NocC 013 - Katie Reus - Protector's Mate - Harlequin 2012-04 Read Online Free Page B

pack would have taken her in with no questions asked.
    She raised her eyebrows. “Why would I have called you? ” There was no malice in her voice, only utter confusion.
    He placed her glass in front of her and sat. “Did Lamont never tell you…” Realization came in a swift punch to his stomach. Of course that sneaky bastard hadn’t told Felicia that Alaric planned to claim her.
    “Tell me what?” She eyed him warily as she took a small sip of her wine.
    “Nothing.” Now things made sense. If she had no idea of his intentions, she’d likely never given him a second thought after their first and only in-person meeting. His inner wolf had recognized her on a primal level and he’d wanted to claim her right then. He’d even contemplated asking her to join Knox’s pack until she was older. But the beast in him had known he wouldn’t have been able to wait to go after what he wanted. He hadn’t been willing to doom their relationship before it even started. So he’d let her go. Going against all his primitive, dominant instincts had been the hardest thing he’d ever done.
    “So who came after us tonight?” she asked.
    He wanted to focus the conversation on her and their future, but she had a right to know, since she’d been caught in the crossfire. “About a month ago Knox mated with a vampire. Since then, we’ve had a few incidents in our territory. Nothing we can’t handle. Usually young vampires or shifters who don’t like mixing of the species or just don’t want the treaty to move forward.” He’d kept her informed on the details of the treaty in their emails, so when she finally returned she’d have an idea of how things were changing in North America.
    She relaxed slightly at his answer. Just as quickly she frowned again, her pretty lips pulling into a thin line. “We’ve been emailing for months, but you failed to mention that your Alpha has taken over my old pack’s territory. I want to know how you knew I’d be at the airport.”
    “I have friends in high places.” Most humans might not know about their existence but a powerful few did. Alaric had been alive long enough that he’d made plenty of friends who owed him favors. And he’d been keeping tabs on Felicia from the moment she’d set foot on foreign soil. Something he wasn’t sure she’d want to hear right now so he held back that bit of information.
    Taking him by surprise, she slid off her seat and shoved it back. “Fine, don’t give me a straight answer. I’m tired and cranky and unless you plan to hold me hostage, in the morning I’m leaving so—”
    Before she could take another step, he was off his seat and had her pinned against the counter. His palms flattened against the flat surface on either side of her. The animal inside him demanded to take over. To claim her, mark her . He could feel his canines extending at the thought. Only the feel of her soft hand on his chest calmed him.
    “Alaric?” Her voice was breathless and the pulse in her neck jumped with abandon. Lust, wariness and confusion twined off her in equal measures. The mixture of the sweet and sharp scents were an odd contrast.
    “Why do you want to leave?” he asked quietly. He wanted to understand why she seemed to be afraid of him. After months of correspondence and getting to know each other—and his obvious physical reaction to her—how could she not know how much he wanted and cared for her? He thought he’d made himself pretty damn clear until he realized she was returning to Alabama without telling him.
    “I…shouldn’t have come back here. I have no reason to stay.” Her blue eyes seemed to glow with intensity as she stared at him.
    “Maybe I should give you a reason then.”
    She sucked in a deep breath but didn’t look away. When her tongue darted out to moisten her pink lips, his entire body tensed as he imagined that tongue flicking over a certain part of his anatomy. Instinctively he rolled his hips against her. Letting her