“I’d bet my life on it. Do ya’ trust me?” Farren tugged at her sweater, hoping it wasn’t clinging to her breasts too much or both packs would know exactly how turned on she was.
Who was she kidding? They’d smell it on her. And she’d take no end of shite for it if Eli didn’t eventually accept her.
“I don’t know why...” Eli said as he shoved his feet into his loafers. “But I do.”
Chapter Eleven
Eli
What was he doing walking into a room full of werewolves and two elementals who likely wanted to kill him? Despite these odd feelings he was having for Farren—feelings that made no sense as they’d known each other for only a day—he had no business being here.
He kept his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. Best not to appear a threat. Following behind Farren, he watched the subtle swing of her arse in those tight black leather pants. Did she wear anything else? He hadn’t snooped in her closet, but he’d given it more than a passing thought. He wanted toknowher in a way he’d rarely felt before.
“Did you grow up here?” he asked when they reached the second floor landing?
“No. Closer to Dublin,” she said. Her voice held strain, and he reached out to snag her hand. “Don’t, Eli.”
They both froze. “Why not? You said we were—”
“I know what I said. And that’s why. Because my wolf has already claimed ya’. But if I’m nothin’ but a ‘quick fuck’, then ya’ could break my heart, and that’s a risk I can’t take. Touchin’ ya? It makes me want ya’ even more.”
The skin of her wrist was warm and soft, and he had to force himself to release her. “Are you always this warm?” Falling into step beside her on the stairs, he made up his mind hewouldget to know her. He owed her that much for what she’d done for him on the beach, and maybe if he knew her, he’d start to feel something more than physical. Or...more than the vague fondness he already knew would never fade.
“Weres run hotter than humans by a degree or two. We also burn calories like ya’ wouldn’t believe.” She offered him a small smile. “Ye’ll see in a moment.”
Eli gaped when she led him into the main room. The coffee table was piled high with bagels, packages of powdered donuts, large plastic jugs of trail mix, and a bloodycaseof dried fruit. The men each had plates piled high with food, while Caitlin and Mara’s plates were more reasonably sized.
The pregnant elemental noticed him first and something in her green eyes stirred. Coppery flecks glowed for a moment and then faded. “Eli.”
The lot of them turned almost in unison, and the power in their gazes...he wanted to shrink behind Farren. Or run far, far away from here. But he’d given her his word, and even if he did leave...where would he go?
“Good morning.” His voice sounded odd. Like he had rocks clogging his throat. At the same time, his stomach growled, and Farren elbowed him in the side.
“Get yerself somethin’ to eat. They won’t bite ya’.”
The fact that she’d saidwon’tbite rather thandon’tbite wasn’t lost on him, and he darted forward for a plate and two powdered donuts. They seemed the fastest and easiest things to take and get the hell out of the range of the two biggest wolves in the room—Cade and Liam.
Farren chose mostly dried fruit and nuts, and gestured to one of the leather chairs at the far end of the living room. He gave her a wary look, and she rolled her eyes. “Sit. I’ll be right here.”
Right here turned out to be perched on the arm of his chair. Her scent curled around him, and fuck. Was that...? She was aroused. He’d bet his life on it.
“Farren? Are you all right?” he whispered.
“Fine. If ya’ say another thing about what I think ye’re goin’ to, we’ll have words. Ones ya’ won’t like.”
The threat hit him in the gut, and suddenly he wasn’t hungry.
“This is my house,” she said with complete and total authority infusing her tone. “But we’ve two packs under one roof. Not somethin’ that happens often in our world. So I yield the floor to Cade with the understandin’ that he’s leadin’ this meeting at my pleasure, and I can put a stop to it at any moment. We clear?”
One by one, each of them nodded. Though he wasn’t sure he got a vote, Eli found his head bobbing as well.
The male alpha wolf took the spot in front of the darkened hearth and held his mate’s gaze. “You okay, honey?”
“Fine. Having Eli here is helping me. I’m myself, Cade. I promise.”
Eli wanted to know what she meant by “I’m myself,” but he didn’t ask. Not yet. Not with Liam staring him down like he was a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse.
“Eli,” Cade said, “you bolted yesterday before we could explain the whole situation to you. Farren’s vouched for you, and while I don’t trust you any further than I can throw you, Idotrust her. So I’m giving you a chance to prove you’re not against us.”
