“No, of course not. Apology accepted.”

Whew. “Thanks, honey. Did you get to check on Micah before you guys left?”

“I did. He was awake again, but he didn’t say a single word this time. I probably shouldn’t have left him.”

“No,” he said, heading off a fretting session. “You had to get away for a while, and he’s in good hands. Melina and the nurses are all watching out for him.”

She relaxed some. “You’re right. I just can’t help but worry.”

“Have some fun tonight, then get some sleep. You can see him in the morning.”

“All right.”

She managed to loosen up, and the conversation lightened considerably. The eight of them ended up having a good time, sharing some laughs. Rowan entertained them with some funny stories of calls she and her partner, Danny, had answered, and the guys took turns sharing some of their humorous predicaments, too.

Aric tried not to wonder if this Danny she spoke so highly of was someone she missed a lot. And failed.

“Want to take that walk now?” she said in his ear.

Nick, who overheard, shook his head. “Groups of four.”

“Jesus,” Aric bitched. “We’ll be right outside. Come on, man, give me a break.”

His boss hesitated, then reluctantly gave his assent. “I’m not picking up on anything, but don’t be long.”

“Sure.” Taking a last draw on his beer, he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the exit. As they stepped onto the wooden porch that ran along the front, he sucked in a lungful of crisp night air. “God, it’s good to get out of there. The noise and smoke were getting to me.”

“I feel like a sixteen-year-old running off to make out.”

“Is that what we’re going to do?” he asked hopefully.

His “date” giggled. “Oh, if you’re lucky.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Outside was quiet, the thump-thump of the country music muffled, thank Christ. There were no bar patrons hanging around, just the normal trickle of one or two coming and going at a time. Aric led her to the corner of the building opposite the parking lot, the side that faced the trees, and pulled her into the darkness, out of sight. Opening his wolf’s senses, he inhaled deeply. There were no smells other than the normal ones, earth and foliage and the regular nocturnal animals.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure we don’t get surprised this time.” Pushing her back against the side of the building, he grinned and cupped her face. “I don’t plan on being interrupted.”

Before she could voice a protest, he crushed his mouth to hers. Licked inside to play with her tongue, loving her sweetness. Tequila and something else potent that was all Rowan. Skimming his palms south, he found the edge of her red crop top and journeyed underneath, finding the lush twin mounds he’d been dying to squeeze all day.

She moaned, arching into his touch, giving him permission to keep going. Her bra was some lacy thing, sort of sheer, and he had fun plucking her nipples through the material, teasing them to taut peaks. Then his fingers found the button of her jeans, making short work of that and the zipper.

His hand slipped inside her panties, sought her silky curls. Brushed through them to find that warm place between her thighs and rub her clit, spreading the moisture.

“Aric…” Her voice was breathy. Growing more excited.

“Let’s get these jeans out of the way so I can make you feel really good, baby.” Grabbing the waistband, he shucked them down along with her panties, leaving them at her calves. Then he spun her to face the building. “Hands on the wall, spread your feet out more.”

“Aric, we could get arrested for indecent exposure,” she breathed. But she assumed the position.

“Nick will bail us out.” Smoothing his palms over her hips and the round globes of her plump ass, he licked his lips. “Spread a little more. There’s a good girl. Tell me what you want, honey.”

“I—I want you to fuck me.” She poked her ass back, inviting him.

“How do you want it? Tell me.” With his right hand, he skimmed under the curve of her ass. Took two fingers and parted her folds, and rubbed the slit. Then worked inside to fuck her channel, drive her crazy.

“H-hard and fast. Fuck me like you mean it!”

His wolf rumbled in approval. Anticipation. His canines dropped and his heart sped up as he quickly freed his dripping cock. Brought the head to her entrance and began to push into the velvet heat.

“Shit, yes. You’re so hot and tight, baby. You just brace yourself, ’cause I’m gonna give you a ride to remember.”

“Do it.”

She begged so pretty, he almost came from that, and from the sight of his woman spread for him. Wet and ready for his cock. “Mine.”

“Yours! Oh, yes… all the way, I need you in me!”

He thrust to the hilt and stilled for a few seconds, gripping her waist. The need to bite her, claim his mate, was never stronger than at that moment. It took all his willpower not to succumb to the blinding, tearing need to bond. To make her his for always.

But he controlled it, barely, and began to take her in unhurried but powerful strokes. The slap of their slick skin drove him crazy, and her channel clasping, squeezing his rod sent him to the edge in minutes.

“I’m not going to last,” he warned her.

“Me, either. Please, do me hard!”

He increased the tempo some, but mostly the force, putting even more strength behind the strokes. Enough to send them both into ecstasy, but not enough to harm her.

Her orgasm hit suddenly and she cried out, undulating on his cock, milking him. His own release was explosive and he came endlessly, hard and deep. Just like she’d wanted.

All too soon they were spent and he pulled out carefully, placing a gentle kiss between her shoulder blades. “Thank you, sweetheart. You were incredible.”

“So were you.” Turning, she gave him a blazing kiss. When he pulled back, he couldn’t help but stare, awed by her beauty. And right then, the truth hit him like a bolt—he wasn’t just losing his life by not claiming Rowan.

He was losing a special woman, one who would’ve made him the happiest bastard alive.

If only things had been different.

Rowan was sitting by Micah’s bed, holding his hand and reading aloud to him from Jim Butcher’s latest book about PI wizard Harry Dresden’s adventures, when it happened.

“Hey, Ro,” a voice croaked.

The book fell from her nerveless fingers and she raised her eyes, looking straight into Micah’s. “Oh, my God! You—you’re awake! You’re back!”

“I’m back? Where’d I go?” He smiled tiredly, looking more than a little confused.

“You were hurt,” she answered carefully. “Don’t you remember?”

His handsome face scrunched, the scar tissue from the burn pulling on the left side as he thought hard. Thankfully he hadn’t noticed it yet, but he would. She wasn’t looking forward to his reaction.

“I… We were sent out—wait, where am I?”

“At the Alpha Pack compound. You’re safe, sweetie. Nick and the others rescued you.”

“From where? Who’s Nick?” He began to appear alarmed. “You know about Alpha Pack?”

Sensing his mounting anxiety, she stroked his hair. “One thing at a time, honey. Yes, I know about your team and what you guys do. How you eliminate rogue demons and different kinds of creatures, all of it. You can guess how fun that was for a nonbeliever like me.” The humor was lost on him.

He took a long moment to digest this, studying his lap. When he finally looked at her again, his expression was one of quiet dread. He spoke with difficulty, his voice raspy from disuse. “We were sent to an abandoned building, to rescue some hostages from vampires, I think. Then it’s just a blank. Where’s Terry? Is everyone okay?”

Her heart turned over, aching for his loss. “From what I was told, that op was a setup and you were all ambushed. Sweetie, Terry and some of the other guys are most likely dead. I’m so sorry.”