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Savon rolled against him, pressing her face against his chest. Her breathing evened out as she slipped deeper into sleep.

  Among all the other things she felt, some part of her knew what he was to her. She would see it, eventually—she had to.

  His love had never wavered, never died, even when he thought he would never have her in his arms again.

  A tear fell. There was hope.

  His damned phone started to buzz again. He pressed one more kiss to her head before climbing from the bed and taking those sexy as sin stilettos from her feet. Then he grabbed the quilt off the chair and covered her.

  Nate stepped out of her room and shut the door silently. His phone read Bran. He let out a quiet growl and pressed talk. “What?”

  “I saw you mauling my sister on the porch. I heard she may be drunk. If I find out you forced yourself on her, I’m going to kill you. I don’t care if you may be my Alpha soon, or she’s your mate, or the fact you’re my closest friend. You hurt her, and you’re a dead man.”

  Nate drew in a breath and let it out. “Didn’t maul her, and the moment she told me to stop, I did. Shit, things got out of hand, but I just put her to bed. I’m going to leave Advil and some water on the nightstand with a note. I’ll be in my own home, alone, in ten minutes, tops.”

  “Good.”

  “Why the hell didn’t you tell her I moved back?”

  “I’m a fucking idiot. I hoped she’d see you and realize she’s so pissed because she’s still in love with you. I should have known she’d only make a stand.”

  Nate sighed. “You said you were going to tell her.”

  “She found your picture in the hallway and lost her shit. By the way, asshole, did you put that there?”

  He balked, “I haven’t been in this house since the day I went into the coma.”

  “Hmm, wonder if Evangeline is fucking with things.” Bran sighed. “I told her not to interfere.”

  “She wants to test Savon. You and I both know how that’s going to go.”

  Bran half-laughed. “Yeah, Evangeline will learn. Look, I need to find a pen and paper and some Advil before I leave. I don’t want her to be hungover when we show up to help in the morning.”

  “You’re going to have to grovel at her feet for a while. Got years to make up for. I told your dumb ass to go to her.”

  “You were right. But you know Dad would have killed her just to keep me from her.”

  Bran snorted. “Which is why this is so fucked up. She’s still pissed. I don’t think she ever truly dealt with the fallout of your disappearance.”

  “Clearly. She wouldn’t listen to you when you mentioned my name. Doesn’t want to listen to me now.”

  “She will. Eventually.”

  “Hope so,” Nate answered.

  “I want you two to be happy, and I have a feeling that’s never going to happen until the two of you are together again.”

  “Hope you’re right about her coming around. Her head is a damned mess—thanks to me.” He never imagined she’d think she was crazy for seeing him. Staying away hadn’t been an option, though.

  “Well, help her straighten it out. You need to come clean about her dreams. And you need to do it soon,” Bran warned. “If you don’t, I will, and you know I’ll muddle it up.”

  “Yeah, I’m trying. She doesn’t get it yet. But right now she needs to sleep off the alcohol. She drank too much too damned fast and she’s out cold.”

  “That’s my fault. See you tomorrow.” The line went dead.

  Nate stepped outside. Something was off. He scented another wolf and walked around the house. He stashed his clothes and shoes under a chair and shifted to full wolf, settling down on the porch to watch.

  Another shifted wolf crept closer, made eye contact, then took off.

  Change of plans. He’d stay on the porch to protect Savon from whoever was lurking in the woods.

  * * * *

  Falling through darkness.

  Tumbling through nothingness.

  Savon opened her eyes to the sound of an orchestra playing far below. Her senses were in total vertigo as she collided with the floor in a sea of colorful gowns and suits. Beautifully painted masks adorned each face.

  Slowly, she stood up and looked down at the elaborate black lace gown and corset that threatened to steal her breath. No mask on her face. Alone, amid a crowd.

  “Savon, please, Savon,” Nate cried.

  She spun and found him across the room with tears in his eyes. He started to make his way through the dancing couples twirling around at a brisk pace.

