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  The tension inside him ratcheted up three more notches. Lucas threw a mad glance around the room and caught Lev’s eye. His brother broke with his pack mates and hurried over to Mia’s side.

  “Right this way, new girl!” Lev said brightly, one hand on her elbow, the other gesturing to the door. The sea of wolves parted to let her go through. Mia shot a look back to him, but she didn’t argue as Lev lead her out of his father’s office.

  Lucas trusted Lev, implicitly, but his wolf still growled as he watched her go.

  Lev steered Mia by the elbow, guiding her past the aimless pack of shifters that had spilled out into the common room outside the elder Mr. Sparks’ office. He urged her quickly into her own office. It was darkened, but as soon as he closed the door behind them, Lev scurried to tap some controls by the door. The blinds must be on some kind of automatic control because they parted, slowly spilling the noontime sun into her office and setting it aglow. Lev watched the parting blinds like he’d never seen window treatments in action before in his life.

  Mia glanced over her shoulder toward the common room. “Lev? Is there some reason why we’re hiding out in my office?” Through the frosted glass, she could see the tall, dark, and sexy figures milling in the open area, waiting to hear the outcome of the conversation that must be raging inside Mr. Sparks’ office between the founder and his son. Considering the result would affect them all, so she could understand why they were waiting. What she didn’t understand was why Lev had hustled her away.

  “Oh!” Lev said with a little bit of a jump, like he’d just realized he sequestered her away. He shrugged. “The testosterone was getting a little thick in there, don’t you think? I figured you’d like a break from all the, you know…”

  “All the what?” She eyed him as he edged toward her desk and perched on the corner, obviously trying to look casual, but only succeeding in broadcasting massive amounts of awkwardness. Or discomfort.

  He dipped his chin. “C’mon, Mia! You’re killing me here.”

  She lifted both hands in the air. “Lev, what in god’s name are you talking about?”

  He looked at her like he was trying to figure out if she was joking. Then he just shook his head. “Lucas told me you weren’t pack-raised, but c’mon new girl. You can’t tell me you didn’t notice a room full of guys ogling you.”

  “Ogling?” Her heart took a small skip, and she looked back toward the common room again. “Which one?” She was kind of hoping he meant the tall, green-eyed one who’d been checking her out.

  “Which one?” Lev gave her an incredulous look. “More like which one wasn’t. The answer to that, by the way, is me. Because I’m not an asshole, and Lucas is my brother and my alpha—” He stopped, and his jaw worked. “Well, he used to be my alpha, and to me, that still counts for something.”

  Mia’s heart melted a little with Lev’s devotion. He was still there for Lucas… and, from what Lucas had told her, Lev was there when his brother needed him most as well. It ran a hot flash of guilt through her for the thoughts she’d had in Mr. Sparks’ office. She’d never seen so many extremely hot men in one place at one time… and they were all shifters. Even the elder Mr. Sparks was handsome and commanding, but the younger wolves… like Lucas, they wore their power in their tall frames and good looks. His brother Llyr was just as handsome as Lucas, only without the soft underside Lucas had demonstrated time and again. Llyr was simply pure power. He had an almost overwhelming presence when he was standing still, listening to Lucas make his pitch, but when Llyr spoke… he electrified the room with tension. Lucas had risen immediately to his bait, and that had made her heart pound with fear for him. She couldn’t imagine the two hulking brothers in a fight without someone being seriously hurt. Or even killed.

  But then the other wolf—Lucas had introduced him as Colin—had raked her with his gaze. It was impudent, and a little terrifying in the context of the high-voltage situation, but her heart rate had quickened with something very different than fear. His green eyes had blazed at her with a possessiveness had flushed her with a trembling heat. That had alarmed her, simply because she would have died of embarrassment if a room full of male wolves had smelled anything like arousal on her. So she’d impudently thrown that look right back at him… but it only seemed to inflame him more. The dead sexy look on his face had been filled with promises…

  “Earth to Mia.” Lev snapped his fingers in front of her face.

  She flushed hot again, caught reliving that intense moment.

