After their shower, Keeley learned having sex under the spray of hot water was pretty awesome. Who’da thought it? It had been the heady mix of the cool tile pressed against her breasts, the steamy water, and Kal’s big body pressed to her back that overwhelmed her senses, causing her to pass out during her orgasm. Or maybe it was the constricted capillaries…oh, shut up already, Keeley. Kal didn’t stop 'til he found his own release. As he kissed her awake and whispered in her ear about the next time…her sex slickened, turned on by the thought of what the devilish man could do to her. Then he raised his chin an inch and inhaled. The growl rumbling from the back of his throat…

Damn him and his amazing ability to smell my arousal.

He’d left her to recover and sought out dinner for them. Moments later, he returned with the hamburgers and fixings Jace had cooked for them to eat. Picnic style—they ate in the bed. Once they were done, he told her she had an hour to ‘pack her shit,’ his words not hers, and he’d be back to help take her and the necessities back over to his house. With a kiss and a smack on her ass, he left her to figure out what she needed to take now, and save for later.

Kal had decreed she’d be moving in with him at his house and Caden would move in with Dani. For about a second or two, she contemplated arguing with him about the fact he had made a decision without her input. She didn’t because his suggestion had merit. She’d already secured their home and the surrounding property, add in Caden’s wolf abilities and her sister would be safe.

At least for now.

After a shower and getting dressed, she set to work. Should be easy figuring out what would go first, but like everything else revolving around her, she tended to over complicate it. Now, a half hour later, it looked like a bomb went off in her room. She pulled everything out of her closet and dresser drawers along with half of her toiletries she’d tossed onto her bed as she went—it resembled a mountain instead of a place to rest.

Start with the basics. Panties and bras were definitely something she’d need. Digging through the pile, she quickly found those items and tossed them into the large, open suitcase waiting on the floor.

“Keeley,” Dani hollered from downstairs. “You here?”

“Upstairs,” she answered, digging out a pair of sleep pants and tank before throwing them into the case. She doubted Kal would let her wear clothes to bed, but they would be nice to have if she walked around the house early in the morning or late at night.

Pounding footfalls on the steps announced her sister’s arrival. “Hey.” Her sister gave a small wave as she stepped into her room.

“Hey. Where’s Aiden?” she asked.

Since helping the little pup shifter, her sister had rarely left his side. “Caden is watching him at his house.” Dani gazed around the room, then stopped at her bed. “What are you doing?”

“Packing,” she said, looking for her hairbands.

“Ooo-kay. Why? Do we need to leave again?”

“No,” she answered truthfully. The quiet desperation in her older sister’s voice disturbed her. Dani had no desire to leave Window Rock now or in the future and neither did she. This is where we make our stand. Look at you, all Thunderheart over here.

Dani found the only empty spot on Kee’s bed and sat down. It hit her then, she had blocked her. For some time now, Keeley couldn’t glean anything from her sibling. No emotions, thoughts, nothing. It confused and irritated the hell out of her. It had been something her sister rarely did, but when Dani did, it felt as if she were missing a vital part of herself.

“Did Caden mate you last night?” She wondered if he had told Dani about Simon’s visit with Kal earlier that morning.

She gave a bitter laugh. “No. Aiden cock blocked us.”

“Can a baby even do such a thing?” she pondered.

“Apparently, because he did. I guess Kal mated you?” Dani glanced at her.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Was it any good?” Her tone turned curious.

Good?

Hell, good was understatement. Amazing, fantastic, life alternating were perhaps better words to describe what had occurred between Kal and her. She couldn’t tell her, though. They’d shared every aspect of their lives, except this. To do so would betray Kal and their budding bond. She could tell her the fundamentals without being specific, though.

“Did Caden explain anything to you last night?” Keeley dug through the pile on the bed while her sister sorted some of Kee’s things and stayed quiet. “Do you want to know?”

Her sister shrugged. “I want to know why you’re packing.”

Dani’s eyes betrayed her. They held a yearning to know the nitty gritty details of the mating between Kal and her. For now, she’d allow her sister to lead this. It might behoove her find out if Caden explained what happened with Simon first.

“I’m moving in with Kal. Caden will move in here, with you and Aiden,” she announced, waiting to see how her sister would react.

