Mending the Beast (Awakening Pride #10) - Lacey Thorn Page 0,27

matter how great a computerized trial is, I can’t fully account for how a shifter’s body will respond. There are too many differences across the species. No two of you are exactly alike. Take you and Daniel. Both lions. Similar biology. Yet different. Then there’s Aleksy,” Tony continued.

“There’s no one even close to Aleksy,” Abby stated emphatically then laughed aloud when Tah growled his displeasure. She crossed to him, and Daniel felt a deep pang of longing when Tah lifted her off her feet as he kissed her. Her legs wrapped around his waist.

The sheer intimacy of the moment only served to emphasize what Daniel lacked, what he wanted, what he craved with every breath he took. He’d give anything to be able to walk into a room where Ariel was and have her respond to him in such a way. Hell, he’d give anything to have her stay in the fucking room if he walked in. Or would have. Now, he had to find a way to bridge the distance between them. Distance he’d placed with two words. Words he vowed he’d never say again.

“Get a room,” he groused as he grabbed the clothes someone had left out for him. He tugged on the jeans then pulled the shirt over his head. It was snug, much more so than the last he’d worn it. Dropping into a chair he pulled on socks and shoes before pointing at Aleksy. “If you’re going with, let’s go.”

“Not yet,” Tony said. “I promised Professor Mueller another blood sample before we leave.”

“We?” Daniel asked.

Tony pointed between him and Aleksy. “Where he goes, I go. Always.”

“True,” Aleksy agreed. “We’re a team.”

“Part of our team now, I hope,” Tah said as Abby’s feet touched the ground.

“Of course,” Tony said. “I do admit, though, that I’m looking forward to our house being finished. No offense but I like my creature comforts.”

“Weren’t you a Ranger?” Tah questioned.

“Once upon a time,” Aleksy deadpanned.

“Sample.” Tony ignored them while he pointed at Daniel. “Then we’ll take the helicopter. Aleksy can head over and make sure it’s fueled and ready to go. Me, you, Lyra, and Aleksy. One of our teams came in last night. My friend, Mitch, and his group. We can see if he and Jonah want to tag along. They’re men you’d want to have your back. Ones I trust to guard mine.”

“Mitch will go.” Aleksy’s voice held no doubt. “The man doesn’t know how to stop. Reminds me of someone else I know.” The look he turned on Tony was loud and clear, but Tony ignored it. So did Daniel.

“How soon can we be ready to go?” Daniel held out his arm while Tony went about collecting what he needed.

“Within the hour,” Aleksy replied. “Meet us over at the helipad once you’re all clear here. I’ll go make sure Lyra’s ready to go and see you both over there. Tah.” With a head bow toward the alpha, Aleksy turned and headed out.

“I’ll get these to the lab and meet you over there, Daniel,” Tony said as he followed Aleksy out.

Abby shared a look with her mate, and Daniel knew they were having an entire conversation he wasn’t privy to. Tah kissed his wife and watched her until she was no longer in his sight before turning back to Daniel.

“Are you sure about this?”

“She’s my mate.”

Tah sighed. “That’s the problem, Daniel. She isn’t. She hasn’t wanted to be, and I’m not sure you running after her right now is going to change that. The way your animal has gone from dormant to raging wakefulness has the potential to make things even worse.”

Daniel shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. It can’t get worse.”

“It can,” Tah countered. “She’s running. What if you chasing her only makes her run harder? Run faster and farther? Are you willing to accept that risk?”

“I can’t stand aside anymore,” Daniel admitted. “Where we are right now is killing us both. We need each other. Maybe, if I’m there this time, she’ll see that I can be there every time. If she just lets me in.”

“Daniel—”

“It’s a risk I have to take. I hear what you’re saying. I get the warning loud and clear. But we can’t keep running from each other, and make no mistake, that’s what we’ve both been doing since I opened my fucking mouth and spoke the words I’d give anything to take back. I can’t. The blood on my hands won’t wash away those two words or the emotions that raged