The warmth of her small hand slipped to his neck, to the ridge of muscles he once claimed hurt him, and she rubbed. “Had she remained faithful, would you have saved me from the mob?”

“What do you think you are doing?” Shepherd’s nostrils flared, and though he was furious, his cock lay hard as a rock against her thigh.

Claire stopped her touch. “I was only trying to soothe you as you do for me when I’m upset. When your emotions are calm, you will see that I am right.”

Growling, he jammed himself inside her in one sharp thrust. Claire grimaced, and braced herself. Shepherd, heavy inside her, cupped her face, snarling as he touched his forehead to hers. “This is how you may soothe me.”

He jerked and rocked her again, making her breath catch as she brought her aching arms up to embrace the raging Alpha. Overly rough, he snapped his hips, pounding away, practically howling when her slick eased his passage. “And you will scream my name every time I make you come!”

12

Her entire body ached, even with warm water pouring over the fresh bruises. Overly attentive, Shepherd washed away the dried semen that made her sticky, which matted her hair, holding her to him as he bathed his mate.

They had both slept, tangled and sweaty from hours of fucking like animals. Even as she was now, her eyes were half-dilated as if still in a mating high, which was probably the only thing keeping the Omega from hissing at the touch of his hands on tender skin his zealous possession had rubbed raw.

Shepherd took her chin, drawing her sleepy eyes to his face. “I will not harm Corday.”

Flatly, Claire answered, “I knew you wouldn’t.”

The giant hesitated, the creases by his eyes betraying a smirk. “Did you?”

“If you hurt him, I would punish you as severely as I could.”

Shepherd’s amusement faded. “You would kill yourself.”

“Yes.”

Each word was perfectly enunciated and lacked the bitterness the man felt sour his stomach. “His value to you is higher than the rest of your forty-three.”

Claire licked her wet lips and thought about how best to answer, or if she should even answer at all. “I owe him.”

Shepherd felt the rush of blood behind his eyes, fought to be gentle as he rinsed her hair. “It is more than that. I saw you together. You bear fondness for the Beta.”

Inspiring any type of excessive hatred in Shepherd for Corday could be dangerous to her friend, and would serve no purpose except to pointlessly agitate the Alpha. “I do not love Corday, not in the way you imagine. But I owe him, as I said. I have lied to him, and drugged him. I deceived him…”

“To keep him safe,” Shepherd purred, finishing her statement, somewhat mollified at the truth of her words and their echo in the bond. “Does that not sound familiar?”