“My pride knows a healer out in Nevada. He’s ancient and helps all species if he can. I don’t want her punished. She needs help,” Lauren said softly.
Max heard Wade’s sigh of relief even as Naomi shouted that she didn’t need help. He didn’t want to punish the female wolf either, not when she was clearly unstable. But he frowned as another thought occurred to him. “Why can’t I smell her lies, Wade?”
Her brother shook his head. “Because she can’t tell reality from fiction half the time. I never know when she’s telling the truth because she doesn’t either.”
And if she didn’t think she was lying, her body wouldn’t produce the metallic scent. “What did you do to Lauren?” Max asked Naomi this time, his wolf clawing under the surface at the thought of his female being hurt. He wanted to ask Lauren in private but they needed answers now.
As if sensing his need for comfort, Lauren stepped even closer and wrapped her arm around his waist. He tightened his arm around her shoulders, savoring the feel of her against him. She was soft and compact, and the way she twisted against him, pressing her breasts into his side made him shudder. This was where Lauren belonged. Next to him.
For a moment Max could practically smell the defeat rolling off Naomi. “I just shot her with a tranquilizer dart. After you searched our place and told Charlie and Sapphire to take over watching Grant’s house, Wade went for a run but I headed back to our place. It was just chance that I saw her and…I had to take the opportunity. It was fate that she was on my floor so I shot her and carried her to an abandoned house along the beach. I never planned to kill her, just prove how untrustworthy she was.” Even though Naomi was still being restrained, she shrugged again in that way Max had seen her do before.
As if her actions didn’t matter. As if nothing did. “You two leave now. You can pack suitcases and send for your things later, but you’ll be gone in one hour. I’m spreading word to all packs I know about your sister so go see that healer if you know what’s good for you. We’ll get you the information, but if either of you ever set foot in Kincaid territory again, you’re both dead.” Max knew Grant would back him up and if for some reason he didn’t, it was the only time Max would defy his alpha. If Naomi came near Lauren again, she forfeited the right to live. He had no way of knowing if she’d planned to kill Lauren or not. For all he knew, her statement about not planning to kill his future mate was another lie.
The fear he’d scented rolling off Wade lessened, but not by much as he dragged his sister to her feet. Max felt pity for the guy, but he should have come to someone in the pack before something like this happened. Especially since it had happened before.
Max swiftly moved and put his body in front of Lauren’s as the two left. He knew the others outside would have heard everything and while he wanted to order one of his wolves to escort them out, this was something he had to do. For Lauren, for himself, for his pack.
He’d contact Wade later with the healer’s information but first, he had to get Naomi off pack property and as far away from Lauren as possible.
Once the door shut, he turned to Lauren who immediately cupped his face in between her long, elegant fingers. Her expression was soft. “Go take care of pack business. I swear I’m unhurt. She just tranqued me. My jaguar took over and protected me.”
“You’ll be here when I get back?” He felt vulnerable even asking the question. Couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving him now.
She smiled. “I don’t care what my pride says, I’m not leaving. You and I have some unfinished business.” There was a wicked note in her voice that told him exactly what she was referring to.
It relieved him, but he didn’t mean short term. “This thing between us…I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, but I don’t want you to leave when the week is up. Hell, I’m releasing you from your punishment. You can have the brooch now.” He nodded to the table behind her. “I want you to stay because you want to.”
She leaned up on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his. That one action had the ability to bring him to his knees. “I’ll be here when you get back and we’ll talk about the future. Go take care of pack business. I’m not going anywhere.”
It wasn’t exactly the answer he wanted, but it would have to do. Once he got her naked and under him, he knew he could convince her to stay long term. Sure they had a lot to discover about each other, but everything he already knew, he loved.
Crushing his mouth over hers, he kissed her hard, his tongue invaded her mouth, tasting and teasing. After he walked out that door, he wanted her to taste him for the rest of the day.