“Well that’s not going to happen. Ever.” She took a drink of her water. “I’m not interested in making it easier for you to be a human cop. I respect what you do, which is why I’m going out of my way to keep wolf business in my territory, not yours. But I can’t stop being who I am either. I’m a werewolf guard in the elite Enforcer corps of my Pack.

MyPack run by my brother. People I love have been endangered and continue to be threatened by Warren Pellini. You know that. You know Sargasso sent an open threat against their neighboring Pack for protection money. Memphis called earlier today and told us Pellini is trafficking in drugs and prostitution in their territory. He’s moving and getting more dangerous and that means I can’t sit idly by and do nothing.”

He did know. Lex had called him earlier to tell him about the rising threat of interclan war brewing with the stronger hold Pellini held on more and more Packs nationwide.

He’d scoffed at the idea of a werewolf mafia a few years ago when he’d first met Lex and Nina, but he’d seen the damage firsthand. Knew something was brewing. But he knew that made things even more dangerous for Tegan.

“We’re all having a meeting tomorrow. I imagine that’s why Nick and Tracy are here. The FBI is involved as well with their paranormal liaison.”

“I know. I’ll be there. I’ve asked to be part of the team.”

He sat forward. “Tegan, you don’t have to. Lex has other people. Gabe has people in place in DC. You don’t need to put yourself in danger.”

“You’re on the team.”

Sighing, he tore into his bread. “Yes. But…”

“But what? You’ve got a penis and therefore you’re rendered incapable of being injured? Or do your testicles confer super powers upon you?” Tegan’s voice was sharp and he remembered what a formidable woman she was. Remembered how fast and quiet she’d been as she’d ripped that perp out of his car. Damn it.

“You’ve been around Nina too long. I don’t want you harmed! Is it too much to ask to let me do my job?”

“Ben Stoner, I’m not the one asking you not to do your job. You’re the one asking menot to do mine. I’m faster than you are, I heal quicker, I have a higher pain tolerance.

In short, I’m a very high capacity girl.”

He shivered at the double meaning of the phrase. An ache to dominate her rode him sharply.

“I’ve been on Lex’s team for ten years now. I’ve trained even longer than that. I’m good at what I do, Ben. Most of Pellini’s people can’t do me any harm because I’m better than they are and because I’m more vicious. They’re dull, blunt instruments. But he’s not.

And his inner circle isn’t either. But we have to stop this now before it gets worse and I can’t sit back and wait around because you’re worried. Do you think I like it that you’re out there every day as a cop? Soft, human flesh which is so much weaker than mine.

Surrounded by people who want to harm you, Ben. That makes me crazy. But I understand it’s what you do.”

“I don’t like it. I want you safe, damn it.”

She laughed and tossed a piece of steak into her mouth. “Suck it up, human.”

“Mouthy f**king wolf!”

The heat built between them as they argued back and forth. Tegan neatly maneuvered around him at every turn and despite his frustrations, he admired her intelligence and temerity. It was hot.

Standing, he knocked the chair to the ground and her eyes widened and then a corner of her mouth tipped up.

“Come here, Tegan.”

And like a switch turned on, she stood, all liquid grace and his entire body tightened to watch her as she moved to him.

One hand centered itself at her back and the other gripped the back of her hair, holding her in place as he leaned in to plunder. To take what was his. What she surrendered to him.

Her hands gripped the front of his shirt as her head tipped back and gave him access to the line of her throat. Submitting in that way too. He groaned and ran the edge of his teeth over the sensitive skin there.

Picking her up, he walked back to her bedroom, kicking the door open and tossing her on the bed.

“Undress, I’ll be back. My toy bag is in the car.”

She sat up on her elbow. “Awfully sure of yourself.”

“I…”

One of her eyebrows rose and he cursed the link at that moment. He’d had it in his car because he’d been headed to the Club De Sade. How the hell could he explain that?

“You what? You’ve been with someone else in the last five days?” Her voice rose and she scrambled off the bed and got in his face, magnificent in her fury.

“No! No, I haven’t been with anyone else but you since the first moment I touched you. I…I went to the Club. But I didn’t go in!” he added quickly. “I sat in the parking lot and knew there was no one but you and I headed straight to Cade’s place to get you.”

Hurt creased her forehead.

“Nothing happened, Tegan. Nothing would have. I don’t want anyone but you. I got in my car thinking, I’ll find some sweet sub to push her from my mind but that was just stupid. There is no one who could push you from my mind. You’re everything inside me, Tegan. I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you, I didn’t mean to. I’ve been stupid but nothing happened, I swear it.”

“You wanted it to.”