  Anger hit her, followed by the need to let him catch her, to let him explain. Everything felt so real, even surrounded by her imagination. Then she felt something else close, watching her, ready to pounce.

  Not just a wolf. Something more. She’d felt it in the bar.

  The need to run won out. She dropped to her knees and crawled through the tangle of people, through the doors, onto the balcony. She ran down the stairs, into the garden below. Rose bushes filled the property, the vines twisting up statues reaching for the light, trying to get away from the shadowy ground.

  “Savon, wait!” Nate shouted. “Please!”

  She collided with a statue that resembled Killian. The roses grew away from him, not touching the cold stone.

  Nate’s voice grew closer. “He promised to kill you if I ever came for you.”

  Spinning, she came face to face with Nate. The scents of forest, sandalwood, and musk surrounded her. “What?” she whispered.

  “I woke up from a coma screaming your name. My father swore he’d tear you apart to keep me from you.” Nate reached for her.

  She backed away. “Doesn’t matter now. You destroyed me. I’ll never be whole again.”

  “I know, and I hate myself for it. I never meant to leave you like that. I would do anything to go back and stay. If I hadn’t gotten in that car, I would still be with you.”

  “You can’t fix what you took from me. We can’t go back.” Tears fell down her face. She turned and ran.

  “Be careful, Savon. Whatever you do, don’t trust Jay. He’ll only hurt you.” His words echoed after her.

  Snarling and snipping yanked her out of sleep. She sat up, her head pounding. She pushed forward, going to the window. Two massive wolves ran into the woods.

  “Shit,” she whispered before sinking back onto the bed. A note lay on her nightstand with a glass of water and Advil.

  A slow smile spread on her face as she took the Advil and drank down the water. She picked up the paper and his scent rolled over her. Being curled in his arms had felt good. What little she remembered.

  The note read,

  Savon,

  Sorry about last night. You’re going to have one hell of a hangover. This should help.

  And I know you’re still mad, but I need to tell you a few things. Even if I never touch you again.

  I hope you’re having sweet dreams.

  Nate

  Her heart was twisted two ways. Stay away from Nate, or let him back in. She feared if he did make it through her walls, she would fall apart all over again.

  A glance at the clock proved it wasn’t worth going back to bed.

  Time for a shower then.

  The movers would be there before long, and she needed coffee before that happened.

  Chapter 5

  Nate watched her run away once again. Then a snarl pulled him out of the dream. He shot to all four feet and stepped onto the lawn.

  Clay Weston in wolf-form. Same asshole who attempted to follow her the night before. Nate stalked forward, his lip curled.

  Nate growled a warning. When Clay advanced, Nate lunged, catching Clay’s front leg in his jaws and biting down to tear muscle.

  Asshole snapped his teeth at Nate, who moved to the side faster. He slammed his paw across Clay’s muzzle.

  A whine escaped as Clay turned and bolted across the yard and into
the forest.

  Nate went back to the porch as he shifted back. He yanked on his clothes and slammed his feet into his shoes, then ran for Bran’s house around the corner.

  He pounded on the door and kept going until feet thundered down the hall.

  The door was thrown open. Bran growled, “Why the fuck are you waking me up an hour before I have to be over there? And why the fuck are you wearing last night’s clothes?”

  “Slept on her porch in wolf form.” Nate pushed him back and stepped into his home. “Guess who I chased off Savon’s property a few minutes ago.”

  “Jay’s not that damned stupid,” Bran pointed out.

  “Don’t know about that. He touched Savon in the bar,” Nate snapped. “But no, it wasn’t him.”

  Bran’s brow pinched. “Who was in the back yard?”

  “Clay Weston. Bastard was stalking around her place like he was scoping out the home.”

  “What the hell do you think someone will do?” Bran demanded.

  “Fuck if I know, but Jay is chasing her. And I’m sure he’ll try to get in my way.”

