Noting the direction of his gaze, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a stern look. “Why are you here, Torin?”
A light breeze brought the stench of unwelcome male to his nose again, and he saw red. “Where is he?” he growled, slapping a hand against the door and pushing it the rest of the way open, his gaze sweeping the interior.
“Who are you talking about?”
“The male you have here,” he said, his hands clenching as he imagined them around that unknown human’s neck.
She reared back, her fists going to her hips. “Stop growling at me, you big jerk. There’s no one here but me. Why would you think I would have a guy here, anyway?”
“Don’t lie to me. I can smell him, Sophie.” He brushed past her and entered the house, sniffing as he prowled through the space. “There’s no one here.”
“I told you that,” she said with a very wolf-like snarl. “And you can’t just come barging in here all loud and snarly and accuse me of having a guest, male or otherwise.”
“Of course I can. It’s my house.”
She growled at him.
Smart wolf that he was, he swallowed the laugh that threatened to erupt. She was so damned adorable when she was irritated. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to sweep her into his arms and carry her off to his bed. But first, he neededto get to the bottom of the mysterious scent. The male wasn’t with her, but he’d been skulking around the territory, around his mate.
“On my nightly patrol, I caught the scent of an unknown human male near the wall surrounding the cottage.”
The sparkle in her eyes snuffed out. She licked her lips. “Did you see him?” she asked in a quiet voice.
His instincts went into overdrive at the scent of her fear. “Why? Is this someone you know?” He pulled the crumpled paper out of his pocket. “Is that why he’s sending you notes?”
All the color drained out of her face. Her hand trembled as she took the note and read it. She sucked in a breath, balling the paper up in her fist. “He’s here,” she whispered. She took a stumbling step and sank onto the floral print couch nestled under a square-paned window.
Her sudden change in demeanor shocked the hell out of him. His inner wolf snarled and snapped at the waves of fear coming off her. “Sophie?” he said, dropping to a knee in front of her so he could see her face. “What’s wrong?”
She swallowed hard, her bright blue eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears. “Part of the reason I came here… well, most of the reason, actually, is that I have a stalker back home. One who likes to leave me dead plants and creepy notes. My friends were worried he’d escalate and convinced me that taking some time away from Stonyburn might help diffuse the whole situation. But it looks like he followed me here.” A tear fell on the paper clenched in her fist.
“What about your local police?” he asked, putting a hand over hers, gently stroking her fingers until she released the note.
He scanned it. ‘You left without saying goodbye. I can’t allow that,’ it read. His hackles raised, a ball of fury forming in his chest. How dare someone terrorize his mate. When he found them, he would rip them to tiny pieces and scatter themacross the mountains surrounding Wolfcraig. No one would ever bother her again.
“The cops were pretty much useless. Told me to change my locks. So I left. Came here.” She looked at him with those stunning eyes of hers. “It was supposed to be safe here.”
That did it. “My territory will always be safe for you. I will make certain of it.” He stood, his body vibrating with the overwhelming need to protect his mate, to keep her safe from all threats. “You’re moving into the castle.”
“What? No, that’s not necessary. Also a bit extreme, don’t you think?” She tugged her hand free of his grip and wrapped her arms around her waist, holding herself tightly. “You don’t want me here, much less in your home.”
He wanted to gather her up and tell her that everything was going to be all right. Looking at her sitting there, looking so small and scared, tore at his heart with dagger-sharp claws. “It’s very necessary,” he said quietly. “You’re a guest here, and you’re in danger. It is my responsibility to make certain you’re safe and protected. The best way to do that is to have you close, where I can better keep an eye on you. So yes, you bloody well will be moving into the castle.”
“Can’t you set patrols to come by on the regular or something? I know you have them. I’ve seen them running around on my walks, just like I’ve seen you. What I don’t need is you dragging me off to your castle and personally keeping an eye on me all the time.” Her cheeks flushed, a bit of that fierce sparkle returning to her eyes.
Good, he thought. He didn’t like to see her so pale and jittery. It didn’t suit his feisty mate. It was better when she was riled up. “The highland games start tomorrow, and I can’t spare anyone. Either come with me now or pack your bags and go home.” Foolish wolf, he scolded himself as soon as he issued that ultimatum. Damn his mouth for moving faster than his brain.What if she chose to leave him? What would he do then? He couldn’t lose her.
She gave him a fierce glare that, if it had been a blade, would have sliced him in two. “You know, you are one pushy bastard.” She heaved a growly sigh. “Fine. Take me to your dungeon. For my own protection, of course.”
He chuckled, his wolf ecstatic that his mate would be under the same roof as him where he could protect her and keep her close.
9
SOPHIE
The room the grumpy wolf put her in was about as far from a dungeon as you could get. The big four-poster bed with the fluffiest light blue duvet she’d ever seen and a ton of pillows made her want to belly-flop onto it then wrap herself up like a cozy burrito. Matching end tables with crystal lamps flanked it. Luxurious silk drapes of dark blue framed a pair of tall, double-paned windows. She wandered around the room, touching the rich fabrics and admiring the stunning oil paintings of majestic wolves playing with their young and running through ancient woods that hung on pale ecru walls. A pair of delicate chairs, their seats embroidered with wildflowers, sat in front of a window. Her luggage sat beside a large wardrobe to the right.
It was by far the fanciest room she’d ever set foot in and damned if she wasn’t going to enjoy herself. After all, when would she get another chance to spend the night in a freakin’ castle? Plus, Bryn was telling her about the shifter highland games they held on the grounds. She wanted to go. Maybe now that Torin had decided she needed protection, she could. Aneffervescent wave of excitement bubbled up in her chest, dulling the sense of doom crushing her since receiving that note.
