“I might need you to remind me of that every now and then,” he told her.
“Anytime. Now, tell me more about Angel.”
“He’s a liger shifter, the only one of his kind, and his is a lone road. He is the hand of justice, lethal beyond imagination. You saw the way he took on the men here, twelve of them against him.”
“He decimated them,” Diane agreed.
“He is the hand of retribution. Justice for those killed by hunter hands. He is judge and jury, and if found guilty, he is the executioner who will deal out swift punishment.”
“He said this wasn’t meant to happen,” she said, pointing toward Kenzie.
“He’s a lone beast. Solitary and always on the road. It’s no life for a mate.”
“Shouldn’t that be her choice?” Diane asked softly.
“I don’t know,” Zane finally said. “The places he goes. The enemies he has. She would never be safe with him. If anyone finds out about her, that she’s his mate, she won’t be safe anywhere.”
“Are you saying no one can know?”
“Tah will have to know. We can’t keep this from him. I’m not sure who among our group he’ll tell, Reno and Logan for sure. Everyone will need to know how important it is to keep her safe. And yet, the less people who know, the safer she’ll be.”
“Why would he bite her if he knew he couldn’t stay with her?” Diane asked softly.
Zane sighed. “I think that’s something you’ll have to ask Kenzie. There are a lot of factors that work against a shifter and his or her ability to think clearly around their mate. Whatever happened between them…” He shrugged. “It’s between them. We might never know.”
“I’m worried for her,” Diane admitted.
“Me, too,” he said.
Diane cuddled against him, and he held her tightly. He wanted her, needed her. He glanced at Kenzie again on the bed. She was still out. He moved his gaze around the cabin, searching for a spot that might give them some privacy. Shit, he’d taken his mate on the ground too many times, then against the door. As soon as they got back home, he was taking her to bed—a nice, soft bed where he could make love to her again and again.
“What is it?” she asked.
He made eye contact and knew from her sharp inhale his eyes were glowing again. “I need you.”
She glanced at his zipper, and his cock pulsed at the heated gaze. He watched her looking around, as well, and knew she was seeing what he was—a big open square with no place to give privacy. Still, he swore he wasn’t going to take her on the ground again.
“Grab the tent with Kenzie’s gear,” she said and began clearing a spot in the corner. “Hurry,” she ordered when he stood there.
He grinned as he followed her instructions. Soon, they had the tent popped up, and he was glad the tents they had just sprung up into place. He watched her ass as she spread the sleeping bag that had been with it inside. She turned and sat down in the opening, kicking off her shoes and peeling down her socks. She smiled at him, and his breath caught in his lungs at just how beautiful she was. And his. She was all his. His chest vibrated with that knowledge.
She pulled her shirt over her head, and her lush breasts with their tight pink nipples had his mouth watering to taste her again. She leaned back and reached to undo her pants. Glancing up, she lifted one delicate brow at him.
“What are you waiting for? I thought you needed me,” she said.
He toed off his boots and threw another quick glance at Kenzie before stripping to his skin and crawling in to join her. She was on her back, legs spread wide while she rolled her nipples between her fingers. He could see the slick moisture coating the lips of her sex. She needed him, as well. He went to her, sliding into placed between her thighs and taking her mouth before surging into her slick sheath.
They both moaned quietly as he began rocking into her. Her arms and legs wrapped around him. He bent low over her so her nipples rubbed against his chest, sending his pleasure higher. He loved the feel of her against him, skin on skin. He’d keep her this way always if he could. But he would have to share his mate with the rest of his pride. She was right. She was their doctor, and they were lucky to have her.
“I love you,” she moaned as she came, her sex tightening around his cock and milking it. “Love you.”
“I love you,” he purred against the mate mark on her skin. “You’re my always and forever,” he swore and bit into her again as he came, taking her with him.
He held her long after the sweat had cooled on their skin. Tomorrow, they’d head back and if what Angel had said was true, their world would change again. He glanced down at the sleeping woman beside him. At least this time he wouldn’t be alone. Who knew? Maybe they’d run across his Uncle Orsai and Zane would be able to introduce his mate to his uncle. He didn’t doubt for a moment Orsai would love Diane. What was there not to love?