  Bran snorted. “How do you know he’s not just hot for her body?”

  “Oh, I’m sure that’s part of it. Your sister has always been beautiful. And now, shit…if I do anything stupid, you’re going to have to put me in my place.”

  Bran took a step forward. “You bet your ass I will. Now, what do you think Jay is up to?”

  “He wants the Alpha role. We need to figure out why the hell he didn’t take it, find a way to replace the Alpha.”

  Shaking his head, Bran put his hands up. “You need to step up. And don’t argue. You’re a hell of a lot smarter than the rest of us, and you could lead us. We need someone who cares about the town and the people in it. Jay’s a fucking bastard. He doesn’t give a shit about what happens to anyone, except himself.”

  “I came back with every intention of killing my father. Jay got there first. And since I never wanted to be a wolf in the first damned place, I was happy to let Jay have the role. I don’t want to be the same raging asshole my father was, and force wolves into submission, shoving my will down their throats.” He pushed his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to be the dictator he was.”

  “Then don’t be. Just because he was a bastard doesn’t mean you need to lead the same way. The wolves will respect you. Maybe not all of them immediately, but they can learn. Trust me, Nate, you’re the best man for the job.”

  Nate walked away. “All I ever wanted was to be the man Savon loves.”

  Bran let out a huff and dropped into the seat. “You realize there was a reason your father hated her. Why he hated my mother.”

  Nate’s head twisted as he winced. “Yeah, because she’s Sylvan, and when your mother walked away from him, he decided he hated all of them.”

  “Except me,” Bran muttered. Nate’s father was Bran’s. Savon and Bran shared a mother, but not a father. And when some bastard shot Bran to get out of town, Killian changed him, refusing to lose another son.

  “At least he saved you,” Nate offered. Bran hadn’t learned about Nate being his half-brother until after he healed the bullet wound that should have killed him. Then he went to Nate to get some clarity.

  “He saved you too,” Bran pointed out.

  “Fuck that. He ruined what I had with Savon. He broke her heart. And I still don’t know how to mend the shattered pieces.”

  “Show her the man you’ve become.”

  “She doesn’t want to let me in.”

  Bran slammed his hand on the table. “Show her anyway.”

  “And if she doesn’t want that anymore?”

  “Think you’d be surprised. Especially if you take Jay down before he has a chance to hurt her. Sooner or later, she’ll remember why she fell in love with you. Right now, she’s running scared. And I know there’s more to why, but she’s never told me.”

  “What if she just hates me?”

  “Shit, she may think she hates you, but I know she doesn’t. Now, go home, shower. I’ll meet you at your house before we go to hers to help with the movers.”

  “Good plan.”

  * * * *

  Downstairs in a pair of sweats, a tank top, and her comfiest sweater, Savon sipped on her coffee. Other than her best paints and brushes, she brought her coffee maker, her favorite toys, and some clothes. The rest was in the mover’s truck.

  A knock echoed.

  Frowning, she crossed the living room and opened the door a crack. Bran’s smiling face greeted her. “Figured you could use a few strong men.” He shoved the door open and walked in, followed by Nate, Chris, and Joe.

  All of Bran’s buddies.

  Joe enveloped her in a hug. “Hey, Frannie says she’s sorry she didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night. She blames these two knobs-for-brains.”

  Savon gave him a tight smile. “I wasn’t expecting Nate. A warning might have been nice.” She shot Bran a glare. “I could have avoided the whole scene.”

  “You mean he hasn’t talked to you yet?” Chris asked.

  Savon’s brow arched as she turned his way. “About what?”

  “Never mind that,” Bran stated. “You two need some privacy for that discussion.”

  She wanted to slap her brother, then shake the answers out of Chris. Though, Nate did tuck her in, which was sweet. Maybe listening to what he had to say would give her some closure and make it possible to shut him out completely.

  “Man, you look good, Sav.” Joe winked and brought a basket to the counter. “We all missed you.”

