“Then what?” She gasped when she remembered talk of what the Native American’s called a spirit bear. “Are you Kermode?”
Luke shook his head, his eyes had gone back to icy blue. “No.”
“Then what?”
“I’m a wolf.”
Quinn blinked and shook her head. She must have cotton in her ears because she could’ve have sworn he said… “Wolf? Is there a wolf bear?”
“I’m a wolf,” he said. “You know, like the big bad.”
“It’s not possible.” Quinn sat up straight and pushed her skirt down. Her shirt and her bra were across the room, and suddenly she felt exposed and vulnerable. “This has to be a joke.” Only she and her bear weren’t laughing.
“I didn’t want to mislead you, Quinn. Mrs. Wilder made me promise--”
Quinn crossed her arms over her breasts. “Geraldine Wilder? The Paranormal Dating Agency lady?”
“Yes.” Luke stood up and retrieved her blouse and bra. “She said you were in grave danger, and I needed to be her to protect you. To make sure you survived your…mating party.” The way he said mating sounded bitter to Quinn. “She made me promise not to tell anyone I was a bear, even you. She said if anyone found out I was a werewolf, I wouldn’t be allowed to do my job.”
“She sent you to me?”
“I went to her. I knew the moment I set eyes on you in the emergency room that I wanted you. I still goddamn want you.”
“So you pretended to be a bear to … to have sex with me?”
“No.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “I wanted to protect you. The idea of you getting hurt … it tears me up.”
“Why? Why would you care?” Quinn couldn’t help but feel betrayed by Luke. Yet, the desire was still there, still strong.A wolf?“You can’t seriously believe that my clan would allow a wolf shifter to be its leader.”
“I don’t want to lead it.”
“Yeah. Whatever.” She struggled to get her bra on without looking like a maniac, and when he tried to help she slapped his hand away. Her bear growled at her. The traitorous beast still thought of Luke as hers.None of that,she told her animal.He is the wrong freaking species!The female bear didn’t care.
“Will you tell your clan that I’m a werewolf?”
“No. I don’t need the headache. And I don’t need to give Trey Steele more ammo to use against me.” Quinn finally managed her bra and put her shirt on. Her lace panties were ruined, so she’d have to do without. Her pussy contracted with pleasure at the thought of Luke ripping them from her body, and it made her even madder.
“You can hate me if you want,” said Luke. “But I won’t let anyone hurt you or your family.”
“Oh, look. A promise from a liar. I feel better already.” She pushed him away. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”
Luke stared at her, obviously unable to answer the question. She turned away and stumbled back toward the hidden corridor.
****
Luke grabbedhis ripped shirt from the chair. Damn it. The material was covered in Quinn’s scent, a reminder of what he almost had and just lost. Also, it was a reminder that spray Mrs. Wilder had given him was wearing off. He needed to reapply the masking compound and add more bear scent.
If anyone found out that he was a wolf, Luke would be barred from the “find Quinn a mate” party. Maybe getting barred was for the best. If he couldn’t have her, did he really want to stick around to see who walked away with his prize?
Mrs. Wilder’s words haunted him.There are several in the Orsino Clan who would rather see Quinn dead than mate with someone outside the clan.
However much it hurt to think of Quinn choosing another man, it would hurt worse if she died and he could have prevented it. He inhaled her aroma, thick on his shirt. His wolf howled its anger and disappointment as Luke mourned the loss of her. Quinn was a leader. She had her mom, sisters, and clan to worry about, even above her own wants or desires. Luke understood duty and responsibility.
Luke passed through the small hidden room to another corridor, unsure where it would lead him, but he wasn’t ready to confront Quinn. It would make the loss of her too real. Besides, he had a job to do, and if he didn’t search out the weak spots in security now, he might not get a chance later. The walls were mostly dusty from years of disuse, even the electrical wires were covered in grime and cobwebs. Except one.
Luke paused. A thick black cable ran along the wall at the ceiling. He followed it down around a corner and saw a small camera, the kind that can be bought in spy shops, with its lens flush against the wall. On the other side of the hall was another, and as he followed the wire, he found more cameras and listening devices. This was just the second floor. What would he find if he searched the other floors?
He pulled his phone from his back pocket and pressed the number for Marigold.
“Hey,” Marigold said. “Where the hell are you?”
“Inside the Orsino house, and I do mean inside,” Luke replied. “Go find Quinn and tell her to bring you to the secret passages. There’s something she has to see.”
