Luke slipped from her body, his breathing heavy and ragged, and collapsed onto the bed beside her. His skin glistened with sweat, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. One arm flung up over his head, he turned to look at her—his lifelong friend, now his lover—and silently prayed this wouldn’t ruin what they had.
Her eyes were closed, her lips curved into a satisfied smile as she lay beside him, her own breathing just as labored. He watched her for several minutes as her breathing slowed and her body returned to calm.
When her green eyes fluttered open and turned to him, she bit her lip nervously. Luke smiled warmly. “You’re amazing,” he said honestly, his voice soft but filled with sincerity.
Her cheeks flushed, and the shy smile that followed tugged at his heart. He pulled her naked body against his, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.
Maddis purred contentedly in the recesses of Luke’s mind, the shared memory of being with their Mate soothing his restless beast. With his wolf now calm and retreating into the back of his mind, Luke felt control fully return to him.
He set off toward the pack house, taking his time. The hour-long walk didn’t bother him; in fact, he welcomed the solitude. The crisp night air was invigorating, carrying a faint scent of rain. He glanced up at the sky, where thick clouds rolled across the moon. Winter was coming. Soon, the clouds would bring snow. The chill had already set in, a constant companion during the day and even more pronounced at night.
When he reached the pack house, he headed straight to the mudroom, stripped down, and showered. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he made his way to his bedroom. The house was quiet, as expected. With his parents and brother away handling his younger brother’s human Mate and her stubborn family, and with Benzy and Macky watching Bella, only a few others remained in the house.
His youngest sister, Halley, just five years old, was upstairs with a nanny. His other sister, Abbey, lived on the Beta floor with her Mate, Johnny—Benzy’s younger brother. The silence of the house was almost unnerving, but it suited Luke’s current mood.
He pulled on a pair of pants and grabbed his phone. Sleep wasn’t an option, even with Maddis fast asleep in his mind. He needed to see the photo Macky had sent. If he waited until Maddis was awake, the sight of Bella’s possible lover might provoke his wolf into another uncontrollable rage.
Luke sat on the edge of his bed and opened his phone. One message awaited him, as expected. From Macky. He clicked it open.
The photo displayed a man standing beside a silver Mercedes—not the latest model, but still an expensive luxury car. The man was tall, likely around six feet, though nowhere near Luke’s 6’6” stature. He wore dark slacks and a crisp white dress shirt, his dark hair neatly styled in a short, professional cut. He was smiling, a confident ease in his posture.
Luke was relieved the photo was of the man alone, not of him and Bella together. Still, the sight of him sent a flare of irritation through Luke.
This man wasn’t just a random acquaintance. Bella had clearly surrounded herself with wealthy, attractive humans, and Luke couldn’t help but wonder about her relationship with this one.
For now, Maddis remained asleep. But Luke knew the calm wouldn’t last if the man’s role in Bella’s life became clearer.
The man in the photo was handsome by human standards, with broad shoulders and a tapered waist that hinted at regular workouts. Luke sighed, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. How was it that Bella always seemed to surround herself with humans who were considered attractive or desirable?
He knew why, of course. Bella was beautiful, intelligent, and funny—an irresistible combination. But it still grated on him how men, human or otherwise, couldn’t seem to stay away from her.
Wolves were naturally alluring to humans, often regarded as “eye candy.” Luke himself had used his good looks to his advantage plenty of times, especially when dealing with human women. And trouble had brewed more than once when unmated males in his pack had attracted the attention of human women, often provoking the wrath of protective fathers.
His attention shifted back to the phone. There was no name attached to the photo. Luke dialed Macky’s number, ignoring the time. It was nearly 4 a.m.
Macky answered groggily, his voice heavy with sleep. “Yeah, boss?”
“Got a name?” Luke asked, his tone clipped.
“Chris Kay Johnson,” Macky replied, stifling a yawn. “He’s a prosecutor with Starton & Co Law Firm.”
Luke rubbed his hands over his face. Great. Another lawyer. And this one had the nerve to be talking about marriage. He didn’t bother asking for more details—he’d investigate the man himself. Hanging up, he set the phone down, already preparing to dig into the man’s background.
For now, his beast was calm, allowing him to focus. At least he could do a thorough job without interruption.