  She couldn’t be mad. It was too easy to fall into old times. Laughing, she teased, “I’m sure you missed having someone to pick on.”

  Only real difference besides their age, all four of them were werewolves now. That shouldn’t have come as a surprise. More than two hundred werewolves lived in Silvertail Ridge.

  “Hey, we brought breakfast,” Chris said, lifting a picnic basket. The aroma of bacon and sausage wafted from within. “Frannie’s famous breakfast burritos.”

  “You guys didn’t need to do this,” Savon offered, though she smiled at the gesture.

  Bran shrugged. “No, but I needed to make up for my idiotic move last night. And all of us wanted to give you a hand. Nate especially.”

  Nodding, she took plates and mugs down. “Movers should be here in an hour. Give or take. Get some coffee, catch me up on everything.”

  Nate closed the distance, stopping inches behind her. She looked back, their gazes locked. Her heart stopped.

  His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear. “Sav, can we talk once everyone leaves?”

  The blues of sadness and regret sweeping through his aura broke her down. “Yeah, for a few.”

  His head dipped slowly, silently pleading for more.

  She couldn’t give him promises. The profound sadness in the warm chocolate depths threatened to wash away every last one of her defenses.

  Bran nudged her shoulder. “Eat up. Frannie made your favorite.”

  “I’m amazed she remembers,” Savon answered, turning back to the rest of the guys.

  She hopped onto the counter and took the burrito handed to her. They filled her in on their old friends and acquaintances without delving into werewolf stuff or magic anything. Still a secretive bunch.

  Or maybe she needed to pay more attention. One problem. Her mind kept drifting back to the dream. To all the dreams. Something she couldn’t quite reach, but knew she needed to.

  Savon finished her burrito in time for the doorbell to chime. She hopped off the counter, placed her plate in the sink, and walked to the door.

  Three movers stood on the porch. Four men walked up the path.

  Jay’s lips curved into a predatory smile. “Good morning, gorgeous. We thought we could lend a hand.”

  “Sure, the more the merrier.” Savon didn’t look back. The tension in the room climbed as shades of o
range of distrust and deep crimson of anger floated back and forth.

  Did they all hate Jay?

  Bran huffed. “We have it covered.”

  Brad, the old quarterback who used to make fun of her nonstop gave her a sheepish smile. “We all want to welcome Savon back. We were assholes back in school. Now we want to show her how much we’ve changed.”

  “Good luck with that,” Joe muttered.

  The first mover offered a smile. “Can we get this going? It’s a long drive back.”

  “Sure,” Savon answered, moving inside to let everyone in.

  Another of the jocks, Tommy, smiled. “Tell us what you need done and it will be.”

  “That so?” Savon challenged with a smirk.

  John nodded. “We’ll take any order with a smile.”

  She had to see it to believe it.

  * * * *

  Nate and Bran were outside. Jay took a chance, caught Savon’s arm, and pulled her into a room filled with boxes.

  Her head tipped as she turned to face him. Her lips curled in a smile. “What?”

  He stepped closer, dipping his head to take in her toned body, those perky breasts, the flare of her hips. The tank top and low-slung sweats were sexy. She’d removed the sweater early on.

  Jay brought his gaze back to hers. “Come to the bar tonight.”

  “Told you I’d be there. Just don’t expect too much from me. I’ll admit, you’re tempting, but I’m not jumping into anything.”

  “No rush, Savon. I’ll enjoy getting to know you until you decide you are ready.” And he realized something. He meant that to the bottom of his soul.

  She knew her mind and wouldn’t ever be a pushover. She had fire and attitude. And still, something about her lulled his wolf, called to something deep within. He needed to explore what simmered between them.

  One corner of her mouth quirked. “I’ll be there.”

  Feet thundered up the stairs, and Savon slipped out the door before Jay could say anything else.

  Shaking his head, he waited in silence a moment before leaving the room. Nate shot him a glare, and Jay smirked.