Authors: Lora Leigh
“We’ve watched the phenomenon advance,” Jonas explained as he sat on the edge of the desk, his mocking gaze touching on both of them. “Some of the females it affects with greater strength than others. From the smell of the heat pouring from her, I’d say your woman is one of the strongest.”
Now there was one pissed-off Lion Breed. Her eyes followed Braden for long minutes, taking in the emotionless expression, the flat chill in his eyes and the strength of the barriers he had slammed between her and his own emotions.
And perhaps that was for the best. The rejection had sliced through her with a pain in her chest that she hadn’t expected. Forcing the hurt back was next to impossible as she listened to Jonas explain the Mating Heat and its implications.
“Mating Heat means forever, boys and girls,” he announced sarcastically.
Megan crossed her arms over her breasts and stared back at Jonas defiantly.
“I can tell you’re just thrilled over it too,” she mocked him coldly, ignoring the odd little glint of amusement that flickered in those icy gray eyes. “What happened Mr. Wyatt, did you suspect this before you came out here and set up this little meeting?” She waved her hand to encompass the three of them. “You knew Lance didn’t print out that damned schedule, just as you knew that Braden would discover the fact that I’m an Empath. You came here to be certain that the Mating you suspected had actually happened.”
His brow arched. A slow upward tilt that conveyed a sarcastic response more clearly than words.
“I suspected,” he admitted with a slow incline of his head as he glanced at Braden and grimaced. “I was hoping that this time my suspicions would be wrong.” His gaze when it returned to her was condemning.
“I’m certain his hopes agree with yours,” she snapped as she flipped her hand toward Braden’s silent form, covering her hurt with anger. “So find a cure.” She ignored the rumbled growl that came from Braden.
Jonas chuckled. There was no mirth to the sound, only mocking knowledge.
“The Breeds have been searching for a cure for more than five years,” he said. “There’s a ban on this information, Miss Fields. Breaking that ban could and would endanger more lives than just yours or Braden’s. It also comes with a rather stiff penalty.”
“Oh yeah, I’m just going to run right out and call a press conference,” she bit out. “Can the orders, Mr. Wyatt, I’m not in the mood for them.”
His eyes narrowed. “For a woman whose abilities cause her to be too frightened to join the real world, you can be rather confrontational, Miss Fields.” There was nothing kind about the tight smile that shaped his thin lips.
“Enough, Jonas.” Braden’s voice was a hard rumble as he shifted from his position against the far wall and stood straight, tense.
He didn’t want her, so why protest if another man dared to speak sharply to her? Why protest anything about her period?
“Did I ask for your help?” she snapped before Jonas could speak. She ignored the frown that lowered his brows and had his gold eyes glittering in warning.
“You don’t have to ask,” Braden growled, as though he had rights. As though she were some sort of responsibility now.
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” She wrinkled her nose sarcastically. “You’re my big bad mate now.” She gave an exaggerated shiver. “I should be all grateful or something, shouldn’t I?”
“Or something,” he muttered, eyeing her warily.
“Yeah, especially considering just how enthusiastic you were once Mr. Wyatt here let us in on the secret of that great kiss you’re packing. Gee, maybe we should bottle that stuff, Braden. It would sell better than the plastic Breed teeth.”
She was aware of Jonas watching the confrontation with interest. If she hadn’t disliked him on sight, she would have certainly disliked him now. That, added to the anger rising inside her, wasn’t helping her attitude in the least.
“Your mate has a smart mouth, Braden,” Jonas commented softly. “You should work on correcting that.”
“Yeah, why don’t I just do that for you.” Braden grunted as he watched her carefully.
“Excuse me boys, I’m still in the room here.” She waved her hand at them as she spoke. “The little woman doesn’t need to be spoken over. This Mating Heat or whatever the hell you want to call it hasn’t fried my brain in the least.”
Braden and Jonas both directed fierce frowns toward her. It could have been cute, if she weren’t so pissed off.
“You know, I think I pretty much have the basic information now.” She smiled tightly. “He wants me because his hormones are all jacked up, that’s all. Hey, no biggie. Nature sucks, right?” She smiled brightly, holding the pain back. “Well, tell you what, Mr. Director of Breed Affairs. Just load your little golden boy right back up in one of those fancy little helicopters I hear you boys fly around in and transport him right back to your nice, secure little compound and see if you can’t cure him of it. I’ll do just fine on my own. Just like I always have.”
