I tucked her under the quilt, then sat on the edge of the bed, heart thudding in my throat.
She stared at me, wide-eyed, a single tear tracking down her cheek. “I really, really wanted to kiss you tonight,” she whispered. “But I didn’t want to screw it up by being…this.”
I brushed the tear from her cheek with my thumb. “You can’t screw this up. Not even if you tried.”
She reached up, fingers tracing the edge of my jaw. “I’ve never felt like this before. I don’t even know what to do with it.”
“Let it happen,” I said, my voice rough.
She smiled, then yawned, eyes drifting shut. “I’ve been kinda scared all day even before the bar.” She was mumbling.
I was brushing her hair back from her face. “Why have you been afraid, Aspen?” My instincts were raised..
“The man in the bakery.”
“Sunshine, I need you to stay awake just a few more minutes, okay? What man in the bakery scared you today?”
“Green jacket man. He looked wrong. And he just stared at me, and didn’t eat his scone. Oscar says he’s spelled or possessed.” She said through a yawn.
“What did he do with his scone, baby? And who’s Oscar? I need you to tell me, then you can go to sleep.”
There was a long pause. I was afraid she’d already dozed off. “He left it with the drawing on the bag. And Oscar is my prairie dog friend.”
Shit. What? One thing at a time. I sat up. “What drawing, sweetie? Do you still have it?”
“Umm, it’s in the trash.”
I stood up. I needed to find that bag first.
“Go on to sleep, Sunshine.”
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Always.”
She fell asleep in less than a minute, breath slow and sweet, lips parted in a tiny smile.
I went back to the living room and checked the window. It was locked tight, but the sash was loose. Someone with enough skill could have worked it open from the outside, if they had the ability to access it at that height. I prowled the bakery, double-checking every bolt and door, then returned to the kitchen. The trash cans were empty. She’d taken the bags to the outside dumpster. Damn it. I went out the back door to the alley. I felt something out here; one of those ominous feelings. Something was stalking my mate. I went to the dumpster and opened the lid. Empty. I hoped like hell she’d remember what the symbol looked like.
I sent a message to Wrecker and told him what was going on. He texted back.“Let me know what you find out. Sounds like someone’s got eyes on your girl. We need to find out who and why.”
My pulse spiked, but I kept it quiet. I crept back to the bedroom, checked Aspen, and found her sleeping on her side, arms curled around the pillow. I brushed her hair from her face, memorizing every line.
I texted Wrecker again:“Send guys to keep watch tonight. Watch for freaky shit. Guy in a green jacket specifically.”
His reply was a thumbs up and a simple phrase:“We’ve got your back, brother.”
I set my phone down and eased myself onto the floor beside Aspen’s bed. The room was warm, and her scent filled every inch. I let myself drift, half awake, half guarding the door, ears tuned for the slightest sound.
If I were lucky, nothing would happen tonight.
But if anyone came for her, they’d have to go through me.
My wolf was ready for it. So was I.
No one—witch, wolf, or otherwise—would ever touch her again.
I watched her as the hours ticked by, every breath a promise.