A flicker of surprise flashed across Dani’s face before she schooled her features again. Her actions screamed she hadn’t been told. She didn’t know if she should be pissed the hell off or saddened by the fact Caden, for all his liking her sister, didn’t seem ready to protect her. Pissed the hell off. How dare he? Then it struck her…what if they weren’t mates?

“Did you guys have a fight?”

“Yes…no…I don’t think so,” Dani admitted.

“You don’t think so?”

“Well, everything seemed fine. He left to go into town, came back and now he seems like a totally different person. I can’t figure him out.”

Shit. Fucking perfect.

“I might be able to explain why he’s acting odd.” She sighed, not really wanting to be the one who did this, but since Caden hadn’t…

Leaving Dani in the dark helped no one.

Kee crossed to the bed. She ignored the clothes and piles of crap to sit she sat beside her sister. “Simon came into town today, he’s looking for us and he sought Kal out,” she said softly, working to keep her voice calm, cool and collected. If she allowed her emotions to take over, her sister would hear it, and it would scare her as well. “Simon told Kal he had been in town the night before, with his wife.” A look of shock washed over her sister’s face. “He said she disappeared and he apparently had evidence and pictures of said wife.”

“When did Simon marry?” A frown formed between her eyes.

“He didn’t. He’s claiming you’re his wife,” Keeley confessed.

“Me?” Dani blinked in confusion, and then a look of horror contorted her face. Who could blame her? Simon was a pig. “I wouldn’t marry him if he was the last asshole on the face of the earth.”

“Yeah, well hold your horses, there’s more. He also informed Kal you’re pregnant, with his child.”

“I think I’m going to throw up,” her sister announced. The blood drained from her face before she stood, slapping a hand over her mouth as if to prevent herself from vomiting.

“Throwing up won’t go far in convincing the guys you aren’t pregnant. All it’s going to do is make them think we’re lying to them.”

“I’m not pregnant, Keeley,” Dani sobbed.

“I know.”

“Caden…oh my gosh, Kee, he thinks I am. It explains the attitude adjustment when he came back from town.” Her older sister whimpered as she sunk to the floor.

“Kal knows you’re not.”

“Does Caden know, though?”

She shrugged. She didn’t have the answer to her sister's question.

“What are we going to do?” Dani whispered. Her wide, wild stare met Keeley’s before blanking as though an iron shield slid down in place. It drove her nuts when her sister did this. Locked her out and alone.

No. I’m not alone. I’ve got Kal.

“I thought about leaving.” She hesitated when her gaze clashed with Dani’s. Her sister’s eyes showed her confusion, panic, and fear. She didn’t blame her, she’d felt the same way earlier. Still felt some of it in the pit of her belly. “Kal’s waiting for us to bolt. He won’t allow it and has most likely already set a plan into play if we do.” She sensed if they left, the animal he repressed would break free and Keeley would have to deal with not the man, but the wolf.

“Easy for him to say, it’s not him they want to cut open and experiment on.” Dani pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on her knees. Dani was going into protection mode, burying her thoughts and feelings even deeper. “Do you trust him?”

Keeley realized no matter how many times they ran, Simon would find them. His resources and financial backing were unlimited. Her gut clenched and her heart ached even thinking about walking away from Kal. She knew it was too soon, but deep in her soul, she knew she loved him and she knew he loved her.

Unsure how to answer Dani’s question of trust, she ignored it and got to the heart of the matter. She hoped and prayed Dani didn’t demand any answer.

“We can’t continue to run. They’re eventually going to catch us. If it’s not Simon, it’ll be someone similar to him. All these years, and I’m still making mistakes, somewhere.” She sat down in front of her sister, crossing her legs. “Aren’t you tired of running? I know I am. Don’t you want to stay some place longer than a couple weeks or months? Make friends, build relationships, maybe fall in love. Get married and have a bunch of babies?”

“I resigned myself a while ago, those things aren’t for me—us,” she admitted.

“Did you now?” Dani lied to her and she’d be damned if she allowed it. “Interesting. If this is the truth, why’d you take Aiden in? Form an attachment to him and Caden?” she pressed.

“Who says I have?” Her sister’s gaze refused to meet hers.

“Lie to yourself. Don’t lie to me. I know you. I know how you think. You love Aiden already. I’d even go as far to say, you’re feeling like you’re his mom. If we run, you’re gonna have to leave both of them. Life on the run is no place for a pup. You know this, right?”

