Chapter 67: no other in mind

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: no other in mind

In the vehicle behind, Reid sat just as rigidly, one hand braced against his thigh as if that alone could force the reaction down.

I do not want to bury my face between her breasts, he told himself repeatedly. That thought is ridiculous.

His body disagreed with every word.

The hard length of him remained stubbornly present, a constant, irritating reminder. He stared out the window without seeing the road.

Am I actually attracted to her? The question scraped through his mind. There’s nothing about her that should pull this kind of response from me. She’s wolfless. Infuriating. There’s no reason my cock should harden seeing her in that dress, at her lovely scent.

It’s annoying.

It feels good—and that makes it even more annoying.

He had never been on this side of things before. He was used to control, to choosing when and how his body responded. Being the one whose instincts move without permission is not my cup of tea. And the fact that she’s the cause only makes it worse.

Further back, in the vehicle behind Amelia’s, Dean had pulled his long silver-black hair forward like a curtain, letting it fall over his face and even wrap loosely around his own throat as if the mild pressure might distract him from the ache between his legs. It wasn’t working. If anything, the confinement only made the problem more obvious.

This is insane.

He bit down lightly on a strand of his own hair—something he never did—and closed his eyes. Amelia’s figure refused to leave his mind. The way the dress had framed her. The sudden, inexplicable urge to sweep her off her feet and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Nice thoughts, he thought with quiet disbelief. I don’t have nice thoughts. I never have. She must have done something. Some kind of charm.

His heart, inconveniently, suggested otherwise.

Don’t start, he warned it. You’re not helping.

In her own vehicle, Amelia finally felt like she could breathe again. The absence of their overwhelming presence was a relief—yet she could still feel the ghost of their hands, the residual heat of skin against skin, as if her body hadn’t gotten the message that the contact had ended.

Get it together, she told herself. They’re not even here anymore.

Her phone rang which helped with the distraction.

She answered on the second tone.

"Kate."

"I got your message," Kate said without preamble. "We’re already on the way to the Blacksmith Territory. The others are with me."

"That’s good."

"How did you even convince them?" Kate asked, clear curiosity in her tone. "Those three don’t exactly take requests."

Amelia leaned her head back against the seat. "Luck, mostly. Their mother likes me. That made it easier than it should have been."

Kate let out a short, impressed breath.

"That’s definitely luck. Those men respect their mother more than anything. As long as you don’t mess it up, you’ve got a solid advantage."

"Yeah."

They talked a little longer—about school stuff, about nothing that required too much emotional effort—before Amelia finally ended the call. The moment the line went quiet, her thoughts turned elsewhere.

After today I need to speak with the Night Menace again, she decided. I need real control over these powers, not these unpredictable surges that appear at the worst possible moments. I need to know what else I’m capable of.

She closed her eyes briefly and sent a quiet, private prayer toward the Moon Goddess. She already knew how those usually ended—ignored or twisted—but she offered it anyway.

Please. Let this trip not be a waste. If I can find even one solid lead on the Underworld Territory, the brothers can handle the rest. And then I’ll be free. Whatever the Night Menace said about staying with them... I’m not following that advice.

Hours later the convoy slowed at the main gates of the Blacksmith Territory.

Amelia’s chest tightened the moment the familiar roads came into view.

I never expected to come back here. Not even under these circumstances.

When the vehicles finally stopped in front of the main pack house—Dylan’s home—the ache in her chest sharpened into something heavier. The driver opened her door.

She stepped out, her lungs felt tight, and found Dylan and Jade already waiting on the steps. Behind them stood a cluster of subjects. The two of them were holding hands, the picture of a loving paired couple, with smiles on their faces. The sight turned her stomach.

They suit each other. A cruel dick and cruel...bitch.

The brothers reached her sides almost at the same moment. Dean’s hand closed around hers without warning, his thumb brushing once across her knuckles in a silent command to stay calm. She was stunned, but didn’t show it.

Breathe, she told herself, fingers curling slightly around his. Just breathe.

Dylan stepped forward first. "Welcome. We’re honored by your visit."

He kept his expression tight, hiding the sharp, excitement underneath.

By the end of today, he thought, these men will be nothing but corpses.

Enzo acknowledged the greeting with a brief nod. The conversation shifted into formalities as they began walking toward the entrance, the rest of the group following closely behind.

Jade fell into step beside Amelia. "It’s been a long time. I’ve wanted to apologize for what happened before. Misunderstandings... they happen. I hope we can start over."

The audacity of it nearly stole Amelia’s breath. Old anger rose sharp and fast—

—then the steady pressure of Dean’s palm against hers, held her in place.

She met Jade’s eyes. "Water under the bridge."

Dean then left her hand to meet up with his brothers, her hand felt more empty than ever.

A familiar voice cut in from just behind Amelia’s shoulder. "Is this the slut who’s been keeping you up every week?"

Skye had appeared without warning. Amelia shot her a sharp look. Beside them, Jade’s carefully arranged smile faltered; for a moment she looked like she wanted the woman to blow up.

"That’s rude," Amelia said, the reprimand directed at Skye even as she turned a cooler, more polite expression toward Jade. "Don’t take it to heart."

Jade recovered quickly.

"It’s fine. Truly. I actually wanted to make amends—that’s why I arranged a small private tea gathering with a few of my subjects when I heard you were coming. The men can handle their business. We can... talk."

Amelia inclined her head in agreement, already turning over half a dozen quiet ways to disappear from the gathering the moment no one was watching.

Skye’s gaze drifted over Jade with mild, cutting disinterest.

"A private tea gathering. How wholesome. Hope there won’t be discussions about sleeping with someone else’s partners?."