Authors: Aliyah Burke
“Seeing if Ranger is in here?” she questioned. “He’s not, I asked him if he’d like to stay here, but he declined. Apparently, he’s a bit worried you will kill him.”
“I will.” Casimir yanked his shirt off his head and dropped it on the sofa. “If he touches you again. And no, I was looking for more of those assholes who are trying to kill you.”
The seriousness and brutal honesty of his words almost distracted her from the sight of his bared chest.
How the fuck does someone who was supposed to be so sickly as a child look like this?
Then his words sank in. “Wait, what?”
Casimir hadn’t thought anything could ever get to him on a level like this woman had the ability to do. She’d not even been trying, but the sight of those unshed tears gleaming in her brown eyes as she tossed his heartless words back at her tore at his heart. Kraven had warned him he’d needed to change his thoughts and behavior on that. He’d ignored him and now it was coming back to bite him in the ass.
The thing was, Dyana wasn’t weak at all. Yes, she had a limp but the woman was stronger than anyone he’d met. She didn’t let it slow her down, she’d followed her calling and was damn good at it. She put others before her, had a heart of gold, and to top it off, she’d faced down a rogue shifter determined to kill her without hesitation.
“What are you talking about that someone is trying to kill me, hoss?”
Hell, even her calling him “hoss” had become something he’d come to like. The way that syrupy drawl dragged it out, like she was on her knees before him, touching him with slow, languid strokes.
“Shifters.”
She stared at him, eyebrows up and question in her gaze. “Why are shifters trying to kill me now? I left. I want no part of your world.”
Her words ripped open his chest, exposing more of that emotion.
“My nephew is trying to take over the pack and is doing so by attacking those under my protection.”
He moved toward her, needing to have her heated skin against his once more. Casimir didn’t even slow nor give her a chance to voice her disagreement, just scooped her up in his arms and carried her through to the bedroom where he placed her on the king mattress then gathered her close to him.
“You think this is going to distract me?” She pushed away from him, sitting up and glaring at him. “My life is in danger again because of you?”
Even as her words stabbed him, her gaze caressed. “No one will hurt you.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Just sign those motherfucking papers, hoss, so I can get on with my life. Haven’t you taken enough from me already?” She put her back to him. “Show yourself out.”
“I’m not leaving.”
She rolled back toward him, eyes blazing. “You don’t get to do whatever the fuck you want you know. When people say no, you have to respect that.”
“You’re my wife.” He laid his hand on her hip, drawing her closer.
“So, what, that means I can’t say no to you? Hate to break it to you, but that archaic thinking isn’t going to work in my world. For some stupid ass reason my grandparents married me to you, thinking I would have protection. Newsflash. I don’t. So, now I’m apparently a shifter with a bullseye on my back. This isn’t what I wanted from my life. I don’t need this. More importantly, I don’t
want
it.”
“You are in it whether you want to be or not,” he said, voice unexpectedly gentle.
She tried to give him her back once more but he forbade it, anchoring her so they remained face to face. He slid her closer, allowing her gentle scent to wash over him. Casimir detected fear in the low notes of her smell. Not strong, but enough to let him, she struggled with her fear.
He took her hand and placed it on his chest. “I am so sorry for your losses, Dyana. I wish it hadn’t happened, but they did. This—” he pushed it harder over his heart, “—beats for you. I will protect you until it no longer does.”
Her nails dug slightly into his skin, causing iron to coat his cock. There wasn’t anything seductive in her gaze just resignation. “I didn’t ask you to. Never did.”
“Pack life isn’t bad.”
“I’m not living there. I’m not living with you. When this is over, I’m going home to Georgia and starting my life over.”
“No.”
“I wasn’t asking for permission from you. I’m telling you what I’m going to do.”
“You need to be with Pack.”
“No, I don’t.”
He ground his jaw. “This argument is pointless.”
“I agree. I’ve survived this long without your Pack, I’ll be just fine.”
“And the threats?” She was silent and he frowned. “You want them to come. You want them to take you.”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Want is a strong word. I won’t fight it though. Then I can be with my family.”
“You are.”