Dani blinked and Keeley watched as a single tear rolled down her sister’s cheek, dropping somewhere on her shirt.

“You need to decide if you want to stay and fight or run and hide.”

“You want to stay, don’t you?” Her voice was wobbly as a smile trembled across her lips.

“Yeah, I do. We either take the risk now or die alone. Stripped of our humanity, caged like an animal as they run test after test on us, while trying to reproduce who and what we are.”

“We won’t win,” she mumbled.

“You’re wrong. It’s not just us anymore. We have an entire pack willing to help us, and one very pissed off Alpha who’s bound and determined to protect his mate.”

“Alpha’s mate? Who's…” Dani’s eyes went wide and her mouth gaped. “Holy shit, Keeley. Kalkin’s an Alpha?”

“Yes.

“That makes you—”

“The Alpha female.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to drive him, his family and his pack nuts within a year.”

She snorted. “Pfft. A year, I give you three months.” The corner of her lips turned upward.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Well, I know you. They don’t.” Her sister took a deep breath and let it out slowly, giving her a moment to gather the tattered wits, battered to hell by the information Keeley had given her. “Tell me you have a plan.”

“I do…I mean, we do,” she said, correcting herself. She needed to start thinking as person who was mated, not a single woman. “I’m going to use myself as bait.”

It took a full minute for her sister to react. When her sister did, it was explosive, scaring the shit out of Kee. “The hell you are! Are you nuts? Have you forgotten what he’s capable of, what he did to you…me?” Dani pounded on her chest.

“Da—”

“No, Keeley.” Her sister stood up, her hands going to her hips. “You’ve had some crazy ideas in the past, and I’ve gone along with them. But not this. I won’t go along with this. He’s fucking dangerous. And crazy. Don’t you get it?”

Keeley marched over to her sister and stood in front of her. Because of their height difference, she was forced to stare up at her sister. Didn’t matter, she wouldn’t back down, no matter what her sister said or did. Kal backed her in this. Somewhat. Even if he did have some dumb ass rules...which she couldn’t wait to hear exactly what they were.

“Oh, I get it. If the beating he gave us both wasn’t enough, he kind of nailed the hammer home with this latest stunt. What you don’t get is he’s not going to give up. We have to draw the line in the sand at some point and fight.”

“You always told me we couldn’t trust anyone but ourselves, Keeley. Over and over you’d tell me that. Remember?” Dani whispered.

“I remember.”

“Do you remember the last time you placed your trust in someone other than me?” Her body jerked in pain at her sister words.

“Don’t do this,” she pleaded, knowing where her sister was going.

“You trusted him, Keeley. You brought Simon into our lives. You,” Dani sneered. “With your need to experience normal life, when you know we’re not normal. He beat you and me. Tried to rape me. And now you want me to again place my trust into someone I barely know?”

“He’s your mate,” she softly reminded her sister.

“Really? Because from where I’m sitting, he thinks I’m married to your psycho ex and pregnant. You didn’t see the look in his eyes. He’s disappointed. He thinks I betrayed all of you. So, no, Keeley. He’s not even close to being my fucking mate!” Dani declared.

Keeley didn’t miss the harshness or resentment in her sister’s voice. She wondered if Aiden had been used as an excuse to prevent the mating from occurring last night. Dani had a fear of intimacy thanks to Simon. The pain she saw reflected in her sister’s gaze almost killed her. The guilt she felt due to her involvement reared its ugly head. Though her sister had never said it before, Keeley didn’t blame her for putting their lives in such peril. All of it sat directly on her shoulders. If you hadn’t brought him into our lives…

She needed to calm herself, remove her emotions, which rolled over her like a crashing wave battering the coast. If she didn’t get her shit together, this discussion would escalate and they’d both end up saying something they’d regret later. She took a deep breath and held it for the count of ten. She then willed her galloping heart to slow and her thoughts to calm. She needed to focus.

Keeley pulled herself to her full height and squaring her shoulders, stiffening her spine while meeting her sister’s gaze full on. “Caden’s your mate, just like Kal is mine. There is no denying it. You and your constant damn talking about wild wolves and your fascination with how they mated for life. You wanted to experience it yourself. You told me so, on more than one occasion. We have a chance. Both of us. It’s palpable. All you have to do is let go of your fear. Don’t you think we should take the risk?”