  His shoulders fell. “Don’t tell me all those pheromones were getting to you.”

  “What?” she asked, focusing on him and trying to rein in her thoughts.

  “Look, I’ll spell it out, because you’re not, you know, pack-raised.” He shifted uncomfortably on her desk again, then stood. “Female wolves are kind of rare.”

  That took her back. Lucas had never mentioned anything like that. “They are?”

  “Yes. To begin with, female shifters aren’t born at the same rates as males. I don’t know why, something to do with shifter hormones and gestation periods and… whatever. I’m not a scientist. And it’s not like there’s hard data on this, but everyone knows the ratio is pretty whacked. Something like 60-40, males to females. So females are scarce to begin with, and then… well, males shifters aren’t the only ones that can’t wait to get their hands on them.” He took a deep breath and let it out slow. “Did Lucas tell you what happened to his mate?”

  Mia winced. Lucas’s revelation, and the howling night that came afterward, still haunted her. “Yeah. It’s awful, Lev. I want to… I’d like to help him… heal. If that’s possible.”

  Lev’s face softened. “I knew you were good people, new girl. Knew it from the first moment I saw you.”

  She gave him a shy smile, then frowned again as she thought it through. “I thought what happened to her was just a freak thing. I mean how often are wolves hunted for their…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it, just swallowed down the sickness at the back of her throat.

  The corners of Lev’s mouth turned down. “More often that you might think. Especially the females. They… you… carry a lot of powerful magic in your body, Mia, and not just in your heart. Witches hunt wolves, female ones in particular, but even if female wolves weren’t hunted, ones like you would still be in high demand.”

  “What do you mean, ones like me?”

  He twisted his mouth to the side, thinking. “How can I say this? You’re one hot property, new girl. Really hot.”

  “Lev!”

  “I don’t mean sexy…” He tipped his head to her. “Although of course you are ridiculously that as well.”

  Mia shrank inside herself. “Can we talk about something else?”

  He shook his head, like she was the one being ridiculous. “Okay… let me put it this way. There are two types of betas. The kind, loving, and adorable type… like me.” He gave her a cheesy grin.

  A laugh erupted from her, and she quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry.”

  “No, it’s true.” He grinned again, more naturally this time. “I haven’t found the right mate yet, but I will. And when I do, she’ll be a beta like me. Kind, loving, and very, very hot. Also adorable.”

  Mia could barely hold in the laugh this time, but she managed.

  Lev’s humor faded a little. “And then there are betas like Llyr’s beta, Colin.”

  Mia’s laugh flew away under the return of her flush.

  Lev nodded in a knowing way. “Colin’s really an alpha in waiting. All he needs is the right mate, and he could form his own pack. If he could take another alpha’s girl, that would be quite the score, but if she was an alpha female in her own right—”

  “Wait, what?” she cut him off. “Take an alpha’s girl?”

  Lev had that awkward look again. “Aren’t you and Lucas…? I heard you and he were…”

  Mia bit her lip. “It’s complicated.”

  He scowled. “You mean he’s being an
asshole.”

  “No!” She held her hands out. “I mean… I don’t think he wants to be with me. Or I guess with anyone. I hope it’s anyone and not just me. Because that would really be… hard…” She was rambling, so she stopped.

  He took hold of her hands, which were twisting with each other. “Mia, it’s okay. It’s not you. It’s definitely him. I know he’s not… quite ready.” His face brightened. “But you have no idea how much better he is with you around. You just gotta stick with him, okay? With you, he might be able to… well, he might come back to us.”

  By us, she knew Lev meant him. And Lucas’s other pack members. The ones he lost when he lost his mate.

  She nodded. “I want that, Lev. I really do.”

  He smiled broadly, then pulled her into a hug. And it felt so much like home, she melted a little more. That was when the door swung open. They broke apart, Lev a little more hastily than her. That brotherly hug just felt so good. But instead of Lucas at the door, it was the tall and sexy wolf who’d painted her with his stare before.

  Colin.