She was furious. She wasn’t a damned hormone magnet, and she couldn’t care less whether Braden liked the effects of some chemical reaction that was all his fault anyway. She hadn’t asked him to mess with her life, and she would be damned if she would ask him to continue to be a part of it.
“Just like you always have?” Braden snapped back then, his own voice heating. “Hiding. Aren’t you tired of hiding, Megan?”
“Actually, I think I am.” She inhaled roughly, facing the two men as she tilted her chin and glared back at them.
“But there’s one thing you did teach me, Braden. That little shield of yours is right handy. Given enough time, I’m sure I can copy it. I’m nothing if not adaptable when I have to be. And I can adapt without you.”
He stared back at her as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes slowly narrowing as a hint of predatory calculation entered them.
“Don’t dare me, sweetheart,” he warned her, his voice soft.
“Dare you?” She shook her head as she retained the tight, sarcastic smile she had adopted. “I’m not daring you,
sweetheart.
I’m telling you. I didn’t need you before you began this funky hormone stuff, and I sure don’t need you now.”
“May I point out that the Mating Heat is harder on females than males.” Jonas spoke up at that point, his voice curiously bland. “You may want to rethink that.”
“Did I ask for your opinion?” She turned and stomped toward the door. “If the two of you will excuse me now, I’ll go see if I can repair some of the damage your inept humor has caused in this office.” She gripped the doorknob, turning back to scowl at Jonas. “One of these days, someone is going to play this game better than you do, Mr. Wyatt. And when it happens, I want a ringside seat.”
His lips tightened further as he glanced at Braden. “Your mate has a mean mouth.” He growled. “It could get her into trouble.”
“I believe it already has,” she retorted in turn before jerking the door open and stalking into the hall. The hard reverberation of the slam of the door was an all-too-brief, satisfying sound as wood cracked against wood. And a muttered Breed curse was heard from the other side. Let them curse. As far as she was concerned, she’d had enough.
Braden stared at the door, his head tilted, eyes narrowed. She was pissed and hurt, and he couldn’t blame her a bit. His thoughts and emotions had been too chaotic to allow her past his shields after that first instant rejection. He couldn’t risk it; not yet.
“The hormonal surges inside her will only make her worse.” Jonas sighed, his tone more relaxed now.
Braden snorted. “Thanks for the warning. Just what I wanted, my woman ready to skin me alive. Thanks, Jonas.”
“I’m really hoping this Mating shit doesn’t become a habit,” Jonas said. “This makes two damned good Enforcers I’ve lost to it. Tarek Jordan didn’t resign due to injuries as his file states. The son of a bitch mated his neighbor. Can you believe that? Send a man on a mission and the next thing you know, he’s Mating the little sexpot next door. Now this.” He shook his head with an edge of irritation.
“Worry more about why I shouldn’t kick your ass for pissing her off,” Braden growled, pushing his fingers through his hair as he breathed out roughly. “Damn, you could have at least tried a little tact here.”
Braden could only shake his head at that point. The Director of Breed Affairs was known for his manipulations and carefully calculated games. He wasn’t known for his mercy or his compassion.
“Fine. You made sure my life was a little harder for the next few days. Surely that wasn’t the only reason you came out here today?” He shrugged his shoulders restlessly, trying to forget the implication that sex could be coming. He was dying to touch Megan, to claim her, to mark her. Mating Heat be damned. She was his woman; he had just hoped to ease her into that fact.
“Not hardly.” Jonas moved to the desk, sitting on the edge of it casually as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“The printout definitely came from here; our little Coyote buddy assured us of that. He’s alive, by the way.”
Braden arched his brow. He hadn’t expected that.
“It’s not easy but that boy talks when it matters. I’ll let him live until he’s not talking anymore.”
“Do you know who printed the schedule?” Braden was determined that the bastard who had betrayed Megan would pay.
“I have it narrowed down. Unfortunately, Sheriff Jacobs was on the short list. The other two were Lenny Blanchard and Deputy Jose Jensen. I’m having a tail put on them; we’ll have answers soon.”