Dani remained silent, blanking out on her.

“I’m doing this for us!” Keeley yelled. “So you can rest, enjoy life and be a mom to Aiden and a mate to Caden.”

She answered with a humorless chuckle. “And you’re getting nothing out of this, right?” She shook her head. “How about this? You keep Aiden. You have the perfect life with your mate. You’re free. You’re not pregnant with a monster's baby or married to him. I am apparently and everyone fucking believes it.”

“You are such a shit! You think this is easy for me, Danielle? Do you think all the changes are simple? They’re not. Then to hear what that bastard said. I might get Kal and the knowledge I’ve avenged my sins,” she stated, “but that’s all. I will always live with the guilt of understanding my shitty choices put us here. But you know what, I wouldn’t have it any other fucking way.” She stepped back up to her sister and poked her in the chest with her finger. “Why, you’d ask? Because at least I know we’re safe. We’re wanted. Here we’ll thrive and here we belong. You think this is easy?” It was her turn to give a mirthless chuckle. No, it’s not even fucking easy. But at least I’m fucking trying. What the hell are you doing? Hiding? Having a damn pity party because what? I’m happy? Be fucking happy for me!”

“I’m sorry, Kee—”

“Don’t be sorry.” She reached out, placing her hand on her sister’s upper arm. “You spoke the truth. It is because of me Simon came into our lives, terrorizing us. And it’ll be because of me he’ll stop. I promise,” Keeley proclaimed.

“It’s dangerous,” Dani stated the obvious.

She shrugged. “Yeah, it is. So is running from town to town. But we’ll have help. Help we can count on.”

“And Kal is okay with this?” her sister asked before sitting on the floor.

Keeley reached over and tucked an errant strand of her long hair behind her ear. “No. I don’t honestly think he is,” she admitted.

“Then why is he even allowing you to do it?” A frown formed on her sister's brow.

“His other option would be waiting for the day we disappear.” She sighed. “Not something he really wants to occur.”

The furrow between her sister's brows got deeper. “So…you blackmailed him to get what you want?”

Her eyes widened. Had she blackmailed her mate to get what she wanted from him?

Ohmigod, she had. “Shit,” Keeley whispered, dropping to the floor beside her sister as her legs gave out from under her. “I did. Do you think he realizes what I did?”

Dani nodded. “You didn’t do it intentionally.”

“He threatened to redden my ass earlier,” she admitted.

She snorted. “There are times I’d say you deserve it.”

Keeley reached out, giving her sister a hearty shove. “Hey.”

“He must realize it wasn’t on purpose. You’re scared for our safety. If not I don’t think you’d be able to either walk out of the house or sit.” Dani giggled. In those moments, she realized how much she missed hearing her sister laugh.

“You still mad at me?” She glanced up at her sister, hating when they argued.

“Oh, Keeley. I wasn’t mad.”

Keeley cocked a brow.

“I was scared, still am, and I lashed out you. It’s not your fault we were born the way we are. We are how we are. I know you’ve done everything in your power to protect both of us.” Her sister reached for her, pulling her into an embrace. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Keeley buried her nose into her sister's upper chest, inhaling deeply. Dani smelled different, like her normal scent, only a hint darker. Royce said he could scent Kal on her, so maybe what she smelled was Caden’s distinctive scent on her sister.

“Do I smell different?” Keeley asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“I don’t know. I’m not in the habit of smelling you. Why’d you ask me that?”

“Well, you smell different. Darker,” Keeley admitted.

Dani jerked back, her eyes narrowing as she glared down at her. “Did he change you?”

“I don’t think that is how it works.”

“How does it work then?

“I’m not really sure. I didn’t ask,” Keeley confessed.

“Jesus, Keeley, you let him fuck—”

“He didn’t fuck me. He mated me. Big difference,” she snapped, wanting, no, needing to defend what happened between Kal and her. “Speaking of the mating. I think I should tell you what’s going to happen and why I think Caden is acting so funny toward you.” She’d have to be stupid not see this was not a topic her sister wanted to discuss, however, she pressed on. Dani’s blues eyes became icy and her body stiffened. “Just listen to what I have to say,” she pleaded.

Dani didn’t respond to her, she just shrugged.

