* * *
Gustavo stood in the hall,his hands in his pockets as he leaned his shoulder against the wall. His head was bowed, and his eyes were closed. He’d been trying to keep his wolf under control since Peri had ordered him not to complete the Blood Rites. The man understood her reasoning. The wolf snarled that she dared to give him orders or attempt to keep them from finishingthebond.
“You know I have several rooms in which you could wait. You needn’t stand in the hall next to the bathroom door,” Jezebel said as she took up her own position acrossfromhim.
“I do not mind waiting in the hall,” he said softly. He couldn’t look up at her, not with his eyes glowing with his wolf. It was so close to the surface, continuing to push his will ontheman.
“Gustavo,” her voice was hesitant. “Are youalright?”
How did he answer that? He certainly couldn’t say, ”No I’m not alright. My wolf wants to go on a killing spree, and the only person safe is your daughter.” He was sure that might make Jezebel a littlenervous.
“I just need Anna.” There. That soundednormal.
“Is Anna safe to be with you while you’re in thisstate?”
All right, apparently, he hadn’t sounded as normal as he thought. “Anna is the only person in the world who is always safewithme.”
“You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve never spent time around your species. I don’t know much about the Canislupus.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Most cannot understand the true mate bond. It is a supernatural joining. All you really need to know is that I will never hurt Anna. I will always take care of her, provide for her, andloveher.”
“Will you make her smile?” Jezebel asked. “Will you make her feel like she is the only female in existence who can hold you captive? Will you do what is in her bestinterest?”
He was unable to stop his wolf from raising his head and piercing the woman with his glowing eyes. To her credit, she did not take a step back, though she visibly had difficulty swallowing. Gustavo was an Alpha, a top predator and powerful in his own right. Jezebel was getting a taste of that power as he met her stare. Her questions were valid, but his wolf felt challenged. He didn’t hear the bathroom door open, he was too focused on keeping his wolf fromsnarling.
“Mom, drop your eyes,” Anna said as she slipped her hand into his. “Staring into the eyes of a dominant wolf is achallenge.”
“I will do whatever it takes to make her smile every day. She always knows she is the only female in existence that holds me captive because she can see into my mind and feel my emotions. And I can do nothing other than look out for her best interests. She is the other half of mi alma. She is my light, my peace, my beloved, and sheismine.”
Jezebel stared silently back at him though her eyes where now on his shoulder. “Good.” She walked over and hugged Anna. “Just a mom being a mom,” she said as way ofexplanation.
Anna smiled. “He’s a big boy. He can handle it. Though next time you might want to wait until his eyes aren’tglowing.”
“Good to know,” Jezebel said. She waved to them as she walked down the hall, leaving themalone.
“You okay?” Anna asked him, though she kept her eyesaverted.
Gustavo put a finger under her chin and raised her face. “Anna, you are the only one who can look me in the eyes. Look at me,míamõr.”
She finally did. Her face softened immediately as she raised her hand to his cheek. “Why soworkedup?”
Gustavo pressed his cheek into her hand, and his wolf rumbled. Her touch was amazing, and he would always crave it. “Room,” he managed to get out. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, tilt her head back to reveal her beautiful neck, and sink his teeth in so his mark would be on her for all to see that shewashis.
She led him by his hand into the room. Her scent was all over the place, and his wolf reveled in it. There wasn’t much in the way of personal stuff here, no pictures of friends on the walls or posters. It was a bed, a dresser, a chair, andadesk.
“Are you upset about whatPerisaid?”
“You mean what she ordered.” He growled. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I’m not growling at you. My wolf, well, both of us are upset. You and I should be the ones to decide when the Blood Rites ceremony is performed.Nother.”
Gustavo pulled her to the bed. He sat and lifted her into his lap. It was one of his favorite places for hertobe.
“Is it difficult for you to wait?” Her question washesitant.
“It is, but that is not the reason we should choose to do it. It should be because you are ready. For you, I can wait. But I do not like being ordered by someone, no matter who they are. I understand her reasoning. And if it’s the best chance for this spell to work, then wewillwait.”
“Do you think we should turn the other girls intowitches?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I want whatever is going to keep you safe and get you out of Volcan’s clutches. But I know you wouldn’t want to hurt your friends. Sometimes, there is no good solution. There is only the lesser of bad ones.” Gustavo’s wolf was a little calmer now that he was holding Anna, but he was still disgruntled about the Blood Rites. He wanted his scent in her and hers in him. He wanted his markonher.
