Wolf's Call (Wolves Next Door #2) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,80

even better, but I wouldn't want her to get cold.

"Lane!" Ian hissed, and it sounded like it wasn't the first time.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "What?"

"Just..." He grabbed the front of my pants and buttoned them himself. "Hold it together for a little longer, ok? You've got that look in your eyes, and your mind's not with us. Now get in the truck."

"But Elena..."

"Truck," Ian ordered, leaving no room for me to refuse. "I'll get your mate, we'll take you home, and you'll take her to her home. You will not hurt her, and you will not bite her." He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him instead of my mind drifting again. "Are you listening, Beta?"

"Yes, Alpha," I assured him. "I'm sorry. I just can't focus all of a sudden."

"Use a condom," Ian said. "Or lots of them. Seth put a pack in her nightstand. Now get your ass in the back seat. Sit there until I tell you to get out."

Orders. Those helped, but it didn't stop this feeling growing under my skin. It wasn't an itch or a tingle, but more like my form hadn't quite settled. My skin wanted to reach for her on its own. My mind was filled with the scent of her from just that one breath. I hadn't been this bad since I first met her, but it seemed that the fate bond was flaring up again. Most likely because I'd finally allowed myself to think of claiming her, even if only for a second.

Mine. The word began to roll around in the back of my mind on repeat. This woman was mine. No, ours. I had to remember that she wasn't just mine, although she was mine first. She was made to be mine. I wanted to mark her so every other male would know to stay away, but I couldn't. No exposure. No risking her. No scaring her or hurting her. I had to stop thinking like a wolf and start thinking like a man again.

Which meant I needed a shower. I was probably covered in leaves, dirt, and who knew what else from the woods. I had to impress her, and she only knew men, not wolves. I hadn't even managed to put on most of my clothes, so I'd focus on that for a minute. Getting into a shirt in the backseat of an SUV, thankfully, was enough to distract me.

Soon enough, Seth slid into the spot beside me. Trent had brought his truck, so Pax would probably ride back with him. Then I heard Ian telling Elena to sit in the front. When the passenger door opened, I caught the scent of her again, and my eyes closed as I inhaled. Seth smacked my arm with the backs of his knuckles.

"Asshole," I grumbled.

Ian heard as he got in. "So, Gabby's spending the night with Olivia, and Ashley's closed the office tomorrow."

Elena fastened her seatbelt, using it as an excuse to look at Seth and me. "Means I'm home alone tonight, it sounds like. Unless..."

"I think I need some sleep," Ian said. "Not used to running this long and I can't get out of work tomorrow."

"Me too," Seth said, tilting his head at me.

"Oh." Elena said, her eyes jumping between the three of us. "So, you going to keep me company, Lane?"

Seth answered before I could. "Yes! He's doing the fated thing again!"

"I'm fine," I grumbled.

Ian just started the truck, adjusted the fans so it wasn't blowing massive amounts of cold air on Elena, then put it in gear. "Between the running, the wolf-form senses, and his mate waiting for him, I think his bond is demanding a little attention." Slowly, he eased forward, mingling with the other cars heading home. "Skin to skin, Elena. Even holding his hand will help."

"Is it that bad?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I assured her, hating the sound of worry.

But Ian was nodding. "He can't think of anything but you. He'll get snappish if he's not allowed to be close to you. The problem is that the more contact he gets, the more he'll crave." He looked over at her. "So I think you and he need to figure this out, and that means the rest of us are staying out of your way. Set your own limits, Elena."

She nodded, then twisted enough to look at me. "I don't think I have any with Lane."

"Condoms," Seth said. "That's still a limit, and you may need to remind him, because stories say that fated