  He arched an eyebrow, then shot a glare at Lev. “Well, well. I guess being an ex-beta doesn’t hold the loyalty it used to.”

  “Why don’t you fuck off?” Lev’s voice had dropped an octave, and the words came with a growl.

  Colin just looked amused. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Lucas you’re helping yourself to his girl the moment his back is turned.” Then he dipped his head down to bore a look into Lev. Lucas’s brother was shorter and leaner, but he didn’t shrink under the larger wolf’s stare. “Besides, it’s time for you to leave.”

  Lev let out a bitter laugh. “Not happening.”

  Mia felt frozen through the entire exchange, like they were inches away from having the claws come out, and if she said anything she might just make it worse. Then Colin turned from Lev to her, and his glare evaporated like it was never there. In its place was a smoldering look, the kind he painted her with before. He hadn’t said a word to her, but it felt like a kiss and a promise and a hot hand trailing across her body all at once. He was tall and gorgeous and those green eyes…

  Her wolf was all bristled out and snarly. This isn’t our alpha.

  Mia knew that, but his stare still made her human knees weak.

  Colin took a step closer, extending his hand for her to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you—”

  Lev stepped between them and knocked away Colin’s hand. “That’s close enough, asshole.”

  The fury fired back to Colin’s face, but he kept his cool. “It’s her choice, Lev. Not yours. Or Lucas’s.”

  Mia finally found her voice. “Damn straight it’s my choice.”

  Colin’s hot gaze snapped back to her, and the corner of his mouth tipped up.

  She had a fair guess what choice he was talking about, but in truth, she didn’t really have a choice—at least, Lucas wasn’t giving her one, not right now. He’d flat out told her no, and in spite of what Lev said, she didn’t know if his brother would ever be ready for a mate again. And if that was the case, she could do a lot worse than the gorgeous, green-eyed shifter standing before her.

  Mia stepped around Lev’s body-blockade and held out her hand to Colin. “My name’s Mia.”

  He took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he held it gently but firmly. He turned it wrist up and lightly stroked her palm with his thumb while holding her gaze. It sent lightning bolts racing through her body. His gaze was all for her, like Lev had ceased to exist. Lucas’s brother had shrunk back, anyway, shoulders caved.

  “I know your name, Mia.” His voice was commanding, yet smooth, like smoke curling over a steel blade. “It means Mine, and that’s exactly what I want to make you.”

  Her entire body heated with those words. The snarling of her wolf reduced to a whimper. He’d barely spoken to her, but he was already claiming her with his words. Something Lucas had consistently refused to do, ever since he knew what she was. Colin, on the other hand, knew exactly what she was and wanted her badly enough to march in and demand it.

  It reached inside her and touched a deep need. One even her wolf couldn’t muster a complaint against.

  “I don’t even know you,” she managed. It felt weak. Her knees felt weak.

  He still hadn’t let go of her hand. “I can change that.” His voice was full of sexual promise, and that just made the rest of her quiver. “Once we’re together, Mia, you’ll see what I already know: that you belong with me. I’m the wolf you deserve.” Without releasing her from his gaze, he tipped his head slightly in Lev’s direction. “You don’t belong with someone who will always be a beta. You’re strong, Mia mine. I can see it in your eyes. I can smell it in your lack of fear. My wolf is singing for you—he has from the moment you stepped into that room. A strong wolf like you needs a mate who’s just as strong. Stronger. You deserve an alpha. And not a broken one.”

  Mia’s heart was pounding so hard, she was afraid he would feel it pulsing through her hand. “I’m the one who decides.” Damn, her voice was trembling as much as her knees.

  Colin smiled. “The choice is absolutely yours, my queen of wolves.” Then he quickly pulled her hand up to his lips, kissed the inside of her wrist, and released her.

  A small breath escaped her, but the sound of it was covered by Lev’s snarl of disgust. At that same moment, the door opened, and Lucas strode in. Mia gathered her hand back to herself and tucked her arms across her chest. Guilt and powerful surges of attraction warred inside her body, twisting her stomach in knots. She wanted to be with Lucas, and she should try harder to be the kind of friend he needed, too, but there was something magnetic about Colin. Something primal. She could too easily picture surrendering to that and never coming up for air again.