What have I done to her? She doesn’t have any fight left in her.
It soured his gut.
“No, I’m not. Your Pack didn’t welcome me, hell, you, my
husband,
didn’t even want me there. You put me in a cabin, not even allowing me to stay in your house as if I weren’t worthy of it or something of the sort.”
“I handled you wrong, I admit that. But you are important and worthy.”
“Why?”
He blinked. “Why what?”
“I’ve not changed since then, so what’s making me worthy now when I wasn’t before?”
“You have changed.”
“So because now I’m a shifter I’m worthy? Whereas I wasn’t before?” She shook her head and rolled from the bed. “That takes racism to a whole new level I’ve not experienced before. Wasn’t good enough as a pure human, but now that I’m a shifter I’m worthy of the great and perfect Casimir Lars.”
A knock at the door, had him fully alert. He couldn’t scent any shifter but didn’t plan on taking any chances. “Stay here.”
Striding out, he yanked the door open and frowned. The woman looking up at him wasn’t at all who he expected. This was the woman who’d been beside her today. He wasn’t allowing his guard to slip, women, even human women had proven to be dangerous.
“What do you want?”
She looked him over, from head to foot then shoved her hands in her pockets. He couldn’t sense any fear from her and he wasn’t sure why there also wasn’t surprise.
Is she so used to seeing a half-naked man answer Dyana’s door?
“I need to see Dyana.” The words were slightly cold and edged, like a diamond-tipped scalpel.
“Who are you?”
Another rake of her gaze that turned dismissive. “Dyana?” she called out.
He didn’t turn from the visitor when he felt Dyana’s presence behind him, then elbowed by him. “Everything okay?”
“I came to check on you. Are you okay?”
He cleared his throat, unused to being ignored.
Dyana cut her gaze to him. “I’m fine.”
The woman took her hand and squeezed. “You need anything, you call me. I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast.” She looked at him. “My name is Samhna Cortaine.”
“Casimir Lars,” he responded, searching his mind for that name and coming up blank. He’d have Kraven check it out.
Dismissed again. “Sleep well, Dyana. You did great today. Leg doing all right?”
“Yes, thank you. I’ll see you for an early breakfast.”
They hugged and the woman walked away down the hall, her dark hair swaying with each step she took.
He dropped an arm across her front and guided her back into the room with an easy motion. She didn’t fight him and he glanced down at her. Her expression remained blank as she looked everywhere, but at him.
“You’ve always been worthy of me,” he said, unsure how to bridge this gap between. A gap there solely because of his ignorance and prejudices from growing up weak. “I’m the one who isn’t worthy.”
She shook her head. “Show yourself out.”
“No.”
For a moment, he held out hope she would argue with him, show some spunk but she just shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to bed.” Then she walked away.
He watched her head for the bedroom and pulled out his cell phone. The moment she vanished from view, he dialed a number and waited for his lieutenant to answer.
“I’m checking in now,” Kraven said.
“My room is on the fifth floor. Bethany and Rainie are on that floor as well, keep an eye on them. Someone else came after Dyana tonight.” Hell, the words alone sent more rage through him.
“I see Tora, we’ll keep them safe. Everything alright between you and the missus?”
Had the question fallen from anyone else’s lips, he would have beat them. But this was Kraven. “No. A light went out inside her. I don’t know how to get it back on.”
“Out of my league to help there, Alpha. I don’t have—”
“I smell an eagle shifter in this place.” Tora’s voice came over the line. “Also using a masking agent, not the same as the other one but even more effective at hiding the scent.”
“Just yank the phone from me, why don’t you,” Kraven muttered in the background.
“You think this eagle shifter is after her?”
“Not sure what other reason one could have for masking their smell. We know what happened with the others who’d done so.” Her tone brisk and business like.
“Where did you smell it?”
“Here in the lobby. It’s so faint, I’m not sure if they’re still here or if it’s a lingering remnant.” Her wolf growled low over the line, and he was striding to the door when he heard her sneer, “Leopard.”
“Hello, canine. Long time no see.” Casimir recognized Keane’s voice. “Did you come for a repeat performance?”
