Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Why not Sienna, the dutiful werewolf he could have a future and family with? Even barring the fact that Thea was possibly immortal and would stay the same as he aged and died, there was also the fact they couldn’t have children, and Conall was bound by duty to produce an heir to Clan MacLennan.
But more than any of that was the reality that Thea Quinn had a massive target on her back and keeping her indefinitely among the pack was putting his people at risk.
Sienna Canid was the right choice for his pack.
Conall ignored the pain in his chest that might as well have been a fucking silver bullet.
The Canids were still in Torridon, waiting for Conall to return so they could sign the betrothal agreement. Conall scowled at his reflection in the mirror. There was no way he could take Thea back to Torridon without telling her about Sienna.
How would he feel if Thea introduced him to the man she would spend the rest of her immortal life with?
The cold water tap head snapped off in Conall’s hand. “Fuck.”
Well, that answered that.
However, that didn’t mean Thea would feel so strongly. It was possible her feelings were not his, and the better half of Conall hoped for it.
After he washed and dressed, a knot tightened in his gut as he strode out of the cabin to find her. He followed that tug on his mind and found her near the back of the ferry. She leaned against the railing, watching the boat push through the morning water toward Oslo. The low, mountainous coastline of the city grew steadily closer. Although it didn’t bother him, Conall could feel how cold it was, and Thea wore only a shirt and jeans.
Her dark hair blew in the breeze and he greedily drank in the sight of her as his muscles tightened with the memory of her wrapped in his arms. Unable to resist the urge, he slid in behind her, pressing the length of his body to hers as he covered her hands on the railing and nuzzled her neck. That floral, sweet, exotic scent of hers flooded him and heaviness filled his groin.
It wasn’t even about sex. Well, it was. But it was also just about wanting to be as close to her as he could get.
Thea rested against him, relaxing deeply into his body in a way that satisfied him beyond measure. “Morning.”
“Good morning.” He kissed her neck and rested his cheek against her temple.
“We’re nearly there.”
Aye. Soon they’d be at Vik’s place. Then once he, hopefully, gave them the answers they needed, they would be on their way back to Scotland so Thea could face Ashforth. But first they’d stop in Torridon.
Where the Canids were waiting.
“Thea,” he said, clearing his throat, “I need to tell you something.”
He felt her grow rigid before she slipped her hands out from under his and turned in his embrace. Conall didn’t move. He wanted to keep her there so she couldn’t run from him when he told her about Sienna. He needed her to understand and to do that she had to stay put and listen.
She trailed her fingers down his chest, her brows pinched together. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, really.” Then why was his heart pounding like fuck? “Just … you should know that before Ashforth approached me about you, I was just about to sign a betrothal agreement.”
She stopped touching him. “What?”
“It’s purely pack politics.” He wanted to assure her. “The Canids are a large North American warrior pack. Peter Canid, the alpha, and I agreed an alliance between us would benefit both packs. We have money and Canid has wolves. Strong wolves. It was to secure the pack’s safety. As our wealth grows, we become more susceptible to blackmail, fraud, challenges. Other packs, lone wolves, would be less likely to pick a fight with our pack knowing we had one of the largest North American packs as our ally.”
Thea said nothing. She just stared up at him with those gorgeous eyes, wariness he thought he’d never see in them again when she looked at him creeping its way back in.
Fuck, he hated that.
“Thea”—he bent his head toward her, his tone almost pleading—“Peter’s daughter, Sienna, has agreed to be my wife but we dinnae know each other. We’d barely just met, let alone anything else, when Ashforth arrived. But she and her father and brother are still in Torridon, awaiting my return so we can sign the betrothal agreement and move forward with the …” Conall’s voice trailed off as he watched gold bleed into the cognac of Thea’s eyes. The surrounding air stirred, growing static-like. “Thea?”
She shoved him with enough force to knock him back on his feet.
Panic made his breathing difficult.
“You son of a bitch,” she whispered and even her voice sounded different.