Curled up on the sofa, Carleen held a paperback romance novel in her hands but she wasn’t taking in the words on the page. Her gaze slid across the lines but her brain didn’t retain what she was reading. Even hours later, her thoughts continued to circle back to the man from the gym. In her mind, she could see him standing before her, his toned body itching for her to touch him, to strip off his clothes and see just how defined those muscles were.

She’d heard rumors of the Texas Tigers and the torture their former Alpha had put them through. Was that why she felt drawn to him? The two of them had suffered similar experiences, and now her tigress was reaching out to him on that level. It would have made sense if she wasn’t consistently picturing him naked in her mind.

The front door slammed, startling her enough that she jumped off the sofa and the book went tumbling to the floor. “What the hell?”

“Sorry.” Thorn stalked farther into the house, heading straight for the kitchen. “I’m just pissed.”

“What happened?” She bent to pick up the book, placing it on the coffee table before joining him in the kitchen. “Didn’t things go well today?”

“I fucked up. Damn it!” He grabbed a bottle of beer from the shelf and slammed the refrigerator door shut. “I haven’t gone up against Milo yet and he hasn’t taken part in many of our sessions. He’s too busy guarding the Elders. But guess who I got stuck with today?” He pried open the cap and took a long drink, draining nearly half the bottle in a couple swallows.

“Come on, Thorn, it couldn’t have been as bad as you’re making it out to be. You’ve trained hard. I’ve seen how much work you’ve put into it. If you’re not sleeping, you’re doing something to prepare. You’ve got this.” After her reaction to the Alpha, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to have the position, but she tried to be supportive. Thankfully, he was too wrapped up in his own anger to smell her uncertainties.

“I fucked up. The chance is gone.” He growled and tossed his bottle in the sink, breaking it, and sending glass shards flying. “I need a run.”

Before she could say anything, he was gone, leaving her to clean up the glass. With her thoughts drifting back toward the man she spotted earlier, she grabbed a garbage bag and set to work. Every piece of glass she picked up seemed to bring another question to mind about the Alpha. If only she could remember his name, she could stop referring to him as the man or the Alpha. Thorn mentioned it in passing before, but now her mind was drawing a blank.

Thorn was normally more controlled. He didn’t usually let his temper take over, but tonight he had and now she was cleaning up his mess. Piece by piece, she gathered the glass while forcing herself to think about anything other than the Alpha. She needed to figure out how she was going to convince her brother to focus on another clan.

Maybe Ohio was the place they should try for. The clan was beginning to pick up the pieces and they were opening their own resort soon. More than that, it would be a safe place for Tabitha’s supporters who were escaping vindictive Alphas. She might be able to do something to assist them. Texas had been a concern for her. They were established, already a large clan and it was likely she wouldn’t fit in easily. Unlike Thorn, who would be there with a purpose, she’d be extra baggage.

Thorn had already made it clear to her that he wouldn’t take a position with a guard team unless she could come, too. Guilt tinged the edges of her thoughts. She was holding him back, but the idea of going somewhere totally new with no one by her side was almost too much. If it hadn’t been for him, she’d have stayed in Mississippi. She would have supported Tabitha behind Lee’s back without ever finding the courage to leave. Thorn taught her to protect herself, but she was no match for Lee or his men. She’d have died and knowing Lee, it wouldn’t have been a quick death.

A knock on the door startled her, and she jerked as she reached for a large piece of glass that had fallen under the edge of the counter. “Shit!” She pulled her hand back to discover she’d sliced her palm open. Blood pooled in her cupped hand as she reached for a kitchen towel to wrap around the wound. She wasn’t concerned about making a mess, but the sight of her own blood made her stomach churn.

The door flew open, leaving her standing there with her mouth open as blood dripped down her wrist and onto the floor. “What the…” The words died on her tongue as she looked up to find the man from the training arena.

“You’re bleeding.” Not waiting to be invited in, he pushed the door shut and strolled toward her.

“It’s nothing.” As he came around the sofa toward the kitchen, she stepped back until she was pressed against the island. She wanted to move, but fear and something else she couldn’t put her finger on kept her motionless.

“Who did this?”

“No…no one.” She stumbled over her answer as he towered over her. “I…glass…”

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I smelled the blood and…” He wrapped his fingers around her wrist to bring her injured hand closer and electricity shot through them. Every part of her tingled until she thought her hair might stand on end. “Well, that explains it.”

She tried to pull her hand back, but he held onto her. “I…no…I…”

“What?”

She couldn’t answer. She couldn’t think straight. Even with the current rushing through every cell in her body, she couldn’t believe he was her mate. She should have suspected it before. It was the obvious reason for her fantasies about him but her mind didn’t want to comprehend it.

“How about we get you cleaned up?” Keeping his hand on her wrist as if he worried she’d run, he plucked the dish towel out of her other hand and held it to her bleeding palm to absorb some of the blood. “Let’s get you over the sink and I’ll find a first aid kit.”

“I could just shift.” As the words left her mouth, she realized what it would mean. She’d have to get naked. Nudity never bothered her before, but the idea of being naked in front of him made her second guess herself.

“Not until we get the glass out.” He led her over to the sink before removing his hand from her wrist.

“Glass?” She flexed her fingers, straightening her palm, and burning pain shot up her arm.