Well, okay then. She was going to say what she wanted to say. Her sister would at least hear her and maybe process it later. “I think,” she began softly. “The reason Caden may have shut down on you a little is because of the whole mating three days out of each month, around the full moon, is for one purpose.” Dani’s eyes gaze flicked to hers. “Procreation.”

“Did he tell you this?”

“No. No one did. It just makes sense. Woman, by nature, are lunar. Menstrual cycles are approximately every twenty-eight days, which means around the time of the full moon, we should be ovulating.” Her sister’s eyes widened, and Keeley realized she had to finish it. “The pull of the full moon urges them to fuck. From what I understand, it can be painful for the male, who is aware of who their mate is. I have no clue if the female wolves feel the same. For three days, during a woman’s peak fertility and during the full moon, the male wolf’s cock will knot inside the female, assuring his seed takes root. Think about it, Dani. What did we give out last night at the stand? Phallic pastry, fertility symbols.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah, holy shit. Every time I’ve been intimate with Kal, he mentions placing his pup inside me. Every time.” Her voice broke at the end, not from fear, but from a want so deep for the same thing Kal promised every time he came inside of her.

“Did he tell you any of this?” Dani could turn off all her emotions, bury them deep inside of herself.

She shook her head. “Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out. Caden’s urge to mate you, give you his pup, is riding him hard. Last night, something he anticipated didn’t happen, then he finds out Simon is going around telling people you’re married and pregnant with Simon’s kid and not his. True or not, it’s bound to fuck with his head.”

“So you're saying, I should give him a break?”

“I’m saying, don’t shut down on him. Don’t turn your emotions off and become cold. Confront him with what you know. Knowledge is power,” she advised.

As usual, when her sister was contemplating the universe, she remained silent. Pushing her to speak, or ruminate on it, would make no difference. She had to come to the realization Keeley was right with her observation. She had faith in her sister and she hoped Caden would yank his head out of his ass and talk to her sister.

“You seem so sure. Of everything, but especially of him and his ability to protect us. How do you know this is right?” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.

“I just know. I can’t explain it. When Caden completes the mating, come find me. I bet the worry you’re feeling is gone, and your faith will be in Caden, too.”

“I hope so,” Dani said softly.

It made her heart break a little. Keeley reached out and placed her hand in her sister’s hand. If Caden should hurt or break her sister’s heart, brother to Kalkin or not, she’d kick his ass. “Trust me.”

Dani nodded, clutching her hand ever so slightly. Knowing she had given her older sister enough to think on, she moved to a more pressing matter. Getting her stuff packed up. “If you’re going to stay, make yourself useful and help me pack up my stuff.”

“It’s going to take a lot longer than the time you have left.” Dani glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “I’m amazed he hasn’t come searching for you. It’s over the hour he allotted you.”

Keeley smiled. “Kal knows you’re here, and he understands we’re talking. Unless it’s a life or death situation, he wouldn’t disturb us.”

“You’re overthinking it, as usual.” Dani rolled her eyes. “Grab a bag, throw some underwear, bras, shorts, tops and toiletries and you’re good to go to your man…I mean, mate. It’s not like you’re moving across the country. You’re right across the bridge and you can slowly move your stuff over.”

“You’re right,” she agreed, glancing at the mess on the bed and floor. “I need to clean this all up then.”

“No, you don’t. Aiden can sleep with me and Caden can take the spare room. I’m not sure until all of this is situated he’ll be anywhere near me.” Pink suffused her cheeks.

“If not, the couch downstairs is pretty comfortable,” she teased.

Her sister laughed. “Those Raferty boys don’t really look like the type of men to be sleeping on a couch.”

“Agreed.” She smiled. “Might be a good idea for you to give the couch a test run then.”

“Maybe,” Dani snickered.

“Pfft. I’d bet he’d be hauling your skinny ass back upstairs to your bed in under five minutes.”

“Hey,” her sister gave her a little bump with her hit. “He likes my skinny ass.”

“Bet he tries to fuck it,” she mumbled.

“Keeley,” Dani screeched, her face had gone pale and her eyes wide. “Did Kal?”

She laughed, knowing she was teasing her sister, but it was fun and weren’t sisters supposed to torture each other? “For me to know and you to find out,” she announced, bending over to snag one of the smaller bags from the floor to throw the essentials in.

