She let out a short laugh that didn’t quite land. “Are you kidding? I should’ve been able to get out of there myself.”
“Luca couldn’t either, and he’s an Alpha,” Caidrik said reasonably. “Plus, you said you stabbed Merritt with his own knife. That’s impressive.”
“I guess.” She didn’t argue, but her shoulders curled in a fraction more, and that did something ugly to his chest.
Not giving her a warning, he pushed the journals aside, hooked an arm around her waist, and lifted her.
“Whoa,” she said, startled. “You’re cold.”
“I’ll warm you up.” He took her seat, settling until his shoulders hit the thick wooden headboard, and extended his legs. Then he planted her fully on top of him, her thighs falling on either side of his hips. She straddled him automatically, looking adorable dressed in warm flannel pajamas. The lamp on the nightstand cast a soft amber glow over her face, catching in her eyes.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“We’re going to talk,” he said. “Right now.”
A faint blush crept into her cheeks, giving her color again, and relief hit him hard and fast.
“We’ve landed in a clusterfuck of a mess,” he went on. “One neither of us planned on.”
She huffed out a breath and then laughed for real this time. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Six months ago,” he said, watching her closely, “did you picture yourself in the middle of ancient trials attempting to take over one of the four main Stope Packs?”
Her eyes widened, reflecting the lamplight, bright despite the fatigue. “No. I didn’t even think I’d meet my father. Or my sister. Or end up being a part of the Slate Pack.”
“Me either,” he said. “I was tired of wandering, joined a farming pack that needed protection, and then ended up volunteering to keep your sweet ass safe as you ventured into this territory. Even so, I figured I’d protect you from afar and not get so involved with everyone here.”
“That was kind of you,” she said softly, lifting a hand to his jaw, her thumb brushing over the rough shadow there. The touch grounded him.
“I’m not kind,” he said. “Don’t mistake me for that.”
She smiled at him anyway, and stayed right where she was, her weight solid and warm in his lap.
He’d never lied to her, and he wasn’t about to start now. “I don’t have that in me,” he said quietly.
She studied him for a long moment, her gaze steady. “I think you’re wrong.”
“No, I’m not.” He didn’t play games. He didn’t hedge. He knew where he stood, even when it made things harder.
“Okay,” she said at last. “Then tell me how you see it.”
He took a breath. With Nadia, there was no point circling the truth. Her mind was too sharp for that. Direct and clear was the only way through. “I’ve watched the other Alpha challengers,” he said. “Luca’s the only one left, and he didn’t protect you well enough yesterday. That means the pack would be vulnerable if he took over, so I can’t let him.”
Her eyebrows lifted, that small arch that made her look curious and intent all at once. It did something to him every time. He liked that about her more than he probably should.
“Bulwark’s out,” he went on. “Isaac’s body still hasn’t been found. And Dax…” His jaw tightened. “Who knew that tea could kill?”
She nodded slowly.
“Nobody can protect this pack the way I can,” he said. It wasn’t arrogance. It was fact. “I know the land. I know the people and the threats.”
“I agree,” she said without hesitation.
That mattered more than she probably realized.
He’d grown attached to this place in ways he hadn’t expected. The miners. The routines. Even the ridiculous Mah Jong afternoons with Bussy and the elders that he’d made them keep secret. “I get the slate mines,” he said. “I understand the work and even enjoy it.” He huffed a breath. “But this pack can’t stay frozen in time.”
Her spine straightened a fraction. He felt it where she sat on his lap, warm and solid and very real.