“I can see a piece of glass wedged in your hand.” He moved the towel aside, keeping it close to soak up the blood. “Try not to move your hand. As I came toward you, the glass caught the light and that’s how I know it’s there. It can’t be too deep—”

If it was anyone else bleeding, she wouldn’t have had a problem, but her own blood sent her stomach rolling and left her lightheaded. Thorn would’ve cracked a joke and made her forget about her injury, keeping her attention on something else while he bandaged her, but he wasn’t here.

“Whoa, now.” He looped his arm around her waist, keeping her upright. “You okay?”

Forcing her eyelids closed, she nodded. “The sight of my blood makes me lose myself. Can you get it out…or get Thorn?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” He brought her closer to his body and hollered for his guard. “Rhett!”

“Huh?” She hadn’t met all the Alaskan Tigers, but she couldn’t recall anyone named Rhett. Was he the man who’d been with him observing the guards practice?

“Don’t worry, he’s with me,” he told her, just as the other man opened the door and stuck his head in. “Find me a pair of tweezers.”

“I could have—” He cut her off with a shake of his head.

“I’m not leaving you to go get them, and you need to keep your hand still.”

“My makeup bag is on the bathroom counter and there’s a pair in there.” She nodded in the direction of the bathroom as Rhett stepped into the cabin. Without another word, he headed down the short hallway toward the bathroom. “There’s a small bottle of alcohol in the bag as well.”

“Alcohol?” he asked, lifting her off her feet and sitting her up on the counter.

“Rubbing alcohol, not liquor.” The back of her legs cooled as she settled on the countertop, a reprieve from the heat coursing through her. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Tex, the Alpha of the Texas Tigers, but you already know that part…don’t you, Carleen?” Her eyebrow shot up in question, bringing a smile to his face. “I saw you watching us. Curiosity got the best of you. Was it because you wanted to know about me, or because you wanted to see how Thorn would do?”

“Maybe a bit of both.” His words hit her and her back stiffened. She’d have pulled away, but she was by the corner of the counter where it formed the L, and he was blocking the only way off. “How did you know my name?”

“Thorn. He won’t come to Texas without you, which is why we’re here.” Rhett explained, strolling back into the kitchen, holding out what Tex needed.

Taking the supplies from his guard, Tex turned back to her. “Before a decision could be made concerning Thorn, I needed to interview you as well.”

“A package deal means you both must meet the requirements,” Rhett stated, moving back from them.

“Wait outside,” Tex ordered. “I’m going to clean her up and she’ll need to shift. Then we can speak with her.”

Over Tex’s shoulder, she watched as Rhett paused, appearing uncertain whether he should argue or not. He stood there for a moment, debating, and as he did she felt Tex’s muscles tighten as though waiting for a fight. Between the two men there was a single thread of tension along with a twinge of anger coming from the Alpha, making it clear she was missing something. What was happening between them? Any discord shouldn’t be aired for another clan to see, even if they were allies. What situation would Thorn be walking into if he took this position?

The seconds ticked by in silence before Rhett started to move again, but it wasn’t until the door clicked shut behind him that Tex met her gaze. “What just happened?” she asked.

“Nothing.” He unscrewed the cup for the rubbing alcohol and poured some over the tweezers before taking hold of her hand again. “You might want to look away.”

“You’re lying.” Her breath hissed out from between her lips as he wiped away the blood. “Distract me.”

“Hmm…” Without looking up at her, his lips curled into a cocky smile. “Should I tell you what joyful hours I’m imagining as I make you my mate? Or how tempted I am to fuck you right here on the counter and make you mine? Maybe I should fist a handful of your hair so I can pull you back just enough that your neck is arched out to me in offering, waiting for me to rub my scent all over you. To kiss along your tender skin, starting at your earlobe and working down, inch by inch. All the while my hands slip under your skirt, preparing you for when I slide my—”

“Stop.” It came out more breathless than she had meant, but she couldn’t take another moment of it. Her body was already hot and flustered as images of his words danced through her mind. Each fantasy grew more erotic than the last.

“Why? Are you saying you haven’t thought about those very things?”

“I…um…” She forced herself not to pull away from him. “I’ve been preoccupied. I mean, with concerns of how Thorn would do.”

“Let me remove that anxiety. Thorn did fine. He’s made the short list and when I came to talk to you, it was up to you whether he’d stay on the list or not.”

“Up to me?”

“Like Rhett said, you needed to be on our side if you were going to come to Texas. You’d have to be willing to commit to me as your Alpha.” He glanced up at her. “Doesn’t seem like I had anything to worry about, now.”

She stared into his deep gray eyes. The way the color seemed to swirl around, reminding her of storm clouds, drew her in. His eyes were beautiful, but they held a hint that he had seen too much. Whatever it was he had survived, it left him jaded. Without thinking, she reached up and pressed her fingers to the side of his face. “Maybe now I understand.”

“Understand what?” His voice was low and husky, sending goosebumps along her skin.

“Why Thorn wants to be in Texas.” She caressed the curve of his cheek with her fingertips, working her way down to his jaw. “We’re the same. Our circumstances were different but we’re all broken. We can put ourselves back together, time and time again, but the pieces never go back perfectly. There are always scars. Some of them are hidden and some of them are out for the world to see. Either way, they’re there.”

“You don’t look broken.” He set the tweezers aside and placed his hands on the counter on each side of her. “You already know more of my backstory than I know of yours. Why don’t you tell me why you’re so jaded?”

“I—” Before she could finish, Thorn stormed through the door. Shit…