Chapter 30

For the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn’t want to charge through the trees as fast as his legs could move. He walked along, sniffing the air from time to time as he headed up the hill. If there was anyone here that shouldn’t be, he’d be able to scent them from there. For the last few minutes he debated on shifting to get there faster, but he had no plans to be away from Rayne longer than necessary, and if he let his wolf out for a run he’d lose the taste of her he still carried in his mouth, and he wasn’t ready to let that go just yet.

What had just happened between them was beyond anything he could explain. He thought at one point his heart was going to explode and it wasn’t from what they were doing, but just being with her. Even as he thought it, he knew it made no sense but it was still the truth. Devin had been so close to marking her and that scared him. No one told him control was something he’d have to fight when he found his mate. So many of the odd stories that he’d heard or experienced now about difficulties when two mates met, all seemed more than possible now.

Devin turned and inhaled deeply, taking the time to analyze the scents that came back to him. The hair on the back of his neck stood when it registered there was another animal nearby. He turned slowly, every muscle in his body tense, ready. A soft chuckling came from his left.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been able to sneak up on you, not even when we were kids, Dev.”

Devin exhaled with relief and turned to face Calum with a shrug. “I was preoccupied.”

Calum gave him one of his knowing looks and then rubbed at the grin he was trying to hide. “I don’t have to ask with what, I can smell why.”

He walked over closer and Devin was reminded how large he was. Devin wasn’t a small man by any means, but Calum made him feel inadequate from time to time. Then again, his size was also one of the reasons he’d agreed he was to be his first if he ever required one.

He wasn’t going to give into his prodding. “When did you get here?”

He gave him another nonchalant look. “A while ago. I originally went to the house, but heard you were busy so I thought I’d reacquaint myself with the land.” This time he did grin.

Devin laughed. “Thank you.”

He shrugged. “I still can’t believe you have a mate, but my nose tells me you do indeed. How is the soon to be queen of the Alliance doing?”

Devin looked down at the ground while he answered. “About that...” He glanced at his almost emerald eyes for a second. “Today, Rayne has just found out what she is. I thought I’d wait and tell her the rest when she’s had a chance to absorb it all.”

His eyes widened. “Which part doesn’t she know?”

Devin jammed his hands into pockets and gave him a steady look. “She knows she’s a shifter.”

Calum’s dark eyebrows shot up, making his eyes seem even wider. “She doesn’t know who you are—who she’ll be?”

He shook his head, it didn’t sound good with the tone he used.

“And you claimed her without telling her everything?”

Running a hand through his hair, Devin rolled his shoulders and wished the usual tension they carried hadn’t returned quite so soon. “I didn’t mark her.” He closed his eyes long enough to picture her and then looked at him again. “I won’t until she knows. She has a choice in all of this too.”

Calum shook his head and then stood there with his hands on his hips watching Devin, giving him the same glare he used to when we were kids and he was about to do something stupid. “Your scent will be all over her and unless tonight was a onetime thing, it always will be.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s near enough to marking her as mated. As for her having a choice, do you still believe you could just walk away?”

“Does the lecturing come with the protection or is there an additional fee?” I damn well know what I’ve done and don’t need him to stand here and tell me I shouldn’t have. This I already knew. The problem was he would do it again, and planned to whenever he could. He’d been drawn to her before he touched her and now that he had it was even worse, just being away from her for this short time had him anxious and more than a little irritable. If he had to move to the ends of the earth to stay away from her he would. Devin hadn’t even decided whether having her or keeping her was the best for anyone. If she agreed to have him and he claimed her, he was bowing before his clan as their alpha, and his decision on that challenge was still up in the air.

“It’s free advice.” Calum turned his head and looked around the area, probably trying to decide if he wanted to continue this conversation.

When he turned and looked at Devin, he felt like he could see straight into his soul. Why do cat eyes do that? I could look at someone for an eternity and never have the weight of his stare.

“You haven’t decided, have you?”

Devin shrugged, knowing anything he said would sound hollow before he finished the words.

Calum blew out a breath. “You better hurry on the decision. You can’t just keep her as something casual, it doesn’t work that way.”

He knew that all too well, by the range of events and emotions in the last few days. For Devin, Rayne was either everything or nothing, there was no in between in his world. Mates could not just be friends. “I know—I’m working it out.”

