was ironic to be arguing about her safety with two men who killed people.
“We need to see if she’s still your sister when she wakes up. For tonight, you need to be safe so we can all rest,” William said.
He held his hand out to her and waited.
With a heavy sigh of surrender, she stroked Amber’s damp forehead one last time and left the room to meet up with him. She gave his outstretched hand a distrustful look and waved her own arm toward the hall, instead.
“Lead on,” she said with clear irritation.
Chapter 7
William led her to the spare room, trying to keep his mind clear of the images it seemed determined to show him.
Emily followed him around the room, politely nodding when he indicated the bathroom in the corner. He was not picturing her within the shower, naked and soapy.
He was not.
A sudden dry lump formed in his throat and he swallowed hard. With more speed than courtesy, he indicated fresh shirts in the drawer and left the room as quickly as possible. Being alone in a bedroom while not touching her was like torture, and he didn’t want to push his shaky control too far.
He closed the door behind him and found Paoli waiting in the hall, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
“We need to talk,” Paoli said solemnly.
A glance toward Amber’s room showed a wind chime on the knob of the closed door. It was low‐tech, but they’d hear the sound in a dead sleep.
Satisfied, William followed Paoli silently down the stairs and into the kitchen.
William settled into his favorite chair at the table and waited for Paoli to join him.
Paoli was never this quiet, so William braced himself for the worst. He watched Paoli heat two glasses of red liquid and visibly gather himself for a conversation he clearly didn’t know how to begin.
William took the glass Paoli handed him with a nod of thanks and gave an impatient sigh.
“Will you quit stalling and just come out with it?” William demanded shortly.
“I think we have a problem,” Paoli said finally.
He walked back to the sink and leaned against the cabinet, facing William.
William just stared at him for a moment, then offered a questioning half smile.
“Do you mean other than the condemned woman now resting upstairs?” he asked.
“Yes,” Paoli said slowly. “The problem is Emily. Well,” he hesitated, his face looking torn by indecision. “Not a problem, exactly. From what I’ve read, it’s actually a good thing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I’m more concerned about the condemned woman we’re harboring instead of executing,” William cut in with a trace of sarcasm.
He tipped his glass and drained half the contents in a single swallow.
Paoli watched him in silence, his expressive face still uncertain.
“Quit stalling, old man,” William prodded.
When silence continued, he decided to put Paoli’s mind at ease.
“If you’re worried about the Coven, rest assured. I’ll carry through with their orders like I always have if they decide the execution stands. I’d never let them have you. Surely you know that,” he said.
Paoli gave him a pained smile.
“I do know that, and I appreciate it. But my concern isn’t for me,” he said.
Paoli took a deep breath and seemed to reach a decision at last.
“As you know, I’ve been reading on werewolves tonight. I think I’ve come across something that might explain what’s happening between you and Emily,” he said.
Paoli turned and retrieved a heavy tome from the counter behind him, then walked over and sat it in front of William.
It was a beautiful book with a handwoven navy‐blue front cover. It was decorated with ancient magic symbols, long forgotten by all but a select few. Paoli opened the book with one hand and pointed out the section.
“Here,” he said.
William leaned forward and read the yellowed pages of a book that looked old enough to have been scripted in the dark ages. Smelled it, too.
He stared at the page for several minutes and felt the cold hand of dread grip him.
“This can’t be right,” he said.
Paoli nodded slightly. “I knew what was happening as soon as I read it. She’s your mate, William.”
“No,” William said flatly. Stubbornly.
Paoli hesitated.
“I don’t think you really get a choice,” he said. “According to this, your wolf will recognize her immediately and move in to claim her. I think that’s what happened in the cornfield tonight. Her scent got your wolf’s attention.”
William just scowled at him.
Paoli huffed in response.
“How do you feel around her? Because here,” he pointed out a section, “it says the wolf’s mating drive will be triggered.”
Well, that was certainly one way to put it, William thought irritably.
Paoli must have seen something on his face—which was unusual, since William had perfected the art of neutrality.
Paoli pushed on doggedly.
“See, according to this, it’s going to get worse, not better,” he said.
“That’s only if she’s my mate,” William responded finally. “But it says here,” it was his turn to tap a section, “that both people involved will be werewolves in a mate situation. She’s human. She can’t be my mate.”
He shrugged, as if that settled the matter. He was simply too long without having a woman and he was . . . amorous.
Paoli gave him an exasperated look.
“You’re only half werewolf, so I’m going to guess your situation won’t necessarily follow the script,” he said with a hint of impatience.
William glowered at him.
“Well it’s true,” Paoli insisted in response to William’s dark countenance.
“Look,” Paoli sighed a moment later. “It says something in her will respond to your wolf if she’s your mate. So, test my theory. Take her in your arms. If she screams bloody murder, I’m
