Neither was Ryan, which was why he had to ensure that the shelter was never handed over to Remy. And if it turned out that the rumors were true, Remy would have to die.

Makenna was serving a customer when the door of the gas station opened and a specimen of untamed masculinity stalked inside. Her wolf sat up, fascinated as always by Ryan’s immense confidence and forceful presence. As his dark, brooding eyes met hers, raw hunger flared through Makenna’s body. It was a need that viciously clawed and bit at her day and night. She’d dreamed of him the previous night, his teeth dominantly locked around her shoulder as he fiercely hammered into her.

Dragging her gaze away from him, she smiled at her human customer and handed him his change. It was almost amusing the way he regarded Ryan nervously, as if expecting to be leaped on. Ryan didn’t spare him a glance; he was staring right at Makenna—focused on her with the intensity of a jungle predator. And the memory of his kiss shoved its way to the forefront of her mind. All day, she’d tried not to think about it. Tried not to think about how he’d overwhelmed her senses and taken her mouth like it was his right. Tried and failed.

Once he was finally alone with Makenna, Ryan said, “We spoke with Myles’s pack mates.” He’d half expected his words to be guttural. A ferocious hunger was building inside him, tightening his body and causing an animalistic growl to build in his chest. He frowned as he saw that the mark on her lip had faded. “They had a lot to say.”

After he told her all he’d heard, Makenna blew out a long breath. “A small part of me actually feels bad for Remy, but none of what happened to him could ever excuse what he’s doing. He can’t get his hands on the shelter—”

“He won’t,” Ryan promised, voice filled with resolve. “I won’t allow that.”

It was impossible not to believe him. “Well, thanks for keeping me updated.”

As she released a tired sigh, Ryan noticed the dark circles under her eyes. A growl trickled out of him. “You haven’t been sleeping.”

Stress tended to keep her awake. Unable to resist poking at Ryan, she merely said, “So?”

“So I don’t like it.”

“Is that a fact?” She chuckled.

“You like to see me agitated.”

“I’d rather see you smile. I’m working on that.”

Warmth filled Ryan. He couldn’t recall anyone ever caring whether or not he smiled. Makenna Wray, or whatever her name was, had to be his mate. He placed his hands on the counter. “Bonnie Phillips.”

“Another missing person?” Makenna rolled her eyes. “Why can’t you let this go?”

Ryan’s eyes dropped to her lower lip—a lip he couldn’t stop thinking about marking again. “I want to know your name.”

“I’m Makenna Wray, a loner who’s a gas station clerk and does volunteer work at a shelter. That’s who I am.”

“It’s who you are now. But who were you before that?”

“Your cell’s ringing.”

It was, but he ignored it. “Are you afraid that if I find out who you’re hiding from, I’ll contact them?” Midsentence, his voice faded into an offended growl. He would never betray her.

She cocked her head. “You know, if you’re not frowning, you’re growling, or both.”

“And you’re avoiding my question. You do that a lot.” Ryan leaned forward, bringing his face close to hers. She lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated. His wolf fucking loved that. “Why won’t you tell me, Kenna?”

The abbreviation of her name made her blink in surprise. “It’s Makenna. And we’ve talked about this, White Fang. You need to respect my boundaries.”

“Maybe. But I won’t.” The wild glint in her eyes sparked for a second. It was most likely wrong that her anger made his cock throb. But all that wildness . . . it was something that spoke to his wolf, something that Ryan would bet made her just as wild in bed. He wanted to find out, wanted to be balls deep in her with her pulse beating between his teeth.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she hissed.

“Why would I do that?”

“Look, I’m going to be straight with you. I don’t have a lot of free time, so I don’t do relationships. But I don’t do the bed-buddy thing either; bed buddies tend to want exclusivity.” Something dark and dangerous flashed in his eyes—a rare display of emotion that made her tense.

“No one but me will touch you.” His tone was even but implacable.

She cocked an impervious brow at him. “Oh? And why, pray tell, is that?”

“For the same reason I asked you to be safe for me. You’re my mate, Makenna.”

Her mind went blank for a moment. He was kidding, right? He had to be. Only . . . he didn’t look like he was. She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “Why would you think that?”

“I don’t think it, I know it. The facts are there.”

“What facts?”

“Since day one, all I’ve thought about is being balls deep in you. Your scent drives me insane. My wolf hates being apart from you. You’re an outsider, a loner, but I’d fucking kill to protect you. And I’d kill to possess you. I’m not a possessive person, Makenna. But I’d like to string Colton up by his intestines for touching you.”

Not for a single second would Makenna have guessed that he’d been feeling that way. He was too damn good at hiding his emotions. Her wolf was uncharacteristically quiet. Surprised? Alarmed? Curious? Makenna couldn’t tell.