I unzipped my coveralls and pulled off my shirt. He remained where he was as I stripped and shifted.

Moving toward him, I already knew the outcome of the fight. I saw in his eyes that he did, too. One on one, very few of my kind would be able to overcome me.

When I walked out of the building, the sky was already dark. The challenge took longer than I’d anticipated, and I knew the only dinner I’d have ready in time was canned soup. It was something I’d picked up last week.

I jogged home, trying to keep a human pace; and before going inside, I hid my coveralls in the garage. Though Gabby knew about them, I wasn’t sure Rachel was ready for more man clothes around the house.

Glancing at the clock, I wondered how Gabby’s day had gone. No doubt I’d find out in a few minutes. It took me seconds to open the soup and dump it into a pot. As it heated on the stove, I quickly washed up. Though I’d won, the challenger had scored a few solid blows but nothing that wouldn’t be healed by morning.

Gabby pulled into the driveway just as I poured the soup into bowls. Her slow steps thumped on the porch while I carried the bowls to the table. I glanced up as she opened the door. Looking exhausted, she dropped her bag on the floor, closed the door, and then shuffled to the table. With a weary sigh, she practically collapsed into the chair.

I sat across from her, watching as she took her first few bites of soup before I started eating too. We ate in silence for a few minutes.

“Are you going to tell me about the coveralls or where you got the money for groceries?”

Though she’d asked, she didn’t look up to any serious conversation. She looked like she needed sleep. So I shrugged.

She sighed and pushed her bowl back. “I know I’m supposed to start asking you a bunch of questions, but I’m still too tired. Just don’t be doing anything illegal, ‘K? It would be hard to visit you in jail.”

She got up and put the rest of her soup in a container. Despite my silent objections, she washed her own dishes then left me in the kitchen with my half bowl of soup. I quickly ate, cleaned up, and went to her bedroom. She was already curled under the covers and asleep.

The sound of Rachel’s engine stopped me from lying next to her. I stripped, put my clothes away, and settled on the end of the bed, careful of my bruised ribs.

Tuesday was a repeat of Monday. Gabby went to school, and I went to work. The scent of werewolf drifted to me throughout the day, and I left early again. Like the day before, the scent grew stronger as I neared the vacant building. Only this time, it wasn’t a single scent, but three. I knew I wouldn’t make it home before Gabby.

Walking around the building, I retraced my steps. As I’d anticipated, the shallow bruises from the day before had already healed. I doubted I’d heal as quickly from three fights in a row. The bruising would go much deeper.

I stepped inside and found the three challengers. Though I could see they planned to fight as men, I stripped down to nothing anyway.

“Just give up now,” one of the men said. “Sure you might win the first fight or two, but do you really think you can win three in a row?”

I waved the first one forward in answer.

The guy shook his head. “Whether you win this fight or not, Gabby’s no longer yours. You had your chance. Elder Joshua has granted any interested male permission to approach her without supervision.”

Shit.

I struggled to control my temper. I’d asked for controlled Introductions. Sam had said he would see what he could do. When I hadn’t heard more, I’d thought...what had I thought? No answer didn’t mean a yes.

With a growl, I launched myself at the first challenger. I needed to get home.

It was past midnight when I left the building. I stopped at a gas station to clean up. I had a split lip and blood on my knuckles and in my beard. Most of the blood in my beard wasn’t my own.

Letting myself in the back door, I listened for Gabby’s soft breathing. She was safely asleep in bed. No other sounds drifted through the house, which meant Rachel wasn’t home yet. Some of the remaining tension melted from my chest.

As I stripped and then changed into a clean shirt and shorts, I considered the challenges. I’d taken my time and paced myself, careful not to expend all my energy up front. But in the end, the third challenger had almost beaten me. What would Gabby have done if she’d woken, and I still hadn’t returned? Her comment from Monday’s dinner led me to believe she would have tried to find me, that we weren’t done. Yet, what were we? Friends? I needed her to start seeing us as more than that.

I carefully lay next to her, wincing at the soreness along my back. She seemed to sense me in her sleep because she shifted closer. I put my hands behind my head and let her use me as a pillow. With her cheek on my chest, I wished I’d left off the shirt.

Once she settled, I sighed deeply and fell asleep.

She moved, a slight nod that rubbed her cheek against my chest. It was a pleasant way to wake up. She lifted her head, and I opened my eyes.

“It’s annoying not being able to see you,” she said softly as she propped herself up on her elbows to study me.

“If you don’t talk, and I can’t see your face, how am I ever supposed to figure out what you’re thinking?”

She reached out to push my hair back, but I caught her wrist. She wouldn’t like what she saw. I doubted the bruises had faded from last night.

“Seriously, Clay, what kind of bribe is it going to take for you to get rid of some of that hair?”

I bared my teeth, hoping my excuse would work this time, too.

“Can’t we at least trim it back some?”

Her desire to look at me had me tugging her hand to my chest and laying it flat. I wanted her to see me, not just the outside but inside, too. My heart was hers. All that I was belonged to her.

She watched me with a slightly amused expression. Her tousled hair haloed her head in appealing disarray. Her lips parted, and my gaze drifted there. I could handle a thousand more challenges if only for one kiss.

Barely breathing, I lifted my free hand and tapped my mouth.

“What, you want me to be mute like you?”

She was killing me. I shook my head and reached out, cupping her jaw and lightly running my thumb over her bottom lip. My pulse thundered in my ears.

She froze, then her eyes widened. All trace of amusement fled her expression.

“Whoa!” she said as she flew from the bed, almost falling off it in her haste to put distance between us.

My hand slowly fell to the mattress. She didn’t stop backing up until she hit the dresser, and then she clutched it as if she needed the support.

I saw her tremble and frowned. Had I misread our relationship? Did she truly not see me as a potential Mate? I waited. We watched each other. After a minute, she loosened her hold and nervously wiped her hand on her leg. I wished I knew what she was thinking.

As she continued to study me, her expression of fear melted away to one of slow amazement followed by a deep blush, which I found curious. Her amazement vanished and a sudden panicked look took its place. She was shifting through emotions too fast for me to understand. I’d thought the amazement and blush a good thing, but why had it caused her to panic?

Then her gaze drifted to my throat. I wanted to groan and close my eyes. Her reactions were confusing torment. Want me or don’t, just decide soon.

She took several slow, deep breaths, wiped her hands on her pajamas again, then, finally she moved. She didn’t flee the room, as I’d half-expected, but edged toward the bed. Her teeth caught her lower lip, making it hard for me to breathe.

“I have some questions before we talk about my bribe and your price.”