He slowed his pace to a stroll as he went up the street to Vane and Sarina’s cabin. His eyes caught a scene unraveling outside the cabin that was better than any cinema.

Brayden and Vanessa were in the midst of a heated argument. She was flushed with anger and looked like she was cursing him. Brayden stood there like a stone statue, uncaring. Then he said only a few words and her jaw dropped open, eyes wide.

She actually shook with rage. Her eyes started to glow brighter, the color of amber, and even in the daylight, they shined like gems. Her lykaen was coming through. Brayden said something else and she snapped her teeth at him but slowly the color from her eyes recessed and she stopped shaking. She said something but this time it looked like she was exhausted. She turned around sharply, her back straight as an arrow and marched away.

Dmetri came up to Brayden. “What was that all about?”

His old friend was slow to acknowledge him. “She’s an insolent brat.”

“And?”

Brayden turned fully towards him and that’s when Dmetri noticed his friend’s eyes were bright with anger. The man never let himself get this riled about anything. Dmetri shot a glance at the back of the cabin as the young Kategan disappeared behind it.

“She told me to help her situation with her father. She was trying to make me see her point of view.”

Dmetri’s brow arched high. “I take it you didn’t.” Of course he didn’t. Brayden was the senior Elder for the Justicars because of his steadfast honor and strict rule-keeping.

Brayden didn’t deign to answer that since Dmetri already knew the answer. “She called me an asshole.”

Dmetri’s laughter rang out over the street. He clapped his friend on the back. “You are an asshole, Brayden.”

His friend’s serious face, with permanent crinkles around his eyes and mouth from a life of frowning, looked all the more haggard. The normally trimmed beard he kept was growing in, which didn’t help the appearance.

Brayden’s nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “You finally took the woman.” Dmetri scoffed, insulted. “Finally? I’ve been here only a few days and already had her.

I’d say that was pretty fast.”

“Not by your standards.”

Dmetri shrugged neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “I’ll be taking her home with me.” The only sign Brayden gave that he’d heard him was a slight shake of his head. “Like she’s some gift to put on your shelf at home.”

“Much better than a gift.”

Brayden’s lips flattened, brow pulling into a vee. “I saw your woman today. She was having a fight with another woman outside her cabin, looked like a family member. Older than her but with the same hair and eyes.”

A mixture of deadly emotions filled Dmetri. Anyone who dared to fight with his woman will feel his wrath.

“What were they talking about?” Already he felt the itchy nag to go over to Christine’s and talk to her, but dammit she just left him a couple hours ago.

“I couldn’t hear what your woman said, she spoke too quietly. But the other shouted loud enough for the entire pack to hear. I believe the words she used were ‘you fucked the vampire.’” Dmetri’s gaze shot in the direction of Christine’s cabin, a snarl on his face.

Brayden caught the look on his face. “No time for that now, we have business to deal with,”

Dmetri didn’t follow Brayden inside Vane’s cabin. He was breathing heavily and had to get himself under control. It wasn’t what her mother had said, wasn’t even the language she used, because he agreed. Christine did fuck him and quite well, in fact. But that she dared to embarrass her, to hurt her publicly, and to act as though bedding him was bad. He would have laughed if he weren’t so angry.

Brayden stepped back outside a moment later. “Now Dmetri. There’s news.”

The news wasn’t good but then again it wasn’t surprising either.

The Justicars watching Claude’s clan have seen movement in and out. Males, warriors coming and going, mostly going. When several of them didn’t come back, they set a tracker after them but the males were good and diverted the trackers off their scent.

“The perimeter is already as tight as we can make it. I saw to it myself. If anything comes our way, we’ll see it,” Vane said. He held his new baby in his arms, his big hands and arms nearly encompassing its fragile form. Dmetri thought it was the strangest sight he’d ever seen.

Alpha Vane Kategan cradling his newborn child. Didn’t get weirder than that.

“You should alert the other pack members,” Brayden said.

Vane looked at him. “They already know that something’s up. Why would I worry them further?”

“So that if Claude attacks they’ll be prepared for it.” Vane contemplated it for a moment then slowly nodded. “Maybe it’s for the best. I’ll let them know right away.”

“Have you spoken to Vanessa’s father about the mating?” Dmetri and Vane both turned to Brayden in surprise.

Slowly, Vane said, “I did call him this morning. He says I need to turn her over.”

“That’d be wise.”

Vane shook his head. “I won’t do it. I can’t. Hell, I stopped Sarina’s father from mating her off to Prince Conlin. I’ll find a way to stop this too.”

“But you can’t mate with her,” Dmetri said, smiling.

“Hell no, but I can protect her.”

Brayden didn’t say anything as he rested his chin on his fist.

Dmetri shook his head at his friend. What did he care what happened to Vanessa one way or the other? Sure his friend was straight-laced but even this seemed overboard for him. He was the most honorable man he knew, Dmetri was surprised he didn’t see things from Vanessa’s point of view.

“I’ve got to go,” Dmetri said, coming to a stand.

“Date?” asked Vane.

“Something like that.”

He let himself out of the cabin and headed straight to where he’d been itching to go all morning. His hopes flared that maybe he’d find her in the backyard again wearing that sexy little bikini. Curse his luck though, because when he knocked she answered and was wearing clothes.

But damn if her outfit didn’t kick his libido into gear.

He tried to recall why he liked gowns on women because this, this was what he liked.

Cut-off shorts, frayed at the ends, faded with age and a t-shirt that showed off her breasts and stomach to perfection. His eyes traveled down her bare legs and feet. God, he even liked her feet.

Small and neat with a pale pink polish on them.

His eyes finally caught hers and his smile died. “What’s wrong?” She tried to smile back but her lips just fell flat. When he took a step towards her, she closed the door leaving her body to block the entrance. Somehow, that felt as though she’d just slapped him across the face.

“Tell me,” he commanded.

She sighed helplessly and looked down. “Sorry I’m just not having a great day.” Dmetri leaned against the doorframe. “I thought we had a great day together.” She laughed but it sounded like she was trying not to cry. Dmetri stiffened; his patience had already run out. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She stood stiffly at first but slowly relaxed in his arms, eventually squeezing the jacket at his waist.

“What’s going on, Christine?”

She pulled back and gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I, uh, can’t see you anymore.” She quickly stepped inside and attempted to slam the door shut. Dmetri caught it with the palm of his hand. He almost shattered the wood with how hard he hit it.

“Excuse me?”

The only thing that had ever shocked him more than this was when Vera had told him she loved him. He hadn’t believed it at first, and then had wanted to run away fast. He eventually did.

“You heard me. I won’t repeat it,” she said softly, her eyes never quite meeting his.