He shook his head in a startled way. “Aside from all of that, how is she doing? Has there been any word on what Tomas is up to?”

Devin sighed with relief that he was going to let it go. “She’s taking everything better than I’d imagined she would and no there’s no word yet.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he studied him for a long moment. “You look a little ragged, Cal, what’s going on?”

He ran his hands through his hair and groaned. “I’ve been trying to chase down some answers on some missing clan and getting nowhere.”

“Women?” He hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d told Rayne that the females in the clans were looked after. Until they were mated, all clan members looked out for them and even after being mated in most cases, regardless of rank.

“No. That’s part of the problem in tracking them, it’s the males that seem to disappear without a trace.”

The surprise must have shown on Devin’s face because Calum nodded abruptly. “Exactly my reaction. I was just home a day from my last dead-end trail when your father called me.” He shrugged. “I thought the peacefulness of this place would help me unwind.”

Devin cocked his head to the side when he heard a wolf’s howl in the distance. A normal wolf, but all the same they should know not to come too close to his land by now. “Once I know Rayne’s safety isn’t at risk, you’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”

“I won’t impose too long.” He smirked. “I’m sure after we deal with Tomas and you tell her the rest of the details that are going to affect her life, you’ll need a lot of alone time to rectify things”

Devin tucked his hands into his pockets. “She took finding out that she’s soon going to change into something furry with four legs better than I ever could have imagined, I’m sure she’ll be fine with the rest.”

He laughed. “Because finding out you’re mated to the prince of all the clans of shifters and will be the queen if he steps into his place isn’t a big deal—or that she’s the new mama of your pack. No, I’m sure you’re right and she’ll just giggle when she finds out.”

He was right. Devin knew that. All the excuses he told himself while trying to believe she would be fine with it had been pure wishful thinking. If he really believed she’d be okay with it, he would have told her before he’d seduced her. His body tightened at that thought. He looked back at Calum, who was studying him in the silence with his narrowed cat eyes. “I’m going to head back now, try to stay downwind so I can have some warning if someone shows up here.”

“I will. I’m going to pitch a tent on top here, and stay clear of the dense areas for a few days.”

“Sounds good.” He turned and started to walk back the way he’d come. Pausing, Devin glanced at him over his shoulder. “I appreciate the back up.”

He gave him a solemn look. “Hey, it’s my job to protect your royal ass.” Then he laughed softly.

Devin had always hated Calum referring to him in that way and he knew it, yet for as long as he could remember he’d kept on doing it.

He glared at him for a few seconds more and then turned and headed back down the incline. He did feel better having him here. He was a male, but he was an experienced one when it came to knowing how to behave around another man’s mate. With him here, Devin hoped, he would be able to focus on Rayne and not have to be running around sniffing out trespassers.

He stood watching her sleep. She looked so much smaller in his large bed. Her golden hair spread out over the navy pillows, making her look almost untouchable. His body hardened making him want her again. She was his mate and she was in his bed, so why was he standing here just looking down at her? His conscience prodded him, reminding him why. He needed to tell her, he just didn’t know how.

“Are you planning to watch me all night?”

Her soft voice startled him. “I thought about it.” He couldn’t help smile down at her.

“Everything’s all right?” She rolled over, exposing one bare shoulder.

His throat tightened and he knew it was going to be a long night of aching. He couldn’t take a chance of getting too close to her again. Every part of him that was wolf was crying out to take his mate, and he couldn’t until she knew and she accepted him. “Everything is fine,” Devin whispered back to her. She sighed and then relaxed back into the covers. He knew by her breathing she was asleep before he could walk around to the other side of the bed.

As he settled in under the covers, he waited for her to wake up, half expected her to ask him to sleep on the couch, even though he didn’t think she would react that way. A once wounded heart takes a long time to forget.

She made a quiet noise in her sleep and moved back until her warm skin was pressed up against his bare side. Flames licked throughout his body leaving him with no desire but to roll towards her and pull her tight against him, which would then cancel out the not getting too close to her part of the plan.

Devin squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw, forcing his brain to ignore the message his body was sending it. He still had to make sure she was safe from Tomas...

That thought alone allowed him to clamp down on his thoughts and instincts and relax a bit more beside her. That did not mean the rest of the night was going to be any easier.