He gasped, a mix of pleasure and fear.  I wiped my mouth on his suit jacket.  Ew.  His taste was worse than his smell.

The arm supporting my legs slackened, and I loosened my arms around his neck, fearing for my stitches.  The blade I had strapped to my leg was trapped between us.  His eyes met mine as my legs slowly slid to the floor.  The arm at my back kept me pinned as he searched my face.  Panic flared within me, but it was not my own.  I waited patiently for him to sort through what I had just done.

“What did you do?” he finally managed.  Apparently he couldn’t sort through it on his own.

“I caused you a mess of trouble,” I admitted, keeping control of my emotions.  I suppressed my smug joy and my own concern, giving him no indication through our link what I might be thinking.  “We both know whoever you had waiting wasn’t right for me.  Luke would have been right if he’d been willing.  I need someone strong enough to protect me.  To keep me safe during the storm that’s coming this way.”

His gaze dipped to my mouth.  His hands brushed up and down my arms.  The shock of my unexpected Claim was wearing off.  The calculated look crept back into his eyes.  Desire flared through our link. Dangerous territory.  This was the part of the plan that had caused me the most concern.  I knew I’d be safe from the other Urbat now, but how did I keep myself safe from him?  I’d hoped Nana wouldn’t let him out of her sight.

The door burst open, and Luke strode in.  Fire lit his eyes as he took in Joshua’s hold on my arms.  Nana, Sam, and Grey walked in behind him.

“Joshua?” Sam questioned as he took in the scene.

“I Claimed him,” I said softly.  The Elders needed to know.  All part of the plan.  But watching Luke and the pain flared in his eyes hurt.  I couldn’t keep the remorse from welling up within me.  Joshua growled in response, and dropped his hands so he could stand in front of me.

“As an Elder, you are not permitted to Claim,” Grey said with anger in his voice.  “You broke your oath to hold the interest of the pack above your own interests.”  Grey paused, his anger giving way to confusion.  “How are you still alive?”

Joshua twitched as if in pain and his growl grew louder.  The tenuous link he’d had to the werewolves had just been irrevocably severed.  I held myself still.  He was alive because he wasn’t one of them, and wasn’t bound by their rules.  I’d anticipated his reaction going one of two ways.  Joshua could go crazy realizing his cover was blown and try to attack the rest, or he could realize the precariousness of his dilemma.

“As you are well aware, we are not able to Claim any of these girls.  She Claimed me.”  A low growl remained in his voice, but I felt a surge of relief that he chose to talk, not attack.  “I will hold that Claim.”

All eyes in the room swung to me.  Luke’s pain showed through his eyes.

I gave a quick nod, answering the unspoken question.  I would hold my Claim to Joshua as long as he didn’t try for more or try to hurt Luke.  Not yet ready to get into the whole “why” of it, I eased my hand to the blade at my side.  Not drawing it, but ready to as I eyed Joshua’s back.

“Joshua, does this mean you are no longer able to communicate with the pack?” I asked innocently.

He turned to look at me over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing on me fractionally.

“He shouldn’t even be alive,” Grey restated.

“Yes, yes,” I said waving away his concern and keeping my eyes on Joshua.  I still saw Grey’s surprised reaction and Luke’s transformation.  He went from wounded ex to suspicious friend.  It gave me hope for us.

Joshua’s frown grew.  He took a slow deep breath.  His suspicion flooded me.  “I feel...something from you.  Not happiness exactly.  You’re trying to keep your emotions from me.  Why?”

I answered with a small smile.  “Have you told your leader what happened?  You know he won’t let you keep me.”

Joshua’s eyes flared wide, and he growled.  I couldn’t quite tell if the growl was at me or at the thought of losing me.  I’d counted on his possessive nature and really hoped it was the latter.

“Thomas already knows,” Sam’s voice rang with authority.

Joshua’s hands curled into fists, but I noted his nails elongating.

“Not Thomas,” I said with a shake of my head.  “His Urbat leader.” Nana glanced down for a moment, and I had the feeling she was doing some silent communicating with Sam and Grey.

“So, Joshua, have you told him?  We need to know how soon they will be coming to take me and kill you.”

He roared a cry of frustration and anguish.  I knew he’d just realized his inevitable death sentence from both sides.  Only his connection to me kept him safe for the moment.

Luke’s skin rippled in response to his outburst.

“We need to take it down a notch, guys,” I said raising my hands.  “This human’s way too easy to break, and neither of you would like that.”

Joshua struggled with himself.  Grey placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder.  I could see the two of them having a silent conversation.  Luke noticeably calmed, but he still struggled to contain his shift.

“Let’s recap for everyone who doesn’t know what’s going on,” I said softly, unsure if Joshua had thought of everything.  “By Claiming you, I stripped you of your Elder privileges, blew your cover with this pack, and voided your usefulness here in the eyes of your Urbat leader.  In addition, I’ve made you his target since he will not allow you to keep me.  After all, I feel no connection with you that would help sway any decisions that I might need to make.  There’s really nowhere safe for you right now.” Joshua straightened his stance, a sudden seriousness exploding onto his expression.

He took a slow, deep breath.  “Why not just have them,” he nodded at the Elders, “kill me right away?  Why Claim me?”

“If they had killed you, you would have sent one last message to your leader. It probably would have started an attack and cost countless lives.”

“What makes you think I didn’t already send a message?” he asked softly, his eyes lightly skimming my face.

“To protect me.  I’m yours, right?”  His eyes softened at my words.  “You don’t want to lose me.  Plus, you’d forfeit your life by doing so.  Like, I said, they won’t let you keep me.”  I took a step back from Joshua.  Luke’s tremors hadn’t stopped since he’d walked through the door, and I didn’t want to ignite that bomb waiting to go off.

Joshua’s eyes tracked me.  I felt his yearning.  He wanted me close.  He wanted to touch me.  I wondered if Luke felt for me even a fraction of what Joshua felt.  If he did, how did he keep saying no?

“He underestimated you,” Joshua said softly.

I knew he meant his leader.  “Your kind usually does,” I agreed.  And still I always die.

“So how do you see this ending?”

“That depends on how many are waiting out there to meet me,” I said, reminding Joshua of his original intent when he entered the room.

His lips curled.  “Three.”

I nodded slowly, thinking.  Only three.  A discreet number easy to slip in and take me.  A perfect number to obliterate.  I needed to keep the room at peace, and Joshua on my side for a bit longer.

Meeting Nana’s eyes I said, “I don’t want a Mating challenge.”

Luke growled.  “It is my right.”

“Shush,” I said, keeping my eyes on Nana.

She looked troubled by my words.  I could see her weighing my safety and the pack’s safety.  By keeping Joshua linked to me the pack would be safe, but would I?  Joshua would soon realize the only way to save himself would be to Mate with me and create an unbreakable bond.  Hopefully, Nana wouldn’t see that just yet.  Finally, she reluctantly nodded her agreement.

Luke growled, and Joshua laughed.

“Like Joshua said, I need to think about how this should end.  I don’t want bloodshed.  That’s why I Claimed Joshua.  To avoid just that.” I moved to touch Joshua’s arm, tamping down my revulsion.