“But what if hedoeschallenge Liam?” I asked. “Orshe. . . ?” Dismissing Cassandra was foolish, considering she’d already defeated anAlpha.
“If either of them challenge Liam to a duel, my guess is he’ll fight them,” Colesaid.
My heart skipped into my throat and expanded there until I had so much trouble breathing that August sketched small circles on my lowerback.
“We’ll be okay,” hesaid.
Black dots danced at the edge of myvision.
“He’llbe okay,” he added in a weighty whisper, sensing I needed reassurance that Liam’s life wasn’t in peril. August stopped circling his palm, drawing me into his side instead, and then he kissed my forehead and repeated, “He’ll beokay.”
I clutched the hand wrapped around my waist as though it were the only thing keeping me from tippingover.
“Hey, Cole,” August said, heart thudding steadily against my shoulder blade, “keep what you saw this morning toyourself.”
Cole nodded. “Course, man.” He pressed off the doorjamb. “Anyone want amuffin?”
My throat had closed up so tight that I didn’t even think coffee would go down. “I need . . . clothes. I need clothes. Jeb—” I whisperedraucously.
“He’s home. Let me get dressed, and I’ll takeyou.”
“Okay,” Ibreathed.
August unwrapped his arm from around me but threaded his fingers through mine and towed me back into the kitchen. I climbed onto a barstool, while he went through a passageway next to his bathroom—I assumed hiscloset.
After pouring himself a cup of coffee, Cole watched me from beneath his blond eyelashes. “I’m surprised you still care about him after last night. You looked angry enough to murderhim.”
Huh?Him?Oh . . . Liam. “The only person I wish dead is AidanMichaels.”
Cole leaned his forearms into the island. “Can I ask yousomething?”
I pressed my lips togetherwarily.
“What are your intentions?” heasked.
“That’s really none of your business,Cole.”
“I just want to know if you’re serious about him. That’s all. He’s been through a lot. And before you growl at me, I know you have too, but he’s . . . well, he’s—” He ping-ponged his phone between his hands. His fingers were as thick as Matt’s and dotted with the same blond hairs. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I hope this isn’t arebound.”
Even though I didn’t appreciate his mistrust, I couldn’t help but admire the consideration he had for August, which was the only reason I answered, “It’s not arebound.”
“Cole,” August said sharply, emerging from the closet dressed in army fatigues and a cream thermal tee molded to historso.
Cole straightened up, raising both palms in the air. “Just watching out for you,man.”
“Thanks, but stay out ofit.”
Cole’s jaw set tightly. “Sorry.”
As August leaned over me and nuzzled my neck, I said, “August?”
“Yeah,sweetheart?”
I pivoted to face him, forcing him to stop making my skin tingle. “This right here”—I pointed to Cole—“what he just asked . . . That’s the reason why I don’t want people to find out. The others will have the same reaction. It doesn’t matter that Liam and I broke up three weeks ago, or that he’s already slept with someone else; I’ll be seen asthatgirl.”
August’s gaze tightened before glowing greener. “If anyone so much asinsinuates—”
I pressed my finger against his mouth to calm his rising wolf. His hair had begun to lengthen and thicken. “Let’s not discuss this anymore. Not with everything that’shappening.”
