“Juliette?”

At the sound of the werewolf’s voice, Kendall’s first reaction was to blanket Juliette with his body and kiss her. He didn’t stop when the man entered the lanai, but kept Juliette under him. He just couldn’t help himself. The need to cover her with his scent only grew stronger by the minute. As they weren’t properly bonded by blood yet, his smell on her would warn the other suitors to keep their distance, but it was a temporary solution.

“Hmm, sorry—” the sheriff said, clearing his throat and hurrying back into the office.

“Enough.” Juliette stirred under Kendall and shoved him away. “Are you happy now that I smell like you?” Her eyebrow arched in challenge, she stared at him. “Good. Now, can you put to practice what you just promised and stop the pissing contest?”

Caging her with his arms, he lowered his mouth for another kiss. “Scout’s honor.”

“You better—” Juliette extricated herself from his hold and rose from the chaise lounge. “Sheriff Smith, thank you for coming right away,” she said, giving her back to Kendall as she entered her office.

Kendall adjusted the front of his shorts—if they didn’t perform the mating ritual soon, he would probably die of sexual frustration—and followed her inside, not wanting to leave her alone with the officer. He was a man of his word, but the Hunger and his wolf had a strong will and didn’t care for his promises.

“I’m sorry.” The werewolf in the office was as tall as Kendall and in good physical shape. “I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said, looking at Juliette, without acknowledging Kendall.

Keeping his territorial urges on a tight leash, Kendall stepped closer to Juliette, winding his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side. “I’m Kendall McKenzie, Juliette’s mate,” he announced without offering his hand to the sheriff.

“I didn’t know you—” the man stuttered, his gaze traveling from Juliette to Kendall, who gave him the fakest smile he could muster.

“We are newly-mated.” Juliette’s hand landed on Kendall’s and not-so-subtly squeezed his fingers in warning.

“Congratulations—?” The sheriff’s face could barely hide his disappointment.

“Thank you,” Kendall said.

Juliette ignored him and addressed the officer before Kendall could add an invitation to their mating ceremony—which was his intention. “Shark just called, he wants me to go to his place tonight.”

“Absolutely not.” Sheriff Smith’s demeanor became all business.

Kendall shared his opinion on the matter, but would never agree with the man on principle.

“I’m going.” Juliette’s hip tilted to the side as she shook her head, sending her long hair to her shoulder. “I only need you because the Council has been breathing down my neck for the last fifteen years and I can’t afford another investigation.”

“I am to be the witness of your good conduct,” the sheriff stated. “That’s why you called me.”

“It would mean a lot to me if you could testify that whatever happens tonight, I acted under the Wolf Law to protect my pack.” Juliette’s voice had lost her cockiness. “Please.”

“You know the Council’s Venerable has changed not so long ago and he brought with him fresh blood, don’t you?” Smith said. “Things are different now.”

“Be that as it may—” She waved her hand in dismissal. “I still need an officer of the law to validate I followed the rules.”

The werewolf canted his head to the side. “Very well, you win, as usual. What’s the plan?”

It annoyed Kendall to no end that the other man seemed to know his mate so well, but the part of his brain that was still working told him he couldn’t place a stake on Juliette’s past.

“I have to make an appearance at the meet and greet. If Shark wants me to play along with whatever he has in mind, he won’t do any serious harm to my boys. The bastard knows me better than that, and I don’t want word of what’s happened to spread. I have enough alphas keeping close watch on me already, looking for any weakness of mine to make their move and challenge me for the Honolulu pack. Hell, I’ve even got Maui’s alpha, that weak pervert, sending veiled threats once a month, testing my patience at every turn. We’ll leave as soon as I possibly can without tipping anyone off that there’s something wrong going on.” She looked at the window and waved at someone outside.

In the clearing, people were busy lighting dozens of wooden torches that illuminated a path from the pack hall to a large gazebo. Waiters carried trays heaped with food, and nearby, chunks of meat roasted on large braziers. A group of dancers rehearsed the moves of a Hawaiian reel, accompanied by a guitar, a ukulele, and a set of drums.

“It’s going to be a long night.” Juliette gestured to the grounds before focusing back on the sheriff. “Eat something. Mingle.”

“The roasted pig smells delicious.” The werewolf brought two fingers to his temple and exited the office with just a passing glance to Kendall, who didn’t lose the opportunity to draw Juliette even closer.

She bristled. “Really?”

“Before you get mad at me, let’s look at the positives here,” Kendall said, pushing her slowly against the glass wall.

“Which are?” Juliette didn’t oppose resistance but let him lead her.

“I didn’t attack the officer and didn’t even insult him.” He actually felt proud of his accomplishment.

A naughty smile playing on her face, she tilted her chin to look at him. “What do you want, a medal for your heroism?”

“A taste of you would suffice.” He dropped to his knees and kissed her soft belly from over her tank top. His hands roamed across her back. Her scent drove him crazy, and his fingers shot to the front, raising the hem of the flimsy top. He nudged his nose against her warm skin, trailing kisses around her navel, then lowering his aim.

“This is not the right time,” she said, her voice hoarse and low.

“This is for your own good.” At her raised brow, he added, “And mine.”

The rationale for his actions was that once he had sated his growing appetite for her, his brain would function better. And if he could string along two entire thoughts that weren’t sexual in nature, he would be able to help her with the current problem. A nip to her shoulder too would help, but he would see where things went from there.

His mouth resumed its descent, and he exulted at her shivers and short intakes of breath. They both needed fulfillment, and the sooner he would put his raging hunger to rest the better.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” he whispered against her most sacred of places. “This overwhelming need—” His teeth nibbled at the fabric of her shorts, the jeans unyielding and too sturdy for his tastes. His hand pulled at the waistband, uncovering tan skin that he kissed, nudging the shorts lower yet.

Steps echoed from the hallway. Juliette pulled him up in no time. His growls echoed all around them.

Jonas Fullers, the elderly alpha of the Howlers Pack, and Lily filled the doorway a moment later.

Juliette’s hands straightened her top back into place. “Alpha, how was your trip?” she asked with a breathless voice.

Lily eyed her with suspicion.

“Uneventful,” Jonas answered. The older man smiled at Juliette before enveloping her in a bear hug that was too fatherly to instigate any jealousy in Kendall. The alpha then greeted Kendall with a one-armed hug. “How are you, son?”

The alpha had known Kendall since he was a boy, and Kendall and Ax used to go to the same elementary school with Jonas’ son.

“I’m fine,” Kendall answered, and realized that this was the first time that he truly felt as he had just proclaimed. But fine didn’t cut it. He felt on top of the world, and the reason for his euphoria stood at his side.