“I know that you’re sleeping less than three hours a night,” Phillip supplied helpfully. “I also know that this has been going on for a while. I’d venture to guess for a couple of months.”
Shock ran through Murphy, leaving him immobile for a handful of seconds. “How the hell do you know that? If you tell me that Tank is spying on me at night, I’m going to kill him,” he warned darkly, fury replacing his hunger and exhaustion as it burned him from within. His bear reacted similarly, roaring as it struggled to gain control.
A shiver slid over Murphy’s skin, a precursor to a shift.
Stop, Murphy internally ordered with a snap of his teeth, demanding the beast obey. Reluctantly, it did, and the sensation ebbed, allowing him to focus on the problem at hand.
What was his brother doing? Creeping outside his window at night, listening to him breathing? That was disturbing on so many levels. But that didn’t make sense. Tank wouldn’t leave Hunny defenseless and alone during the night.
That left only …
“Jasper,” Murphy seethed.
Of course, his youngest brother would do some weird shit like that. Jasper was a jokester and a mama’s boy at heart, so if Tabitha had put him up to it, he’d probably have skipped his happy ass over here and posted up. Murphy was willing to bet his brother would have even thought it funny.
How hadn’t Murphy noticed the intrusion, though? How long had this even been going on?
He jerked his head up and toward the window, eyes narrowed at the dark forest beyond. If Jasper was there right now, he was hiding just out of sight.
Murphy had half-expected him to have his face pressed against the glass, just to scare him. Three months ago, he might have found that funny. Now? It was an invasion of his privacy. It was also unnecessary.
He was fine, damnit.
His dad huffed. “Your mother is worried about you. Hell, we’re all worried about you, Son.”
“Enough to send Jasper to spy on me instead of talking to me? That is uncalled for,” Murphy snarled.
“Normally, I’d agree,” his father argued. “But if you were really ‘fine,’ you would have realized another shifter was lurking outside your home. You haven’t noticed once, Murphy. Not in weeks.”
“Weeks?”
“Your mother thinks you’re suffering from—”
A light knock on his front door caught Murphy’s attention, and his dad’s voice became a faint buzzing noise in the background, the rest of his senses on high alert. Who was here so late at night?
Jasper, probably here to rub it in your face that he’s slipped right under your nose for weeks.
Murphy’s jaw clenched, steam practically coming out of his ears as he struggled to maintain his composure. His bear paced in his mind, back and forth, a low rumble reverberating in its chest. It wanted Jasper to pay, and Murphy agreed.
“I’ve got to go,” Murphy said absentmindedly into the phone, hanging up before his dad could even respond. Another knock sounded, this time more insistent than before.
Gritting his teeth, Murphy stalked from his office, his footsteps heavy and purposeful as he moved down the hallway, into his living room, and to the front door. He didn’t bother checking the peephole, knowing whoever was on his front porch had been cleared by the bears at the main gate of his vast territory.
Grabbing the door handle, he nearly bent the brass as he twisted it. Ripping the door open—but miraculously not off its hinges—Murphy barked, “What the fuck do you wan—”
His words died in his throat as the female standing on his porch flinched back from his harsh tone, her eyes wide as saucers as she gaped up at him in equal parts shock and trepidation.
Murphy stilled, and whatever fury, whatever malice he’d been feeling only moments ago, fled, leaving behind only surprise and a raw, unbridled need that threatened to undo his months of hard work.
“I—This was a mistake,” Nessa squeaked out, her sweet voice panicked and confused. The wind chose that exact moment to blow hard, and her scent slammed into him at full blast. It was just as intoxicating as he remembered, although the traces of fear lacing it irked him, his dominant nature hating that she felt unsafe in his presence.
She turned away from him then, her teal-colored hair flying over her shoulder as she rushed from the porch and toward her car, which she’d parked in his driveway. His bear roared in denial as she ran away, slamming at Murphy’s defenses in the hopes of taking over. Of breaking free and forcing them to chase after her.
She’s ours. Don’t let her leave!
Murphy inhaled roughly, dragging her scent deep into his lungs as his bear demanded he go after her. She barely made it a few feet before the restraint he’d been holding onto for months snapped.
Without a second thought, Murphy gave chase.
