Vessa's lip quivers as she rests her injured hand over my open one. She then brings the other to cup my cheek. Dilated pupils are slowly shrinking.
"Wolf," she murmurs.
Her gaze drops to my mouth. Slowly leaning in, her breath is shaky. She tilts her jaw, offering her lips. My thumb swipes along them, admiring their cashmere softness. Her eyes flutter closed. When she opens them again, a familiar luster returns. Vessa nods to Cora, opening her palm and inviting her to tend to the wound.
The medic wastes no time bringing her tweezers to work in the dark. Vessa whimpers from the sharp prodding of the instrument. I dab away a black smear from her cheek and pull her into my arms, holding her steady while she remains in a faraway haze. My wolf surges on the cusp of a tantrum when Inote the scent signature of another male coating her skin. Oddly enough, it’s lycan.
When the worst is over, Cora sterilizes her palm and wraps it with a thick bandage.
Gemma palms her throat. “Is she okay?”
“Did you see who did this?” I growl. When I get my hands on this piece of shit, I’m going to ram my claws through his throat. Repeatedly.
The young cadet shakes her head. “N-No. I’m sorry.”
Damn it. “You two stay vigilant. Look for anyone else who might have this in their system. If you scent the powder or any wolves you don’t recognize, call me. And don’t let them leave.”
Cora’s head dips. “Of course.”
Vessa’s arms encircle my neck, clinging tightly as I lift her off the floor. I tell her to keep her eyes on me as I carry her up the stairs and down the dimly lit hallway that leads to Dom's office. Muffled moans sound from inside. As I set Vessa down in the nearest chair, she’s still fisting my jacket. Gently, I pry her fingers away and drape her fur coat over her shoulders. While my temper steeps, I allow myself a moment to take her in, sparkles, smooth legs, and big hair. Even as a drunken mess, she is beautiful.
"Wait here," I tell her.
My foot slams into the door. The topless girl who is on her knees with Dom’s cock in her mouth immediately spits it out and scrambles to cover herself. He swears, hiking up his trousers. It isn't an alarming sight—and probably won’t be the last time I walk in on my brother being serviced.
"Explain why I just found Ludone downstairs. On my mate."
His blood freezes over. “What?"
I look over to the girl, letting her know that now would be the time to see herself out.
When the door shuts, Dom scowls. "How’d she get ahold of that shit?"
"I don't have any idea. But if I ever find trace of it in this establishment again, I'm shutting everything down."
He laughs. While I’m accustomed to his blustering dismissals, the animal part of me still snarls viciously.
I grab him by the collar. "We don't need human enforcers raiding this building when they catch wind of a new hyperactive substance. I had hoped you would do some good with your inheritance, not attract more trouble than we already need."
"What I do in this office withmymoney is none of your fucking business.”
My voice plunges deeper. "If it endangers my Luna, or any pack member for that matter, then you’re godsdamned right it is."
He shrugs me off again with that famous insolent smirk of his. "She's not your Luna. Or at least she wasn’t acting like it an hour ago."
For a second, all I can do is blink.But then his words sink in and I can no longer pretend to ignore the remnants of another man’s sweat on her skin. Just like that, my level head swells with rage.
“She’s human. She should be allowed to choose pleasure over being tied down to a cult that will never accept her."
Once more, my wolf bellows. This isn’t the first time he’s used the worldculton me. It’s what he does, always looking for ways to feed his ego and the growing wedge between us. I can brush off any insult in the book, but when it’s directed towards our family? The community that raised us?
“If I were you, I’d watch that silver tongue of yours.”
Dom doesn't breathe as his eyes erupt with a verdant flare. His wolf coming to his defense.
"She hasn't crawled into your bed yet. I'd say that doesn't make her off limits. You should remind the other unmated males of that, too."
“Don’t make threats you don’t have the balls to uphold,” I snap. Straightening my spine, I add, “You stay the fuck away from her.”
