promised, guiding me in the same direction as my daughter's ranting. "And making sure it won't want to come back. He won't kill it. I promise."
That was enough to make me stop resisting. The sounds Gabby was making encouraged me to walk faster. Leaving Trent to close the door, I hurried after her, reaching her room in time to see Pax push her inside and use his body to block the doorway.
"Stop," he demanded. "The wolf will be fine. There's no need for the hysterics, but those things have diseases, and you?" His voice sounded almost menacing. "What were you thinking? What if it had bit you?"
"He wouldn't hurt me," Gabby told him. "You didn't see him. You don't know what you're talking about."
"And I've lived in Wolf's Run since it was built. Trust me, I know a thing or two about wolves."
"Pax?" I interrupted, ducking under his arm.
Gabby saw me. "Mom! Tell them not to kill him!"
Pax sighed. "Red won't kill it. He hasn't killed any yet, he just keeps them out of places they shouldn't be."
But my daughter was actually crying, a few fat tears leaking from her eyes. "Hey," I told her, moving to give her a hug. "Listen. It's quiet now, which means they got it out of the yard."
"He didn't hurt anything!" Gabby told me.
I nodded at her. "I know. But they aren't supposed to walk up to you like that. When they do, it means they could be rabid, ok? And I remember how much you hate shots, so let's not risk it." I leaned back to look at her. "What were you doing outside, anyway?"
"I heard him howling," she admitted.
"That was probably the rest of the pack trying to help him find his way back. I'm pretty sure it got lost, found some way to sneak into the yard and couldn't find its way back out. It'll be ok now." And I pointed at the bed. "Crawl in there and close your eyes, sweetie."
"You'll hear a howl when he's safe," Pax promised. "They always do that. He just got rolled around a bit, but Red doesn't actually bite them. He just scares the crap out of them."
"Ok." She sniffed again, but I was already making my way out.
"Try to go to sleep, sweetie," I told her. "All the fun's over."
Pax closed her door behind us, leaving me standing at the top of the stairs between him and Trent. "You ok?" Trent asked.
I nodded, suddenly aware that I only had on a nightgown - and almost nothing under that. "I'm sorry, guys. I was just about to pass out when I heard Gabby go outside, and I figured she was planning to meet her boyfriend again. We have got to stop doing this."
Trent's eyes slid down my body. "I think I disagree."
Pax chuckled. "I'd say I'm with him, but I also have to go make sure Ian and Seth got that pup herded back the way he's supposed to go." He slapped Trent on the shoulder. "Make sure she's ok before you come home."
I almost reassured him I was fine, and then I realized what he meant. That was Pax's way of saying they wouldn't wait up. My heart began to beat a little faster, unsure what I should say now. Thankfully, Trent took over.
"C'mon, Gabby's fine." And he lifted his hand, offering to escort me back down the stairs.
When I accepted, he slipped his fingers between mine as casually as any boyfriend I'd ever had. Side by side, we made our way down, heading right for my bedroom. He didn't stop until we were inside it, with the door closed behind us.
"I'm not staying the night," he said softly. "I'm not doing anything but making sure that both of my girls get tucked in bed safe and sound, but that nightgown?" He pulled me closer, letting his arms follow the curve from my ribs to my hips as he caressed the short satin dress. "Tell me to leave, Elena."
I couldn't. I also didn't want to. His hands on my body felt too much like a promise. Instead, I whispered, "Lock the door."
He let me go long enough to do that. When he turned back, he was pulling off his shirt. "You know, it's very convenient that your bedroom is right by the back door."
"Yeah?" I asked, stepping back toward the bed.
He followed. "Makes sneaking out easier." Then he caught me around the waist, guiding me back the last few steps. "But this can't