  Lucas sent glares to both Lev and Colin, and the tension skyrocketed.

  “Do you have some news for us?” Mia asked Lucas, her voice still weak. Anything to forestall them from all shifting and going at it right there.

  “My father’s making an offer to LoopSource as we speak,” he said tightly. Then he held out a hand to her. “Come with me. For the next 24 hours, I don’t want you anywhere near the office. After that, we can gauge the Red pack’s response, and the threat level to you.”

  Colin’s glare for Lucas stepped up a heat level, but Lucas was focused on her, his hand outstretched.

  She took it. “Let’s go, then.”

  Lucas towed her from her office and through the common room without another word. His pace was so quick, she nearly had to run to keep up with him. They only paused when they reached the elevators, and even then, he glanced at the door to the stairs, like he was considering jogging down the thirty-two floors.

  “Where are we going?” Mia asked to fill the charged silence. “Back to the hotel?”

  The sound of her voice seemed to soothe him. His shoulders relaxed, and he turned to face her. “You still want to learn what it means to be a wolf?” There was another question buried in there. Something like, do you still want to be around me?

  “Yes. Absolutely.” She clearly still had much to learn. And she wanted to learn it from him.

  He smiled, and the tension between them seemed to seep away. “I know just the place.”

  The Olympic National Park… Mia breathed in a giant gulp of air, tasting the earth scents, the multitude of creature smells, the just complete aliveness of the place. Her wolf hummed with happiness. Lucas grinned at her from the other side of his car. As soon as he had stopped, she had leaped out of it and run halfway to the trailhead for the hiking path.

  The afternoon sun glared overhead, turning the bristly pine trees brilliant green, but the light was dimmed below their branches. The forest was moss-covered and misty and mysterious. The slender dirt path snaked into the underbrush, inviting her inside the wild.

  “It’s been too long since I’ve been here,” she breathed. They had grabbed sandwiches along the way, gaining some mental and physical distance from the dramatic eve
nts at SparkTech. The food had settled her nerves and filled her belly. And now the forest called to her to run.

  Lucas caught up to her, then beckoned her toward the path with him. “Your wolf needs this connection,” he said, a grin still playing on his face as he watched her wide-eyed wonder. “If you attend to your wolf’s needs, she’ll become stronger, more fully integrated with your human side.”

  She flashed a look to him. “Is that a good thing?” The echo of his mournful howl the night before still rang in her mind.

  He gave a short laugh. “Yes, that’s a good thing. You and your wolf are just two parts of you. When each part embraces and respects the other, you’re more integrated as a person.”

  She nodded, but wondered if that applied to him as well. He seemed to retreat into his wolf when hurt, and that didn’t seem like a good thing. She appreciated his wolf nature, but mostly, she wanted him to be human with her. Then again, she wasn’t sure what it meant to be wolf with him. Her inner beast was too busy yipping with happiness to contribute to that thought.

  They had stepped into the attenuated light, the soft glow of it turning the forest into a fairyland of arching ferns, falling dust motes, and moss-draped branches. A thousand tiny sounds floated in the air, but for the most part, the sighing wind in the branches above them ruled them all. Nature was encroaching on the path, with tendrils winding out to reclaim it and fallen needles carpeting the dirt. As they hiked deeper, she could see a brightness through the trees off to their left. Lucas veered off the path, tromping through the forest and heading for it.

  “What’s that?” Mia asked.

  “A little more breathing room,” he said with a smile.

  It took a few minutes, but when they reached the edge of the clearing, she could see what he meant: it was a meadow filled with tall grasses past her knee. The flowers were an assault on the nose, and the sun made her shade her eyes until they adjusted, but it was wide and open and beckoning. Lucas stepped out into the thick of it and threw his arms wide, face tipped up to the sun, basking in it. For a moment, she just watched him, fascinated by the unabashed joy on his face.