LOGINGabriel scooped her up and carried Honorera to the bed. He laid her down as if she was as fragile as glass. Then he knelt on the bed next to her and continued the kiss where he had left off, fully unleashing his passion. His hands pulled up her shirt so he could touch her bare, heated skin. She moaned and writhed underneath his touch, wanting more, needing more. Her hands tugged impatiently at his t-shirt, yanking it up until he obliged her and pulled it off over his head... before doing the same for her. Honorera was naked before him, in only her panties, since his over-size t-shirt was all she wore to bed most nights. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.He worshiped her body, kissing her neck, biting lightly at the tender junction of her neck and shoulder, before he turned his attention to her breasts. Her breasts were full, the dusky nipples pearled in the cool air. He kissed the soft flesh before drawing the nipple into his mouth, sucking lightly until she groaned a
Gabriel climbed the stairs, his shoulders stiff and sore with tension. He'd been working for weeks, digging through all his contacts, trying to find anything he could on Honorera, her family, her past, and the price on her head. But he'd made almost no progress. He traced Tanner and Kayla Lee back to a small pack in Ohio. Kayla Lee had been an almost invisible member of the pack, an obedient omega. When her brother was exiled, she went with him. Possibly she was forced by her brother to accompany him into no man's land. But somewhere along the way, they had parted.Todd would not reveal the owner of the contract, and King’s denied all knowledge of the mark. "It's not one of mine, Rico. When are you coming back to work? We need you man, the boys are getting sloppy without you."When he reached the top of the bedroom, he was surprised to be met by his mother. She was wrapped in her favorite tattered terrycloth bathrobe, but she was no less intimidating as she propped her han
Something was wrong. Honorera didn't know what it was, but Gabriel was different. He had a dark and stormy expression, and he was distracted all the time. She couldn’t help but ask herself, had she done something wrong? Or perhaps he had simply grown tired of her? Whatever the reason, she felt the change deeply and keenly, and it scared her. Whatever small progress she had made at being more confident shriveled away, and she felt herself shrinking back into her old shell. Gabriel still woke her early to train, and he trained her hard. She hated the weights, but she loved the kickboxing lessons. She thought she was getting stronger, but Gabriel gave her so little feedback, she couldn't tell if he approved. After breakfast, he often disappeared without much explanation. "Sorry love, I have some work to do," he would say, and he would take his laptop and phone and retreat into the study and close the door behind himself. Or he would kiss her forehead and pass her off to his
The tour moved on. There was a big meeting hall that the pack used for public events, a small private school for the pack children, a brightly painted playground, and a small medical clinic. Honorera was impressed. The pack was like a town all to itself. "How many are there of you?""We have about 200 adults, plus their children," he answered, and she was surprised. She had imagined a group of about 20 or so."And they are all able to shift?""Most of them."She would never have guessed there were so many supernatural beings in the world, let alone in one small town. She tried to imagine that her own mother had been a wolf, but she couldn't picture it. She'd seen old, faded, and creased photos of her mother in Tanner's room. Rachel Talbot looked like a small, mousey woman. Honorera’s mother didn't look capable of swatting a mosquito, let alone changing into a mythical creature.It was past lunchtime when the couple wandered back to the main house, but Elena had left them some s
Gabriel's father called him into the study. It was a classically masculine room, with dark paneling and shelves of antiquarian books that no one in living history had ever read. Gabriel sat in the chair across from the imposing desk and waited while his father seated himself, and steepled his hands in front of him. "Son, I know you've waited a long time to find this girl," he said carefully. Gabriel could only nod in agreement, while watching his father warily."I'm happy for you. There is no greater joy than finding your mate. But Gabe... you have to know, this girl is not fit to be your Luna."Gabriel stiffened, and his fingers tightened over the wooden arms of the chair. "What do you mean?""She is weak, in every way. physically, mentally, and emotionally... she is completely ignorant of our ways and our culture. She doesn't shift, she may not even have the inner wolf. How can such a broken girl be the caretaker of our pack?"Gabriel suppressed the urge to growl. Had it
After breakfast, Honor volunteered for dishes and Gabriel picked up the drying towel without being asked, positioning himself next to her at the sink. She handed him a plate and waited.“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said.“I know.” She handed him another plate. “You’ve been carrying it for weeks. Whatever it is.”He set the plate down and turned to look at her. She kept her eyes on the sink, scrubbing methodically, giving him the space to say it in his own time. He appreciated that about her — the way she never pushed, never pried, just made room.“Someone came to the trailer after we left. Looking for you. Not Tanner — someone hired to find you.” He watched her hands slow on the plate. “There’s a contract on your life, Honor. Someone paid to have you killed.”She was quiet for a moment. Scrubbing the same spot. “That’s what you’ve been doing. These past weeks.”“Yes.”“Why didn’t you tell me?”“I didn’t want to scare you. I thought I could find answers quickly and then—”