“Blanchard doesn’t seem the sort.” Braden shook his head slowly, thinking of the friendly desk sergeant.
“Those are usually the ones that make me the most nervous,” Jonas growled. “Watch your ass. I can’t spare a team out here yet, Braden, or I’d have one covering you, you know that. But I’m working on something, so hopefully, I’ll have a team soon. In the meantime, I’ll get an investigation started on the two deputies and see what I can find out.”
Braden nodded at that.
“And now for the biggie.” Jonas smiled with too much enjoyment. “You and the missus have tests to undergo. Think we can talk her into cooperating?”
Braden dropped his head. Cooperation? Megan? Now?
“One of these days, one of your Enforcers will end up killing you, Jonas.” He snarled as he lifted his head and dropped his arms. “And I’ll be damned if I’m not there to see it.”
Jonas chuckled at the sentiment. “Hold that thought, buddy.” He smiled with all appearances of looking forward to it. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good fight; I think I’d enjoy the challenge.”
And there lay the problem. Jonas was rarely challenged.
He played where he could, never in a manner that endangered his Enforcers, but in ways that made them willing to kill him. At the moment, Braden understood the sentiment and he was certain Megan did as well.
She was hurting. He had felt it when she stormed out of the office, and as much as that worried him, it also sent a surge of satisfaction thrumming through his senses. The key to Megan was in touching her emotions, her heart.
She was fiercely independent, determined to make a difference, even if it was only in her own little corner of the world. She was a fighter, one of the finest alpha females he had ever laid his eyes on. With a bit more training, and the right shields, she would make a hell of an Enforcer. He turned his gaze to Jonas, wondering how his commander would take having a non-Breed on the payroll.
Jonas scowled back at him. “What?”
“She would make a hell of an Enforcer.” He kept his voice low; God help him if Megan heard him plotting her life out. “You don’t have to lose an Enforcer, Jonas, you can gain one instead.”
Jonas’s eyes narrowed. “She’s not a Breed.”
“She’s an Empath. And her gun collection is better than mine.” He snorted at the description. Unfortunately, he knew there was a risk. Her weapons collection rocked. “But even more than that, even if she weren’t my mate, she’s still my woman. I won’t leave her behind.” And he couldn’t give up the fight. Bringing down the remnants of the Council and the Pure-Blood societies was too important.
“You’re not fighting the Mating.” Jonas settled himself more comfortably on the desk’s edge as Braden watched him carefully. “She didn’t seem pleased.”
Braden sighed wearily. “I don’t like having decisions taken away from me, Jonas, even by nature. I knew she was mine, but I hadn’t decided how to convince her yet. This complicated things. She felt the rejection of the idea of the Mating and now she’s pissed. But she’ll get over it.” She wouldn’t have a choice.
Braden stood still as Jonas continued to stare back at him. He had that habit, as though he could see into a man’s soul and gauge his worth. For most it was disconcerting; for those who worked with him and fought beside him on a daily basis it was a comfort.
“Okay.” He nodded sharply. “Build her defenses and her shields. And training her is your responsibility. I’ll leave it to you.”
Now, he just had to convince Megan.
As a silence descended between them, the door snapped open and Lance Jacobs stalked back into his office.
“Get the hell out of here,” Lance snapped when he spied Jonas sitting on his desk. He then turned to Braden. “Megan is in her office, but if you’re not careful you’ll be hoofing it back to the house tonight.” There was no compassion in his voice whatsoever.
“I know where your mate gets her streak of mean from now,” Jonas grunted to Braden as he slowly straightened from the desk. “It’s hereditary.”
“You just keep believing that,” Lance muttered as he moved behind his desk and took his seat. Slouching back in the chair, he watched both men with calculated interest. “She’s going to fight you every breath,” he informed them after several moments passed. “And you can put a ban on whatever the hell you want to, Jonas, that’s my damned cousin your messing with. She’s close enough to be a sister. Don’t think because she lives in that desert alone that her family won’t back her. Every damned one of us.”
“Right down to the Special Forces uncles?” Jonas arched his brow as Braden smothered a sigh.
“Especially those.” Lance’s smile was tight, merciless. “Remember that. And while you’re at it, get your asses out of my department; I’m damned sick of dealing with Breeds.”