“Tell me,” her sister pleaded.

“Nope,” she said, giving her sister a smirk. “My bags are packed and I'm ready to head over. You going with me?”

“Yes,” Dani huffed. “Did it hurt? I mean, I’d think it would hurt, wouldn’t you? Did you like it?”

The curiosity in her sister’s voice had her pausing. Oh my, Dani had been totally interested. Who would have thought it, since her sister always came across so…uptight when it came to sex. Rarely did she discuss it, and if she did it was quick and to the point. Keeley had to wonder if her sister was still a virgin like she had been.

She put her hand on her hip. “Have you ever had sex?”

“Excuse me?”

“Excuse me, my ass. You heard me. Are you still a virgin?” Keeley pressed.

“On top of being a personal question, it’s really none of your business,” she snapped.

“We’re sisters for cripe's sake.”

“Were you?” Dani came right at her.

“Well, not after the last couple of days,” she declared.

“Did he say anything?” Dani whispered. Wouldn’t Caden be in for a surprise if he believed her sister was pregnant, only to find proof during their mating she wasn’t.

“Only that I should have told him before. He was worried about hurting me. He’s uh.” She coughed as a flush rushed up her neck and cheeks. “Well endowed.”

“Oh.” Her sister’s mouth formed a perfect “O.” “Do you think Caden is, too?”

“Eww, Dani.” She shuddered. “I’m not thinking about Caden’s junk.”

“I’d sure as hell hope not, otherwise I’d have to kick my twin's ass,” a dark, growly voice said from the doorway.

She covered a giggle while Keeley bowed her head, taking a sudden interest in the design of the wooden floor. “Busted.”

“Keeley, look at me,” Kal growled. The panty dampening sound had her pressing her thighs together to stave off the demand. “Won’t ask again, sweet cheeks.”

Slowly she brought her head up, until her gaze rested on his. His jaw muscle twitched as he clenched his jaw and the vein at his temple throbbed. Yet, she saw amusement in those ice blue eyes of his.

“Good girl,” he cooed and for a second she totally forgot her sister was in the room 'til Dani cleared her throat, reminding them she was still there. “Were you thinking about one of my brother’s dicks?” His cast his gaze toward Danielle. “Specifically Caden’s?”

“Ah, no,” she answered quickly. “Dani asked me a question—”

He smirked. “I’m aware. Heard it coming up the stairs.”

“Then why did you ask?” she asked, knowing she might be pushing. It didn’t help when a sardonic smile encased those sexy lips of his.

“Just testing you,” he replied, the smile reaching his eyes and then it hit her. He’d been teasing her.

Dropping her bag on the floor, Keeley braced her hand on her hip, willing herself to not show an ounce of weakness with the big man lounging against the door jamb. “What the hell is with you and your family testing me? It’s going to get old, real damn quick,” she announced.

“Reminds me.” He rubbed at the scruff of a beard on his chin. “Still gotta kick Royce’s ass for that.”

“Asshole,” she mumbled under her breath before she leaned down to grab her things.

“I heard you,” he announced.

“Don’t care,” she replied, stepping closer to him. She held out the bag to him.

“What about the rest of this shit?” He scanned the room.

“There’s enough in the bag to get me started. I can move over a little each day until everything is over in your house. Will that work for you, Alpha?”

He pushed off the door jamb and towered over her. He leaned down, getting right into her face as if he wanted to intimidate her.

“Ah, Keeley, maybe y-o-ou shoul-d-d…” Her sister swallowed with an audible gulp when Kal lifted his head and stared at for her a second then turned his gaze back toward Keeley.

“Turns me on, sweet cheeks, when you call me Alpha.” He wiggled his brows at her and she laughed.

“Good to know,” she replied, hearing Dani’s breathing return to normal behind her.

“You have ten minutes to finish up here and get your sweet ass over to our house. Don’t make me come get you, pet. Cause I will,” he assured her. The dark timbre of his voice had her nipples tightening to pinpoints and moisture gathering on her sex. “Got me?”

“Yes,” she whimpered, swearing she just came and not even giving a flying fig Dani was in the room, watching the entire interaction between them. He made her lose her head quicker than several shots of tequila.

Kal inhaled deeply through his nose, groaning. Without him saying anything, she knew he could smell her arousal mixed with her release. “Make it five,” he announced before he leaned in. Her heart sped up as his warm, wet tongue laved at the mark he’d bestowed on her last night.

