Objecting to a dominant male marking you when he thought you belonged to him was asking for trouble. But she liked trouble.

“Mine, Jaime. No one else will ever f**k this pu**y again. It belongs to me— you belong to me. Admit it.” When she didn’t, he tugged harder on her hair. “Admit it or I’ll stop right now and come all over you.”

“Do you have to be such a goddamn jerk?!”

“Admit it!”

“I’m yours,” she gritted out.

“That’s my good girl.” Then he bit down hard on her neck, and her pu**y constricted around him as she came, screaming and shuddering. With a loud, guttural groan, he exploded inside her, filling her with everything he had—marking her with his come just as he had with his claws and teeth.

And he knew right then that he was seriously close to loving this female, if he didn’t already.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Dante dedicated the following few weeks to ensuring that Jaime didn’t ever again think that she came second to his job. He did just as he’d promised her that he would: he delegated more to the enforcers (who were happy about it and sincerely loved Jaime for making him “see the light”), he scheduled uninterrupted quality time for them to spend together alone, and he always headed back to her at the same time each night.

That nagging feeling to keep busy taunted him from time to time, but all he had to do was remind himself how it had felt when Jaime tried to end things between them. Just like that, the nagging became background noise. He refused to go through it again, refused to lose her for real.

It probably would have been much harder to adapt if Jaime hadn’t kept her promise to help in the afternoons. At first it had been hard to let her help, because he wasn’t comfortable having another cook in the kitchen—particularly a messy one—but the difference her help had made was actually shocking. She had taken over having the private meetings with members of the pack who had grievances, and they had actually come to prefer speaking with her. He guessed it was most likely because of how she gave a person her full attention; it probably reassured them that their issue would be addressed.

In addition, she often answered and made important calls. Her husky sex-hotline voice made her a popular medium of communication, and he knew she was often asked if she was mated. That pissed him off, but she only laughed at his jealous grumblings.

One thing he didn’t allow her to help him with was the paperwork. He had a nicely organized system going, and he did not want her fiddling with it. Fortunately, she wasn’t a fan of paperwork, so she merely shrugged at his refusals to accept her assistance—just as she had done only five minutes ago. She knew she was messy, and she was unapologetic about it. It was surprisingly endearing even while it made him crazy.

Because of her new duties in the pack, her increasingly improving control of her wolf, and her perseverance with the training he was giving her, the pack had settled around her. There were some who still had some reserves—namely Greta, Cam, and Trey. But it was only ever Greta who voiced them, and that was no longer out of any real concern. Greta did that purely to torment Jaime for fun.

He could sense that Greta actually admired Jaime for the strength she had shown. But obviously the old woman would never admit it aloud.

Dante wasn’t really in much of a position to criticize people who wouldn’t admit things aloud.

Not considering the thoughts he’d been having and keeping to himself lately. Six nights ago, he had lain there looking at Jaime’s sleeping face, thinking about just how different his life had become since she came along. Being his support boat, his assistant, and his confidant, she was much like a Beta female, he’d mused. A second later he’d dismissed that thought, because no, it was more than that.

She was like an enforcer, a Beta female, and a mate all rolled into one. And that was when he had first started contemplating the idea of imprinting.

His aversion to mating up until now had been that he didn’t want to have to give up his position within the pack. But he knew that Jaime would never ask him to do that. Even when he was neglecting and hurting her, she hadn’t given him an ultimatum. In fact, she was supportive of his job and even helped him juggle his responsibilities so he could have a work/life balance. Not only that, but he cared about her. Cared more deeply than he was comfortable admitting. In short, she was everything he needed and wanted. The only thing he wanted now was more of her. He wanted, needed, every single part of her.

Getting her to agree to imprint, however…that could prove to be difficult. Although she was battling hard to maintain control of her wolf, and fully intended to win that battle long-term, he knew that she had her doubts. She would never mate with him, as she would see that as risking his life. If she had been anyone else, he’d have been confident that he could wear her down over time, but he could begrudgingly admit that the woman was, in fact, more stubborn than he was. He’d learned quickly that she was resistant to bribery and emotional blackmail. She was also way too smart to fall for his attempts at reverse psychology, so little tricks would get him nowhere.

He told himself to just be satisfied with what he had, but now that he’d explored the prospect of imprinting, he couldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he owned her, body, heart, mind, and soul. That presented him with an even bigger problem. If he wanted to be bonded to her that badly, there was a good chance that the process of imprinting would automatically begin. What he had to decide now was whether he should tell her what he wanted, or whether to let her find out when she suddenly started wearing his scent and sensing his feelings. Yeah, he didn’t think Jaime would appreciate the latter. But to tell her what he wanted would be to risk her leaving him. He couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t.

“You’re staring,” Jaime accused in a singsong voice from the small sofa to the left of his desk.

She hadn’t had to look up from her laptop computer—she was supposed to be checking the Pack Web but had ended up playing solitaire—to know that. She’d felt his eyes on her; she always did. He had a way of looking at her that made her feel that she was the only thing he could see, the only thing of any relevance to his life. His need for her—both sexual and emotional—was right there in his eyes for her to see whenever she wanted to. He didn’t hide it, didn’t hold back from her anymore. And she loved it.

Jaime hadn’t found it at all surprising that his office was immaculately tidy and orderly. So orderly that it often made her want to mess it up just for fun. Honestly, neat places were the equivalent of big, red, tempting “Don’t Press” buttons to her. But Dante would probably hyperventilate, and while that would also be fun to watch, it would make him take longer with his work.

Opting out of telling her that he’d also been lost in thoughts of imprinting on her, Dante instead said, “Give me a number between one and twenty.”

