There was something in his arms. He jerked forward and then remembered. Whitney. He closed his eyes. That wasn’t supposed to happen. But she showed up in that barely there T-shirt and his bear didn’t have much choice.

Fuck. She was asleep in his arms. He slid out from under her, pulling the sheet to her shoulders. His bear wasn’t gentle either. He had been rough and demanding. Pushing her farther than he’d ever asked a woman to go. He commanded her. What did he expect his bear to do?

He paced at the foot of the bed, watching her sleep under the moonlight. He knew why he had taken her the way he had. He wanted that damn condom to pop off. The harder he pumped inside her, the rougher he got. He wanted to claim her. Fill her with his seed. Fill those gorgeous hips with his cubs.

He couldn’t. He was leaving again. Maybe he had fixed everything on the property, but the minute he claimed her his promise to Sam was broken.

He couldn’t leave her alone and pregnant. He shook his head. Maybe when the next mission was over, he could come back to her. He could claim her. They could have what his bear always wanted. What his bear needed. But not now.

There was no end in sight. There was no time table that would give her what she wanted.

He watched her sleep. She had already been through so much. He knew she was doing everything she could to keep it together. She didn’t deserve any of what happened to her.

It was his job to protect her and give her everything she needed, but he had made another promise. A promise he hadn’t fulfilled yet. His knuckles were white. His jaw clenched.

She sighed and rolled over. His heart stirred.

He didn’t know how many hours passed like that, but he watched her sleep, feeling the need to protect her. To keep her safe. To guard her heart from all the hurt in the world. The problem was he knew he was the biggest hurt of all.

* * *

“Good morning.” Whitney smiled, pulling the sheet to her breasts.

“Hey.” He grinned. He had gotten dressed and returned to the apartment with two cups of coffee.

He placed one next to her on the nightstand.

This conversation wasn’t going to be easy. He pulled his shoulders back and focused on the mission. He knew it would be the hardest fucking thing he’d ever done.

“Thanks.” She sat forward.

God, did she know how beautiful she was? He wanted to take her back under the sheets and finish what he started last night, but he couldn’t. The call had come last night when she was asleep.

Her eyes landed on his bag next to the door.

“What’s that?”

He sat on the edge of the bed. “I have to leave.”

“Leave? Now? What? No. No.”

“My team has been reassembled. I pick up my orders at thirteen hundred, which means I’ve got to get on the road.”

Her eyes shot to his. He could see the tears welling in the corners, but she looked away before they spilled off her lashes.

“I know I said I’d finish everything on your list, but…”

“You think I care about the list right now?” She looked hurt.

He shook his head. “Whit, I’ve got to go.” He rose from the bed.

“You’re just going to leave? After…after last night? After I…” Her hurt had quickly transformed to anger.

He knew it was shitty. He may not have claimed her as his mate last night, but he sure as hell took something else from her. They had given each other their bodies so deeply their souls touched. It was hungry and primal, but it was what they needed to feed each other. To share the connection they had both been fighting for weeks. No woman would give herself like that to him, and he knew it.

He hung his head. What could he say to her? He couldn’t make promises. He knew what she wanted to hear. That he’d be back. He’d call. He’d write. Something. But he couldn’t guarantee any of those things.

It would only make things worse if he gave her hope. He had to cut that off now.

Tonight he would be back in Razastan and he couldn’t guarantee tomorrow. If he made promises he couldn’t keep it would hurt her far worse then if he just walked out the door.

“Kyle?” She stood from the bed, dragging the sheet with her as she walked across the floor.

“You knew I was a Ranger, Whit.” He threw the bag over his shoulder. He couldn’t even look at her. If he did his bear might not let him leave.

The tears in her eyes cut right through him.

She clutched the sheet in her fists. “When are you coming back?”

“I don’t know. Don’t plan on it.”

“What?” Her voice squeaked. “Can you call? Can you tell me if you’re all right?”

“No.” He turned for the door.

It was killing him. It was as if someone was knifing him right in front of her. Only she didn’t know it. She couldn’t see the pain. But it was there, cutting him and slicing his heart in shreds. He’d never felt anything like it.

“I never should have slept with you.” She spoke through clenched teeth.

He shook his head. “Probably not.”

He closed the door behind him, leaving her standing in the middle of the room.