ROMAN

I couldn't think. My mate wanted me to hand her over to a psychotic serial murderer... fuck. My heart felt like it was about to burst out of my chest as I scowled at my computer screen.

More fucking emails from Nyx. All information about our next meetings and what he's hoping to gain from my involvement. He spoke to me as if I was an old friend, and it bugged the hell out of me. He was poaching my mate's kind. He was a sick and sadistic man, and I wanted no part in it.

Had Scarlett really thought this all through? Did she really think that she could go into the Enclave clan and twist and turn things to manipulate Nyx in order to save her kind? I fucking loved her passion. I really did, but she needed to take her own safety into account. It wasn't worth getting killed over - especially if it wasn't going to free the others.

It was the evening, and even though I'd been working all day, I was throwing my all into it and losing myself to even more work. There was far too much to do, and I didn't want to fall behind.

"Your eyes are going to go square if you don't stop staring at your screen like that."

I jumped at the voice, my mate's soothing tone whistling through the air. She looked beautiful in her sweats, and my insides melted at the sight of her. A chuckle escaped my mouth, and I sighed at the screen before closing my laptop. "What have you been doing all day?"

Scarlett huffed, settling down on the couch beside me, allowing her head to fall onto my shoulder. It felt amazing. "Practising my gift with Erica. I've been thinking..."

My eyebrow arched. "Yes?"

"Well, I know you're worried about me going into the Enclave clan to spy on Nyx."

I shook my head. "There's no need to worry when it's not happening."

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Roman, listen to me. I know you're worried that I won't be able to find anyone who is willing to try and escape, and if I do, they might get caught. I was thinking that maybe if I practise my gift, I can find a way to communicate with you."

"Communicate with me? You can't get into my head, Scarlett. How do you expect to do that?"

"It might sound stupid, but what if there is a way? What if I really try? Like work really hard, and then I'll be able to communicate with you in some way or another." Scarlett's eyes were hopeful, and she cocked her head at me as she waited for an answer.

I couldn't help myself, and I leaned forward and captured her lips with my own. She was sweet like honey, and the sensation went straight to my cock, hardening underneath my workout shorts.

I wanted her. So badly.

"Roman," Scarlett giggled, pulling away and cupping my cheeks. "You're not answering me."

I grinned. "Because you're too beautiful. I can't pay attention." I was upset with her, yes, but I understood that this wasn't her fault. I wasn't going to blame her for wanting to protect her own kind. If I were her, I would probably do the exact same thing. The mate bond was screaming at me, though. It wanted to keep her safe in my arms - where she belonged.

"Is that possible, Scar?"

The nickname took her off guard, and a dazzling smile took over his face, causing my breath to hitch.

"Um, I don't know, but anything is, right? Please, just try it with me. Help me practise. We can talk about me going in and spying on Nyx after we've tried." Her pleading tone was enough to cause my knees to feel like they were buckling, and I knew that if I were standing up, I would have fallen over.

"Why can't I say no to you?" I said, running a hand down my face. Scarlett had a point. The best way to get information from Nyx about the gifted wolves was from the inside, and although I was absolutely terrified that she was going to be put in danger, I knew this was what she wanted. It was what she needed. Who was I to stop her? She truly believed that this was the right thing to do.

"We can practise," I told her. "And we can talk about what we're going to do with Nyx later. But we'll cross that bridge when it comes to it."

It appeared as if Scarlett released a pent-up breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, her chest puffing out as her shoulders sagged. She wrapped her arms around me, scattering my face with kisses, a laugh bubbling up her throat.

I caught her wrists, gently pushing her down on the couch and hovering above her, pressing my lips to hers greedily. She moaned into my mouth, her legs parting on their own accord as I ground against her softly. Our bodies so close together was sending me wild, and my wolf was howling within me.

"Roman, I want you, but I can practically feel your wolf shifting inside you," Scarlett said, nodding towards me, her hands in my hair.

"Because you're driving him crazy, baby." My voice was hoarse. I hadn't let my wolf out in a while, and the idea of being intimate with Scarlett again was causing him to twitch. It was making me feel angsty, and I couldn't completely focus on my beautiful mate below me.

"Let's go on a run," I said, standing up and holding my hand out for Scarlett to take. "Then after, if you still want me, I'll give it to you."

She hummed. "All of you?" Her twinkling eyes captivated me. I was stuck in a trance.

"If you think you can take it," I teased, my lip curling upwards into a smirk. My mate laughed and led me out of the house.

We made our way towards the border of the pack, darting through the trees, our feet hitting the mud harshly. We were still in human form, but my wolf was desperate to be let out. I hadn't realised how much I'd been neglecting him. He deserved freedom just the same as I, and he'd been cooped up for too long.

"Ready?"

Scarlett nodded before shifting into her stunning brown wolf, her ears pointed and her snout stubbier. She made my wolf look huge, and even though he was of an impressive size, compared to her, he really did look like an Alpha - not that I'd want it any other way. I loved to assert my dominance, and it would help warn any other wolves off.

This beautiful woman was with a strong Alpha and he wasn't going to allow her to be messed with.

The sun was setting, casting shadowing through the woods, the golden light streaming through the gaps and causing the droplets of water on the bushes and trees to sparkle. Our wolf eyes were strong, and they picked up on every little detail as we rushed through the forest.

I could hear everything. The beating of my own heart. Of Scarlett's. A bird tweeting miles away. The running water from a nearby stream. It was unfair that our human senses weren't so blessed - even though we were more gifted in that department compared to normal humans.

There was a misconception with wolves that we could communicate through mindlink. As far I was aware, it simply just wasn't true. Was it a lie made up by wolves to deter others from trying to capture us? I wasn't sure. Mindlink was something that was reserved for gifted wolves. Gifted like my talented mate.

Scarlett nipped at my tail, and I turned to her with my teeth bared playfully, chasing after her and pushing her to the ground. My paws dug into her chest, but I made sure it wasn't painful for her. The last thing I'd ever do was hurt her.

She barked at me before flipping me off, although I allowed her to. I sprinted after her, sniffing at her as she sauntered around a small lake, leaning forward to lick at the water, taking a quick drink.

She ignored me, teasing me and she knew it was frustrating me, causing me to nip at her again. She turned, the heat radiating off her, hitting me square in the face, and I salivated. She smelled incredible.

A barking laugh made its way up my throat, although in wolf form, it sounded rather strange. My wolf was thankful to have been let out and given the chance to play with his mate, so I shifted, standing stark naked in front of Scarlett.

Her eyes bulged, and she quickly shifted, gulping as her form stood before me confidently. I could tell she was slightly hesitant, but she tried her best not to show it.

"Roman," she muttered, and I captured her lips with mine, kissing her passionately, her back up against a tree. My erection scraped against her stomach, and her small hand reached forward to graze it, causing a shiver to wrack my body.

"Fuck, baby," I moaned, pressing my forehead to hers, watching as she stroked me again, her lips parted, small breaths escaping her mouth.

"I need you," she told me, her tone pleading. "Roman, I want you."

I nodded in understanding. I knew exactly how she was feeling. "Let's head back. Because the first time I make love to you isn't going to be in the forest, it's going to be in our bed where I can really worship every square inch of you."