Unable to see where this was going, she shrugged. “Eleven.”

“You lose. Now strip off your clothes.”

She laughed, adoring how roguish he could be sometimes. Despite being a naturally good-humored person, he was only ever this playful with her. She loved that he was comfortable enough to drop his guard for her. “Aren’t you supposed to be going on a pack run?” He was, but he didn’t want to go without her. He felt bad leaving her behind, hated the idea of her alone and yearning to run with them but not able to. “Too much paperwork to do.”

“Bullshit. Get out there. You’ve avoided going the last few times, and don’t think I don’t know why. Your wolf needs this.”

“He needs you more.” It was true.

“There’s that mouth again,” she chuckled. “Get out of here. I’ll be waiting na**d in bed for you. How does that sound?”

Rising from his seat, he went to squat in front of her. Taking the laptop from her and placing it on the sofa, he took her hands in his and massaged her palms with his thumbs. “Come with us.” He breathed her in, letting her delicious, captivating scent galvanize and arouse him.

“I can’t. You know that.”

“You don’t have to shift. You can still come with us. Taryn used to do it all the time before overcoming her latency.”

“I know, but the others hadn’t felt threatened by her. The pack might have accepted that my wolf is messed up, but that doesn’t mean their wolves will be so accepting.” He brushed his lips against hers, still as obsessed as ever with that carnal mouth. “Their wolves will sense your wolf’s temperament, yes, but they’ll also sense your control over your wolf.

If I thought they’d be tempted to challenge you, I’d never suggest it.”

“Trey won’t like it. He’s too overprotective with Taryn right now.”

“He and Taryn won’t be there. He took her to bed just after dinner. The pregnancy wipes her out.” Drawn by the marks on her neck, he leaned forward and licked at them. He grazed his teeth over a certain spot, thinking his claiming mark would look perfect right there. And he would claim her, would ensure that she irrevocably belonged to him. “Come. I want you with me. My wolf wants you with us.”

Touched by the sentiment, she swallowed hard. It had been a long time since she had been on a pack run, and it called to her on a primal level—a call she had ignored for a very long time. “Okay.” As they walked through the tunnels toward the main door, Dante smiled at how silent and fluid her movements were. After only two months of training, she was effortlessly stealthy, and he was so proud of her. The determination, persistence, and tenacity she had exhibited had shocked all the enforcers. It had earned their respect in a way that nothing else could have. In fact, Tao had actually admitted that he had been wrong about her—and he wasn’t a guy who would easily admit when he was wrong.

Midway through one of the tunnels, they came across Gabe. Jaime gave him a huge smile.

“Hey there. Aren’t you going on the pack run?”

He returned her smile. “No. Hope and I have plans. Look, um, I’d like to talk to you alone for a sec.” He flicked a brief glance at Dante, who Jaime suspected wasn’t pleased.

“Sure.” At the sound of the objecting growl behind her, she sighed. “He’s my brother, Dante.

I’m pretty sure he’s not about to make any sexual advances if you leave us alone.”

“It’s not anything bad,” Gabe assured Dante. “I just want to talk to Jaime about something before I mention it to anyone else.”

Dante didn’t like that there might be secrets between him and Jaime, but he knew that Gabe often went to her for reassurance or advice. They had a close sibling relationship, and that wasn’t something Dante would ever impose on. He kissed her temple and nodded. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Nothing’s wrong, is it?” she asked Gabe as soon as she knew that Dante was out of hearing distance. Although he’d assured Dante it was nothing bad, she wouldn’t have been surprised if her brother had simply told Dante what he thought he’d want to hear to make him leave.

“No, not at all. It’s good news.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense.”

He inhaled deeply. “Hope and I have begun imprinting on each other.” That had not been what she’d expected, though maybe it should have been, considering how much time they spent together. “Oh, wow. Gabe, that’s great.” His perceptive eyes narrowed slightly. “You don’t seem as though you really mean that.” Knowing he would sense if she was lying, she held her hands up in a placatory gesture. “Hey, look, I’m not going to ask you if you’re sure this is what you want. I know you well enough to know that you’d never forsake your true mate unless you loved Hope. I just…let’s just say that I know someone who was partially imprinted with someone who then met their true mate. What happened afterward wasn’t pretty. But if you care enough about Hope to risk that, then I’m happy for you.” His expression softened at her support and approval. This was what she had wanted for him when they came here. She had wanted him to be happy and settled here in case she had to leave. Gabe being mated was more than she could have hoped for, and it meant that he would never follow Jaime if she left.

“You’re thinking this means I’m trapped here now, aren’t you,” he guessed with a smile.

He was a pain in her ass. “Stop reading my mind.”

“I just know how that brain of yours works. Thanks for being so supportive. I appreciate it.

And I hope the same thing happens for you and Dante someday.” There was no denying that she wanted that, but it wasn’t something that could ever happen.

Hearing Gabe bring it up only served to put salt in the wound. “Gabe, you know that—”

“What I know is that the guy absolutely adores you. Look at all the things he’s done for you, all the changes he’s made. You don’t do that for someone unless they mean a lot to you.”

“It doesn’t mean he wants to be bonded.”

Gabe snorted. “You’re not dumb, Jaime. It’s only a matter of time before imprinting starts.

You must already know that.”

She shook her head. “Dante would never want that. Especially when there’s no guarantee that Trey won’t make me leave the pack at some point. I’ll keep fighting my wolf every step of the way, Gabe, but I won’t ever allow myself the luxury of thinking that I’ll always be able to. Trey would be right to throw me out if my wolf got too strong. Dante would have to choose between going with me or breaking an imprinting bond”—again—“and I know he’d never choose the latter. I wouldn’t let him.”