"Or what? You'll fight me? Bring it on." Stan spread his arms wide. "Unless you're too soft now. Too domesticated by your little human pet."
Rage, hot and violent, flooded through him. His skin felt too tight as his wolf clawed for release. But he couldn't. Not here. Not with Jules inside, unprotected.
"Leave. Now."
Stan smirked. "This isn't over. The pack will deal with this... situation. One way or another."
The threat was clear.
"If you dare touch her?—"
Stan's gaze went to the cabin. "I just wanted to see what kind of woman could make the great lone wolf Lex Chapman lose his mind."
"You've seen. Now go."
Stan backed toward the trees. "Enjoy your time with her, Lex. However long it lasts."
He disappeared into the woods, but his sour scent lingered. A reminder and a warning.
Lex stood there for a long time, staring into the darkness. The pack politics were getting more and more unstable. And now, thanks to him and his big mouth, Jules was in the middle of it. He could've just fucked her and gotten her out of his system, then blown her off…
You know damn well there's no blowing this one off.
He'd have to tell her everything in the morning. The whole truth. Let her decide if being with him was worth the risk.
When he went back inside, she was awake, sitting up with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
"Where did you go?"
"Just thought I heard something. It was nothing."
She studied his face, then said softly, "Liar."
He sighed and sat beside her. "Someone from my... pack was here. Checking up on me."
"On us, you mean."
Too perceptive. "Yes."
"Are we in danger?"
He wanted to lie. To tell her everything was fine. But she deserved the truth. "Maybe. But I won't let anything happen to you."
She was quiet for a moment. Then she crawled into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I know you won't. I trust you."
Three words. Three simple words that destroyed him and rebuilt him all at once.
"Jules—"
"Shut up and keep me warm."
So he did. He held her through the night while his wolf stood guard. Tomorrow would bring challenges. Revelations. Decisions.
But tonight, she was in his arms. Safe and warm and HIS.
And he'd fight the whole damn world to keep her that way.
Chapter 8
