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Draven’s deep voice washed over me, offering me comfort without even realizing he was doing it. “I’m failing. My coven is relying on me. Amy and Marina are relying on me. No one else has any idea where they are or who’s doing this. And if I don’t pass this task, my coven will lose everything. And I don’t know what to do next.”
He closed the space between us. “We’ll figure it out. Whoever took those females has slipped up somehow, they always do. We’ll find them.”
“I hope you’re right.” I bit my lip. Embarrassingly, it was quivering.
Draven’s gaze slid over the star on my cheek, then dipped to my mouth.
“Draven—” One moment, he was staring down at me, the next, he hauled me off my feet, pressed me against the wall, and kissed me.
I clung to him as he plundered my mouth, owning it like only he could. How could I want that, like it, after everything that happened with Brody? After Draven had forced me into this messed-up relationship? But I did. I liked the way he kissed me, a lot. I couldn’t get enough. And as far as distraction techniques went, it was highly successful.
The elevator doors dinged.
Someone laughed behind us. “Take your whore to a room already.”
Draven stiffened, lowered me to the floor, and turned slowly. Two human males dressed in expensive clothes stood there grinning. I couldn’t see Draven’s face, but as soon as the humans got a look at him, their grins dropped and they stumbled back a step.
“What did you say?” Draven said, low and deadly.
I grabbed the back of his shirt when he strode toward them. “It’s okay. Ignore them.” He pulled me along with him.
“No, it’s not,” he said, sounding like the relentless predator he was.
One of them lifted his hands. “Hey, sorry. Didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yes, you did,” Draven said through gritted teeth. “You called my female a whore. You knew exactly what you were saying.”
He took another step toward them, and I grabbed his arm, moving around to stand in front of him. And wow, he looked ready to literally tear them to pieces.
“Draven…” Nothing.
“Draven.” Still nothing.
“Draven.” Finally, he looked down at me. “Let it go, okay? For me.” I don’t know why I said that or if it would make a difference, but it was all I could think of.
His eyes were wolf, and his chest heaved. My big bad wolf still had some serious anger issues, and after coming here where he thought I might be in danger, then seeing me cut myself when he was already in full-on protection mode—well, it seemed I’d pushed him to the very edge of his control.
These guys had just said the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Draven kept his eyes on me as the guys skirted us and rushed into the elevator, and as the doors closed, I released a breath and let go of his arm. He grabbed my hand, not letting me pull away, then led me across the foyer and out the door.
“Draven…”
“I need to get the fuck out of here before I turn around and hurt them.”
Shit.
I let him lead me down the street and away from the building. “Are you okay?” I asked as we reached his truck.
He spun me and pressed me into the side of it. “No. My wolf wants to lock you up and keep you safe, Iris. And every time you’re in danger, I struggle to keep control. I haven’t forgotten the way you looked when I found you in the middle of that field, surrounded by demons, or in that fucking cave, unconscious and covered in blood. You have a habit of getting yourself hurt.” He shook his head as if he were shaking back the beast and grappling for that control now. “You’re my mate, and my need to protect you just got a whole lot more intense.”
He was breathing heavily, and his wolf was still there. His beast hadn’t retreated since we left the keep.
“I’ll do my best not to get hurt again,” I said, not sure what else to say, because I couldn’t promise him it wouldn’t happen.
His hand curled around the side of my throat, and his thumb brushed over my jaw. “You’re a pain in my ass, little witch,” he said, but there was no heat to his words, and something wild and exciting lit his gorgeous eyes.
“And you’re unbelievably arrogant,” I said, fighting a grin.
