“Not yet. But if ya’ trust me, we could search for them. Together.” Farren’s mouth softened, her lips curving slightly. “Ya’ came to me for a reason, Eli. Because Diedre sent ya’. And gave ya’ this.” Fishing the silver tree of life pendant from under her robe, she dangled it from long fingers. “This is how I saved yer life on the beach. This pretty thing absorbed one of their spells and turned it against them. Without it, I’d likely be dead, and I can’t imagine what they’d be doing to ya’ right now.”
The memory of the blue and red lightning coursing through his body made him shudder. He’d never felt such pain or helplessness. Not even when he’d been about to drown. Or when he’d woken up in the hospital after the car accident.
“I need ya’ to stay here with me because there are wards protectin’ this place. Diedre created them. They hide the power of any elementals within their boundaries and stop the Thirteen from scrying for any of us. Without them, we’d be defenseless.” Farren toyed with the pendant again, running her fingers over the intricate design. “Though, if we could learn more about whatthisdoes, we might be able to fight them.”
“If I knew how it worked, or even what it was beyond a necklace, I’d tell you.” He might not want to remain here in this house where several of the wolves obviously wanted him dead, but he’d started to think fondly of Farren, despite not knowing much of anything about her.
“I believe ya’.” Farren rose and came to sit at the foot of the bed, just out of reach. “But there’s somethin’ else ya’ need to know as well.”
The seriousness of her tone didn’t reassure him. “What?”
“Werewolves...we’re instinctual creatures. Even in our human forms. As our beasts? Even more so. And when we were on that beach and yer power escaped, so did a part of ya’ that I think’s been buried for years.”
“What does that mean?”
“Yer scent changed. From the moment ya’ walked into my office, I liked how ya’ smelled.” Her cheeks pinked, but she held his gaze. “It’s why I kissed ya’.”
That kiss...he’d thought about it more than once in the roughly twelve hours since it had happened.
“So you like my soap? What does that have to do with anything?”
She chuckled, but there was little humor in it. “It’s more than that, Eli. My wolf...she knows the scent of her mate. All wolves do. Lesser wolves, they can go on a tear from time to time, sleepin’ around, but those of us born to lead? Alphas? Even betas? We don’t. Not after we leave our twenties. Because that’s when we start yearnin’ to find the one destined to be ours.”
“You’re not making any sense.” Warning bells were going off in his head. He wanted to run, but Farren was too close. She’d catch him, and when she did, he wasn’t sure he had the strength to fight her. If anything, he wanted to lose himself to her.
“Ye’re my mate, Eli. I didn’t sense it this mornin’ because ya’ didn’t have yer powers. But on the beach? My wolf has never been so certain of anythin’ in her entire life. Ye’re mine, and that means I’ll die to keep ya’ safe.”
Chapter Ten
Farren
Well, shite. Her mate was looking at her like she’d just beamed down from another planet, and from her spot on the bed, she could hear his heart racing and smell his fear. That hadn’t been her intention.
Yeah, and how did ya’ think he’d take it?
“Oh, Farren. It’s so good to hear you say that. I’ve been obsessed with you since the moment we met. Let’s get naked and have loads of mind-blowing sex.”
She snorted, which definitely wasn’t the right response, because he muttered an oath under his breath and scooted back against the headboard.
“You’re two sandwiches short of a picnic. Talking mates andsmellingme and dying for me? I’ll allow that the shite on the beach was magic. I’ve seen you shift. I know you’re a wolf, and I’ve no reason to believe you’re lying about who everyone else is and what they can do. But I amnotan elemental, and we certainly arenotmates.”
Farren hadn’t thought Eli’s rejection would hurt so much. But it did.
He rolled to the other side of the bed, got to his feet, and winced, his hand pressing to the right side of his chest. “Fuck me, that hurts.”
“Let me see.” If the practitioners had harmed him permanently, she’d bring hell down upon them. Oh, who was she kidding? She’d do that anyway just for trying to take him from her. For trying to take him anywhere he didn’t want to go.
“I don’t think that’s such a smart idea.” He backed away from her slowly, keeping his eyes on the door the whole time.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Stop faffin’ about. Ye’re my mate, yes. That doesn’t mean I can’t keep my hands off ya’ long enough to make sure ye’re not injured. The full moon isn’t for another four days.”
“What does the full moon have to do with anything?” He was still wary, but let Farren approach and reach for the bottom of his long-sleeved Henley.
Oh, fuck me.
The expanse of toned, bronzed muscles almost made her knees go weak—and Farren Denair would never swoon over a man. She’d sworn that years ago. A light dusting of black hair over his pects made her core clench until she focused on the deep purple bruise that spread from his shoulder to his navel.
“Ya’ need somethin’ for this. I’ve some arnica. Stay right there,” she ordered and when she reached the bath, she was surprised he’d obeyed. Not that he’d get far if he tried to run. Cade’s pack—and hers—would stop him. Problem was, Cade and Liam would do more than stop him.
