink, finishing his water. “It bothers me,” he confessed.

Her head turned back to him.

“When you spoke about what it felt like… The freedom? I want to know that.”

“I’m sorry,” she started.

He held up a hand. “I always felt left out when the pack shifted together. At first, when I was young, one of my parents would have to stay with me. Then as I got older I could be left on my own. Don’t get me wrong—everyone tried to include me, but it wasn’t the same.”

“That had to be terrible.”

Grunting, he nodded.

“Is that why you left?”

No one had ever asked him that. He was sure his parents and Chase knew, even suspected Alpha Shawn had a good idea, but no one had ever said the words out loud. “Yes.”

“But you can feel him? Your wolf?”

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “I don’t think it’s the same as you or Chase, but there have been times I’m uneasy or the animal tries fighting to get out. I’ve dealt with him long enough that I can ignore it but…” He didn’t really want to share how much he had despised his wolf at one time.

It sucked to be different. Growing up, he had just wanted to fit in.

They sat for a few more moments in silence.

“I bet he’s fucking beautiful.”

He’d been staring out into the dark night and jerked at her words. He turned to her. She was blushing, her fingers twined together, legs moving slightly.

“Yeah?” he asked, pleased.

She peeked up at him through her bangs and nodded.

“How would you describe him?” he questioned.

She bit her lip and searched his face. He didn’t know what she was looking for, but whatever it was, she must have found it.

“Black, he would be pure black. Chase has some white and gray in his coat, but you would be solid black.”

He was charmed by her. Wanting, maybe even needing more, he moved closer. “And?”

“Powerful.” She scooted the few inches that separated them “Strong and dominant, but not pushy. He’d have broad shoulders and a wide chest.”

He wasn’t sure he should find the conversation about his inner animal so arousing, but it was. His cock was half-hard and getting fuller by the minute.

“A born leader.” She spoke softly. “I’d follow you.”

Their thighs were touching, and he was close enough to catch that her breathing had picked up. He turned his upper body toward hers as she angled her head back to look him in the eye.

“Anything else?” he asked as he raised his hand to her throat. He ran his thumb under her chin.

“Sexy, so damn sexy. Just like you are in human form.”

There was no way he could have denied the attraction that was sparking between them. He slowly inched forward, keeping his gaze locked with hers. Cassie didn’t back away. Their lips met with the slightest touch. He backed his head a little and watched her eyelids flutter then close.

She was the sexy one. He pressed their mouths together with more force and was rewarded with a moan from her. She gripped the back of his neck while their lips moved against one another.

He teased her bottom lip until she opened for him. Max threaded his fingers through Cassie’s hair and held her head tightly, plundering her mouth. She arched into him, opening even more.

It had been so long since he had been with anyone and never had he felt this fierce so quickly. He wanted to claim and control her.

Cassie’s fingers dug into his arms as she pushed into his hold. She wanted this just as badly as he did. It would be so easy to just roll on top of her and let them sate their hunger for passion.

But it was too soon. They still had a lot to learn about each other. He really was starting to believe that Cassie was the type of woman he’d always searched for. The mate he would find himself settling down with someday. First, he had to make sure he would be able to take care of whomever he chose to mate with. He’d somehow lost himself along the way and he needed to get back the man he’d once been.

He pulled back slowly and with regret.

She was still reeling from the events of the night before and he wasn’t exactly a catch with his current emotional mess.

But it was so hard to back away when she stared up at him with need written clearly across her face.

“We shouldn’t do this,” he said to her.

She frowned but loosened her hold.

“We have time. We don’t have to rush into anything.” He barely got the words out before he was on his feet and stalking away. He had to put some distance between them. He was not strong enough to resist Cassie Wilson. If he didn’t get away, he would end up claiming her for his own. And she had no idea who he really was.

Max closed his bedroom door firmly and leaned against the cool wood. For the second time in a day, he’d felt his wolf inside clawing to get out. He knew it was impossible, although if he could shift, he had no doubt he would be on four furry paws.

Running his palm over his heart, he closed his eyes—not that it would help. He could picture Cassie’s desire then her confusion. He had screwed up royally.

He slammed his hand on the door.

It wouldn’t be fair to Cassie to start something. He was still trying to deal with what had happened to him and his team. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and whipped it over his head. Then, with determination, he walked to the mirror above the dresser.

He ran his shaking finger lightly around the tattoo over his heart.

A name and date scrawled in black. The day that he’d lost his best friend in that hellhole.

Not being able to stop the dreams, unable to understand what had gone wrong, he wasn’t able to offer himself to Cassie. He couldn’t give her what he wasn’t sure still existed.