something you have at least partially considered?” Well, fuck a duck. His dark eyes read the truth in mine, and he grabbed me, fisting one hand in my hair and clasping my hip with the other in a grip so tight it was nearly painful. “I will take you to the ends of this earth before I will let you face that man alone, do you hear me?”
“I didn’t say I was going to,” I hedged. “Besides, that’s not what this fight is about. It’s about you not paying attention. None of you. About you treating me like what I think doesn’t matter.”
“You want to rail at me about that? Fine. I deserve it. I let your health slip, and that’s entirely on me. Scream. Yell. Throw things for all I care.” Ian pushed forward, shoving my legs open so he could stand between them, pressing our bodies together. “I’m not perfect, kitten. I never will be. When it comes to protecting people I care about, I tend to be blind. I need you to stand up to me in those times—your ability to do that is one of the reasons I’m in love with you.”
It felt like a fist slammed into my chest, my vision graying at the edges as I tried to remember how to breathe. Ian’s mouth brushed lightly against mine, reminding me to suck air back in before I passed out.
“It shocked me too, kitten,” he growled with a chuckle, raking his teeth down my throat and making me shudder. “Here you sit, with another female’s scent marking your skin and three other males just outside of that door wanting you, and I don’t have a hint of jealousy riding my wolf.” He punctuated the words with a nip to my chin. “I just want my mark on you as well.” His mouth closed on my throat, sucking hard, his tongue insistent against the spot he chose. I knew the mark would be dark, prominent, but I didn’t care, I could only groan at the pleasure he created.
Shock still rode my system, blinding me to anything else. Ian loved me. How the hell was that possible?
“But, but…” I wheezed, still fighting for air, needing oxygen to get my brain to start working again.
“Shh,” he soothed, even as he nipped and licked his way down my throat, inflaming me with every movement of his mouth. His dark eyes were hot as they looked up at me. “I don’t expect your love in return yet, kitten. But one way or the other, I will win it.” The cockiness in that statement had me nearly as speechless as his admission of love did. His mouth took mine in a searing kiss, his body molding to my curves as his hand fisted in my hair. He pulled back, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry.” He didn’t bother to whisper the words, didn’t try to hide them, and I respected him all the more for them as some of the fight left me. “I didn’t listen the way I should have. I let myself focus on what could happen, and I didn’t see what was happening. I will try not to let it happen again.”
No promises that it absolutely wouldn’t, no flowery words. Simple honesty. I kissed him lightly. “I’ll just have to kick your asses if it happens again,” I told him gruffly. Hesitantly, I stroked the side of his cheek. It was different, somehow, knowing he loved me. I’d never had a lover before, let alone one who told me they were in love with me. He’d just said it didn’t bother him that I was with the others, but I was confused now. As if he could read the fear and confusion dancing in my eyes, he brushed a kiss against my lips. “Let’s get the others. We all need to come up with a plan. It seems waiting isn’t an option.”
Chapter Six
Pixie
Shannon had joined the others when Ian flung the door open, and I had to quickly swallow a giggle at the way the twins were flinching under her glare. I wondered what she had done to provoke that reaction. Her expression softened as she caught sight of me. “Hey, love,” she murmured, reaching out to stroke my hair. “Did you give them hell?” Wide eyes watched the pair of us as I blushed, realizing that Shannon’s shower covered the scent of our lovemaking. While they had been distracted inside before, it was clear to them