“Want to know what it’s like getting neutered without anesthesia?” Her words had less warmth in them than a polar ice cap.
“You know, I like your bite.”
“Tora, I’ll take my phone back.” The sound of it changing hands before Kraven came back on the line. “Shit, I’ve never seen anyone get under Tora’s skin like this. Much less with a leopard shifter.”
“He’s from the pack we’re allying with. Remember, she spent some time down here last year.”
“I hope negations are sewn up because if he’s important to their alpha, it may go south. Tora looks ready to gut him.”
“Tell her to come up here with you. We need to talk.” He looked and saw Dyana lying in bed and gave the room number.
“Be right there. Tora, Alpha requested us.” The call ended.
Casimir went to his shirt and pulled it on then he padded to the bedroom, stuck his head in, seeing she slumbered, closed the door behind him. Doing his best to ignore the tear tracks on her face but failing miserably.
Why do I keep hurting her?
The knock took his attention—most of it—from the woman sleeping beyond the door.
αβ
“Weren’t you afraid he would find out?” Dyana asked as she scooped some eggs from the buffet onto her plate.
“No,” Shira replied, putting bacon on hers. “I’m extremely confident in how it covers the scent. The only way he’ll know is if we tell him.”
“He won’t hear it from me unless you okay it.” She sprinkled some cheese on her eggs. “Leave me some of that bacon, now.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? You are different from last night.”
“I’m just tired of this whole thing. The people trying to kill me, him deciding now that we’re staying married. That somehow I’m worthy of him now because I’m a…well, you know.” She didn’t want to blurt aloud about being a shifter.
“So, you think it’s because the truth is out about that and not because he cares.”
“I know he doesn’t. I’m weak. According to him, weakness is something that can be exploited.”
“Not excusing his behavior but that is the mentality on the rig. You have to be strong, can’t show sign of weakness. I’ve known people tossed over into the frigid water just because someone else saw a glimpse of their weakness. So, I know it’s ingrained into his head. You just have to change his mind.”
“Why do I have to change it? If it’s not something he believes in now, he shouldn’t keep holding onto it.”
“You’re right. He should be the one, but if that’s the case, you need to meet him partway. You’re talking about a man who’s been shown that emotions can make you weak. I don’t think he’s ever going to get on his knees and profess his love for you, but I can see it in his eyes. The way he protects you, keeps you safe.” She put on some flapjacks and covered them with syrup.
“That’s possessiveness.” Dyana thought about the previous night when he took her hand and placed it over his heart along with his accompanying declaration.
Okay, so that did get to me.
She added some fruit then they headed for the table they’d already claimed.
Talk became lighter as they ate. A thrill ran up her spine and she looked up to see Casimir striding across the room. Jeans that just didn’t hide anything from her imagination, a tight tee, and heavy boots. His hair was in messy disarray but she didn’t care. She wanted to stroke her fingers through it and kiss him.
Damn it! What’s wrong with me?
She noticed the way the other women in the place stared at him and it annoyed her.
“Dyana,” Shira snapped. “Stop growling.”
Hell, she’d not even known she had been. Flanking him were two of his lieutenants, Tora and Kraven. But behind them, that sight made her smile. Rainie and her mom. From another part of the room, she noticed Ranger making his way there.
This could be potentially volatile.
Rainie ran by the adults and hurried to her side. She hugged her tight. “How are you doing, Rainie?”
“Fine. I saw you yesterday. I cheered the loudest. Did you hear me?”
She brushed some curls away from her face. “Of course I did.” She glanced up. “Bethany, good to see you again. Tora. Kraven.”
“Dyana,” they said together.
The clatter of a fork had her turning her attention to Shira who had an adorable blush skittering up her cheeks. Kraven?
“I would like y’all to meet my friend and manager, Samhna Cortaine.”
Tora nodded, but didn’t say anything. Kraven reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. “Charmed,” he said, voice deeper than she remembered it being.
When Ranger walked up, the change was in Tora this time. Her posture grew even more rigid until she noticed Dyana looking at her. Then there was nothing, no expression at all.