The wolf padded over to her and licked at her jaw. She petted the dark, thick fur of his flank, making him release a satisfied growl. Smiling, she playfully shoved at his muzzle, expecting him to pounce in an equally playful move. Instead, he just looked at her.

Makenna rolled her eyes and sat upright. “So you’re as serious as Ryan, huh?” Her wolf would make him play, but her wolf would also brand the shit out of him—something that wolves shouldn’t do unless they were mates. Makenna needed to be 100 percent certain that Ryan was hers before she laid any such claim on him. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to him.

The wolf nuzzled her throat, so she lightly shoved him again and wagged her finger. Again, he just stared at her. “I want to play.” After the shitty day she’d had, she needed some downtime. Playing with her favorite wolf would definitely give her that. “If you’re not going to play, you have to leave.”

He growled, eyes flashing human. Ryan—unlike the wolf—understood her words.

“Grouchy.” She dived at the wolf, wrestling him to the ground. He squirmed and struggled free of her grip. Righting himself, he looked startled. Confused. A little lost. She shoved at his muzzle with a playful snarl. He swiped at her shoulder, claws sheathed. Ooh, progress. She lunged again, knocking him to the ground. He got up, looking exasperated. That was better than him looking lost.

“I need to up my game here, huh.” Makenna jumped to her feet and took off. The wind whipped her skin and the branches abraded her cheeks and arms as she ran through the trees, the wolf fast on her heels. Birds and other wildlife scattered.

Sensing the wolf closing in on her, she put on a burst of speed—racing into a clearing, where she spun to face him with a growl. Skidding to a halt in front of her, he bared his teeth. She snapped hers. And . . . he wagged his tail. “That’s it.”

They tussled, wrestled, and pounced until Makenna flopped to her back, out of breath. The wolf stood over her, triumphant. Bones cracked and popped as his body shifted shape, and she then had a very naked Ryan on top of her. She wound her arms around his neck. “Your wolf played with me. He’s fun.”

“Only with you.”

She moaned as Ryan kissed her, twining his tongue with hers. Within moments, she was just as naked, and he was giving her exactly what she needed, pounding into her at a feral pace that soon had them both exploding.

In the aftermath, she snuggled into his side as he lay on his back. Sated and riding her post-orgasm buzz, she said, “This territory is pretty awesome.” Her wolf was utterly relaxed, surrounded by the scents of Ryan, pine, grass, and sun-warmed earth. The only sounds she could hear were those of wildlife and water trickling in the near distance.

Cupping her chin, Ryan lifted her head to meet her eyes. “Then why do I hear a little sadness in your voice?” He didn’t like it. Wanted to fix whatever was wrong.

“There must have been countless times in your life when you’ve roamed your territory and found a cozy little spot where you feel safe. My wolf . . . she never had that. I never had it.”

“You can have it, and you know it,” he said a little too sharply. This place was her home. She just had to step forward and claim it. His wolf was just as frustrated by her failure to do so. Others would have been surprised to see his wolf—always so serious and gloomy—playing with her. Ryan wasn’t. The animal adored her, he considered her his own; there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for her.

“So, you told your pack that you believe we’re mates.”

“They guessed. They agree with me. You’re the only one that doesn’t.”

He looked so hurt by that, like she was rejecting him. Makenna snuggled closer. “I would be proud to be your mate. You’re the full package. Loyal. Strong. Hot. Honorable. A born protector who never lets people down. That’s—What? What did I say?” Because he was averting his gaze. “Ryan?”

“I let you down today.”

She frowned. “How?”

“I asked you to trust me to keep you safe. I promised I would. But I wasn’t there for you today.” If there was one thing Ryan was good at, it was keeping people, under his protection, safe. But his mate had been in danger, and he hadn’t been there. That fact had tormented him and his wolf all day long. “I should have stayed with you this morning.”

“That’s ridiculous. You have a job, a very important job.”

“If I’d been with you earlier, you would never have ended up tangled in a net.” Like an animal.

“For someone so practical, you can be seriously dumb sometimes.” Her wolf totally agreed. Makenna propped her chin on his chest. “It’s not that you should have been there. It’s that they shouldn’t have been there. They were the ones who were in the wrong place, not you. And the person who’s most to blame for all of it is Remy.” Assuming it wasn’t Deanne.

“He’ll pay for it.” His wolf growled, fully supportive of that idea.

“But not yet. After the meeting with the council, sure. Until then, we don’t rise to whatever he does. Okay? Okay?”

No, it wasn’t okay at all. It especially wasn’t okay that she was right—the practical side of him couldn’t deny that. “You need to understand something. I know we need to be smart in how we handle this situation. So I’ll hold back.” Even though it was killing him. “But if Remy hurts you, if he even tries to harm you, I’ll kill him.”