cocky Tanner.”
Jon chuckled. “Was he different than the old cocky Tanner?”
Tanner reach around her to hit Jon for the comment but Sasha blacked him by sitting on his lap. It was a reflex that she didn’t think about as she moved. She quickly regretted it, because Tanner lost his balance and fell to the floor, bringing her with him. He turned so she landed on top of him. Then something dark and wicked flashed in his blue depths.
She knew that look all too well and the anticipation of what he might do next sent a shockwave of desire through her. The fact that she was willing to melt from a heated look should piss her off. She was stronger than that, damnit.
Pushing against him, she said, “I’m telling a story here.”
He flipped them over and pinned her to the floor with her hand above her head. Then he rolled his hips into her. A low growl followed by a moan escaped her. “Jon doesn’t want to know about how cute I was as a kid.”
“Yes, I do.” Jon laid on his side on the sofa and grinned at her.
“I wasn’t born in MoonRiver. My parents were loners and traveled all over. Anyway, I was seventeen…” An ache formed in her chest. That story was always bittersweet.
Tanner framed her face and traced her lips with his thumb. “I was ten and had run off like I usually did when my bastard of a father was home.”
“He stumbled upon our camp. We hadn’t realized that we were on Pack territory.” She laughed softly and closed her eyes. Images of the young, troublemaking wolf danced in her head. “He came right up to me and said I needed to leave, that I didn’t belong there.”
“You were a girl. And girls were gross.” Another wicked grin formed on his lips. Then he leaned down and kissed her nose.
“And a ten-year-old boy was annoying.” With a sigh, she glanced at Jon. He was watching the two of them with heated interested. She continued. “We stayed at the camp for a about a week. During that time, Tanner became less annoying.”
“You were still a gross girl,” Tanner teased and nipped at her ear.
Frowning, she said, “The night we were supposed to pick up and move on, I was with Tanner at a nearby stream. My parents were attacked and killed”
Tanner nuzzled her neck, placing a kiss on her sensitive flesh. “It wasn’t your fault. It was those damned mutants. And they would have killed you too if you were there.”
She knew that but it still didn’t keep her from blaming herself for so long. “I’m a Healer. I should have been there.”
Tanner sat up, taking her him. Jon had moved to sit in front of them on the floor. When he reached for her, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her onto his lap. Tingles of desire flared to life as she settled into his arms.
“You would have been killed and I wouldn’t be able to hold my mate right now.” Jon rubbed her cheek with his, a very cat-like move.
His tiger brushed against her wolf. When she met Tanner’s gaze, she saw raw passion in his depths. Then he smiled at her and continued the story for Jon’s sake. “My brothers found us at the stream, and I thought I was in trouble again, which I was but not from running off that time. Mom scolded me for not telling her and dad about Sasha and her parents camping on our territory. Hayden stepped up in my defense saying he knew they were there and didn’t see it as a threat. What I didn’t know was that Hayden had spoken to Sasha’s father not long after they set up camp.”
Jon asked, “Is that normal to just trust lone wolves like that?”
“Not normally,” Sasha answered. “But we were on the edge of border and had no interest in harming the Pack. Hayden is good at seeing other’s intentions. It’s not a magickal gift for him, just instinct.”
“That instinct was what kept him close to Mom.” Tanner growled. “He knew Royce wasn’t well.”
Jon picked up her hand and laced his fingers with hers, flattening their palms together. “What happen after the attack?”
“I meet Luna and Royce.” Sasha crinkled her nose. “Meeting the Alpha is a story for another time. But once Royce looked at me, he instantly didn’t want me around his boys. He was afraid that my Healer’s heart and touch would turn