Rory nudged her fork closer and motioned for her to continue eating. He waited until she’d eaten another mouthful to respond. “Wouldn’t you like to form your own opinions of them?”
Shay held up a finger until she’d swallowed. “I will, but forewarned is forearmed.”
“Makes sense. Something I’d do myself.” He rose, went to the refrigerator, and pulled out a gallon of milk.
“If that’s for me, I’m not drinking milk with tomato sauce.”
Rory ducked inside and came out with a bottle of apple juice instead.
“Don’t you have any punch, lemonade, soda? Anything with sugar?” she demanded.
“This is better for you.” He poured her a glass of the juice, grabbed a bottled water for himself, and returned to the table. “Where do you want to start?”
She motioned with the fork. “Who takes over if you’re”—she searched for and discarded several words before settling on—“incapacitated?”
He arched a brow. “It’s not that simple. There’d be fights to see who’d take control of the pack if I’m no longer able to lead.”
Shay thought for a moment. “Your second—what’s his name?—he wouldn’t automatically step into the gap?”
“Caleb Jones,” he supplied.
“The dude with the dreads?”
He nodded. “In the short term, as second he could act on my behalf.”
“And who’s his backup?”
Rory frowned. “MacDougal, my third.”
He didn’t seem to like this MacDougal guy too much. The tone he used when he said Caleb’s and MacDougal’s names was totally different. “Ranks are based on strength, right?”
“Yes.”
“So who’s after this Mac guy?’”
“If we’re speaking pecking order based solely on strength, next would be Wesley. He’s one of the council. A strong beta, but brash and impulsive. His wolf is powerful but unseasoned in combat.”
“Is he one of the shifters you fought when you assumed leadership?”
Something flashed on his face. “No.”
Hmm, something there. Something Rory didn’t want to talk about. “You said there were five contenders,” she probed. “If Wesley wasn’t one of them, then who?”
Rory looked over her shoulder. “MacDougal.” The response was clipped.
When he fell silent, Shay pushed a little harder, aware she was treading on dangerous ground. “Caleb too?”
He shook his head. “No. He’s never wanted to be alpha.”
It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it. Should she let it go? Shay wanted to. She could literally feel his agitation, his internal distress. But what if one of these guys hadn’t let go of the desire to be alpha? What if they were going about it in a subtler, more treacherous way? She couldn’t take that chance.
“And the others?”
“Dead,” he stated flatly.
Shay felt her eyes bulge, and her mouth dropped open. “You killed…?”
Rory lifted his head, and she trailed off. His eyes were pure gold. But what got her was the pain in them. “Aye. I killed five men that night. Four of whom their only crime was wanting to improve their status within the pack. My first official act as alpha was to ban dominance fights to the death.”
“Shannon said your father forced you to kill him,” she stated slowly.
“He set the terms of the battle, yes. To the death. No surrender.”
Shay placed her hand on top of his fisted one where it rested on the table. “I’m sure, if there’d been any other way, you would have taken it.”
Rory gazed at his hands, flexed them a few times before holding them up. “There’s blood on these.”
“Did they give you a choice?” she asked quietly. “Any of them?”
He swallowed hard, then placed his hands under the table, out of view. “No.” When he looked at her again, his eyes were bleak. “My mother called me a murderer. Screamed it at me.”
Shay felt such rage it was a good thing the woman was already dead. Shay would have killed her otherwise. “She was wrong,” she bit out. She wanted to curse, but more importantly, Shay wanted to soothe her hurting mate.
“I could have walked away.”
“Could you, really? And leave the pack you grew up expecting to lead to someone else? And Shannon—don’t alphas typically mate the strongest female? Could you have left your sister unprotected?” Shay knew the answer. Rory knew, but he hadn’t accepted it yet.
“No.” It came out strangled.
“Then you had no choice. Are you going to eat that?”
Rory frowned at his half-full plate. “I’m no longer hungry.”
Shay rose and gathered both their plates. “Where’s the foil?”
He grabbed her wrist and held it so that her plate lowered to the table. “You need to eat to keep up your strength.”
“I’ve had enough. I ate more than you.” She tugged free and placed the leftovers on the countertop, then hunted in the pantry until she found what she was looking for. After putting the food away, she took a dish towel, moistened it, and wiped down the stove and table.
“You don’t have to clean after me.” Rory rose to help.
“And you don’t have to slave for me. I’ll do my share.” She took one last glance at the room to make sure everything was in place. As she tossed the dish towel into the sink, she told him, “Let’s go take a shower and snuggle. It’s been a long day.”
Chapter Nine
Shay’s dreams were filled with dark and disturbing, yet strangely erotic images. She woke with a gasp on her lips and a fire between her legs. In the way of dreams, all faded but one startlingly vivid picture of Shay on her hands and knees while a half-shifted, furry Rory claimed her from behind as the faceless members of their pack watched angrily. Shay found herself rubbing enticingly against Rory’s morning erection, strategically positioned between the crease of her buttocks.
“Does my hellcat want her kitty stroked?” Rory asked in a low, rumbling murmur. The heat of his breath on her earlobe sent a shiver racing through her.
“Your mate wants your cock in her pussy,” she half pleaded, half demanded, arching her hips to get that hard, thick part of him where it would do the most good.
Rory trailed his hand down her stomach to lazily stroke her clit. “And does my mate want it hard and fast, or long and deep?”
“Decisions, decisions, decisions,” she gasped out. “Why can’t I have both?” Shay rocked forward and backward, unable to determine which she wanted more, the finger shooting sparks through her or the head of Rory’s penis teasing her opening.
“Greedy this morning, aren’t you?” he asked with a husky chuckle.
“Very.” She reached an arm behind her and caught a handful of his hair, adding a small tug for emphasis as she ordered, “Now give me what I need!”
“Your wish is my command.”
“Can I get that in writing?”
“After I’m dead and gone,” he promised as he lifted her leg and curved closer, sinking his shaft deep. They both moaned at the contact.
“Deep enough?”
“Let me see.” Shay swallowed. “I don’t taste you at the back of my throat, so no.”
“Darling, if you want a taste of my cock, I’m in the wrong end.” He nibbled on her neck and pinched a nipple, but otherwise didn’t move.
Shay canted her hips and pushed back. “Don’t toy with me, wolf boy. Give it to me.”
“Like this?” Rory braced a hand on the mattress, lifted his hips, and thrust deep.
Matching his movements, Shay nearly hummed in pleasure. Instead she taunted, “If this is the best you can do, I guess it will have to suffice.”
“Feeling sassy, huh? Brace yourself.” He shifted them until Shay was on her belly, shoulders pressed to the mattress, ass in the air. Shay felt his fingers part her sex where they’d been joined, widening her opening for his possession.