Her entire body quivered and her breath hitched, preventing her from lobbing something sarcastic to him. She blinked and he was sauntering away from her, his sculptured back encased in a tight black shirt, she swore it pulled at the seams. And his ass, Lord have mercy, he had a fine ass. It filled the old, worn blue jeans perfectly. Closing her eyes, she fought to gain what little control she had left back.

“Holy shit,” Dani panted beside her. “I think I just had an orgasm.”

“Seriously?”

“You didn’t?” Heat filled her cheeks. “You so did. It’s why he said five minutes instead of ten!” Wanting to change the subject and quickly, she reached for her sister's hand and started out of the bedroom. “Your silence tells me everything I need to know!”

“Let’s go.” She tugged Dani’s hand, leading her toward the stairs.

“What’s your hurry?” She jerked her hand from Keeley’s hold.

“I’m going to try to stop a beat down on his nephew,” she called over her shoulder as she moved down the stairs.

“Royce?” Her sister followed her.

“Yes.” Keeley took off the moment her right foot hit the first floor. She pushed through the screen door, and ran across their lawn to the bridge—her sister hot on her heels.

“Shit,” she muttered, as the right hook Kalkin threw connected with his nephew's jaw, sending the boy sprawling. “Kal.”

His stormy gaze flickered to her.

“You’re the Alpha.”

“I don’t need reminding of who and what I am sweet cheeks. This is between family,” he snarled.

She smiled. “If you get a single bruise or cut on any part of your body, I won’t be happy.”

He growled and she cocked a brow at him while tapping her foot impatiently.

“You think this pup has a chance?”

“He might get in one or two good hits. He is, after all, a Raferty.” She fought back a smile when he nodded in agreement. “As you said, he’s a pup.” A pup with the mouth and body of a full grown man.

“Pussy,” Royce snickered from his position on the ground. “Did she tell you the best part? I made her breakfast, shirtless.”

She groaned. “Kal—”

“You little bastard,” Kal spat, ignoring her. He leaned down, wrapped a massive hand around his nephew’s shirt and lifted him off the ground. Royce’s feet dangled. She gave him credit, he didn’t fight Kal.

“Put him down,” she demanded as she stomped over to him, wrapping her hands on his large biceps and pulled. Shit, he is strong. His arm didn’t even quiver. “He did it to get a reaction from you and he’s getting it.” She glanced up at Royce and noticed the look of boredom on his handsome features. Maybe reverse psychology would work on her hard headed, stubborn mate. “Go ahead, beat the shit out of him. Just know, if you beat him bloody, I’ll have to spend several hours tending to his injuries and all night making sure you didn’t give him a concussion.”

Kal dropped Royce before he turned to address her. Royce hit the dusty ground, bouncing hard before he lay sprawled on his back again. “He’s a wolf-shifter, he’ll heal within hours or he can shift to help speed the process up. He’s not helpless.”

“He’s a pup,” she said, placing her hand on his wide chest.

“He’s a grown ass man with a fucking death wish,” Kal barked.

“I won’t argue that point with you, but only because I agree. In his defense…” She ignored the long, low growl she could feel vibrating under the palm of her hand. “He thought he was protecting you.”

“More like being a shit stirrer.”

Kal had her there, and she fought the urge to nod in agreement. Her goal was to calm her mate down, not fire him up.

“Be that as it may, his intentions were good and so we need to give him credit and you need to not beat the shit out of him,” she challenged.

“Is that so?” His tone turned mildly deceptive and she wondered if perhaps she'd just overstepped her bounds. Maybe it would be a good idea to back off and go inside the house and let them beat, well, correction, Kal beat the shit out of his nephew. “Don’t you dare stop now, sweet cheeks,” he added as if sensing her thoughts.

Squaring her shoulders, Keeley looked him directly in his eyes. “It is so. I’m sure there will be times in the future he deserves to get the snot beat out of him, but today isn’t one of them,” she declared and gave a little yelp when Kal picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

He smacked her ass for no reason. Hard. Then caressed the stinging flesh through her shorts before he bounded up the stairs and into the house. She caught a glimpse of Royce smirking at them while Dani gave her a small wave and Caden appeared…indifferent. Well shit.