“What's happening?” I whispered.
“We'll explain everything after we get you somewhere safe.”
I lifted my head to look at him. “My gallery is secure.” Reason started to return and yet I still didn't move away from him. “Actually, I'd be perfectly safe here. This is unnecessary.”
“You have a good security system,” he suddenly sounded like a military man. “Normally, I would agree with you. But not this time. You need to come with me.”
“Lora!” Rune's voice echoed through the gallery.
I jerked away from Braxen in shock and horror.
“It's all right,” Braxen said, reaching for me.
“No, it isn't!” I hissed. “I love him. I shouldn't be doing anything intimate with you.”
“It's all right,” he repeated.
“Lora!” Rune shouted again, sounding closer.
“Back here!” I called back and went to him.
Braxen's heavy footsteps followed.
And then I was in Rune's arms and everything made sense again. I sighed as he held me. Had I said Braxen was perfect? He was, but not as perfect as Rune. Rune was my match. He and I just fit. I should never have been tempted byanother man. The only excuse I could think of to give reason to my insanity was that Braxen reminded me so much of Rune, that my broken heart drew me to him. Yes, that had to be it. I missed Rune and Braxen kinda looked like him. He was a sort of rebound.
“Are you all right?” Rune eased back to look at me.
“Yes.” I stared up at him, drinking in his face, his eyes, his everything. It felt like forever since I'd seen him. “Braxen scared off the man who was chasing me. Rune, what's going on? He said something really strange.”
Rune looked up, over my shoulder, and his expression went grim. “We can't do this.”
“She's not safe here,” Braxen said.
“But you know what it will mean. I can't do that to you two. She can't be the one.”
“It's done,” Braxen said. “You know it as well as I.”
“No, it's not. Merrick will be furious if we bring her home. He doesn't want this.”
“Merrick knows.”
“What?” Rune's grip on me went slack. “He's okay with it?”
“Not okay, but there's nothing he can do. He feels it too.”
“You . . .” Rune glanced down at me, his face twitching, then straightened his shoulders as he refocused on his packmate. “You feel it? It's real?”
“Yes. I kissed her.”
“Fuck,” I whispered and stepped away from Rune. “I'm sorry, Rune. I should have been the one to tell you. I don't know why I did it. I just . . .” I looked up, expecting to see a wounded expression on Rune's face. I certainly didn't expect delight. It threw me so much, that I stuttered the next bit, “Wh-what, I mean, why are you . . . you-you'rehappy?”
“We don't have time for this,” Braxen growled. His head lifted as he sniffed the air. “They could return at any moment. I want her behind our ward.”
Rune nodded. “I as well.” He held out a hand to me. “Come with me, Lora. Please.”
I didn't hesitate. I took Rune's hand and let him lead me to the door. He paused there, peering out and to either side, then drew me out.
“Keys,” Braxen said.
