"Honorary?" Hope's head swiveled to him.
His fingers dug into her shoulder, silencing her.
Max's gaze locked with Aaron's, the two engaging in a silent dialogue in that annoying way dominant males often had.
Hope had no doubt she was the crux of the exchange, yet neither commented to her.
Gritting her teeth, she was about to dig her elbow into Aaron's side, when Max held up both hands. He dropped his neck, conceding that Aaron was more dominant.
"I see you're making yourself at home, Hope, but we have work to do." Aaron brushed his lips against her cheek.
Turning on Aaron, she opened her mouth to protest.
He silenced her by placing a finger over her lips.
"Honey, I know how keen you were to see where I work and to get to know my life before making a decision on our future together. Best we get started right away, don't you think?"
His words were soft and intimate, yet she knew every shifter among the team, including Max, could hear him.
The pig. That was a claim of ownership, loud and clear. One he had no right to make.
Frustrated, knowing she was caught and that whatever she did would only incriminate the evidence against her, she decided to pay him back.
Fluttering her eyelashes, she closed her lips around his finger, letting her tongue curl around it. She nipped the fingertip. Just a bite.
Just enough to sense a shiver run through Aaron's big body.
Aware that every teenager was following them with rapt attention, she sucked on his finger. Her lips made contact with its entire length, as it slid out of her mouth.
Jaw firm, Aaron dropped his hand. He angled his head away.
Not before she caught the sparks of blue flaring in his eyes.
She heard his indrawn breath, the rise-fall-rise of his chest.
When she dipped her gaze to the evidence of his arousal, molten desire coursed through her, leaving her breathless.
"Max," a girl called out.
Holding up his hand for the ball, Max ran back to join the game.
Hope flounced away and into the building ahead.
"Take a right," Aaron called out to her.
Hope paused in the middle of the corridor.
Going past, he beckoned her to follow and walked toward the room at the far end.
Hope hesitated. Then her innate sense of curiosity won over. She quickened her pace to keep up with him. "Why did you do that?"
"What?"
"You bloody well made it clear to those kids that I am…" She stopped mid-sentence.
He turned on her, his eyes narrowing, the look in them daring her to complete the sentence.
Yours. She didn't have the courage to say the word. As if by saying it aloud, she might be daring the fates to bring them together, tempting his life itself.
It sent a shudder of fear through her, knowing she was playing with his life.
"Keep your distance, immortal." She growled, "I'm here to find Freya, and that's it. Which is what you should be helping me with instead of picking fights with boys or pulling me into rooms without explaining why—" For the second time in a few minutes, Hope found herself speechless as she faced the occupants of the room.
39
Aaron
Behind him, Aaron heard Hope's voice stutter then fade. At least he'd taken her by surprise, he thought with grim satisfaction.
The people in the room turned to him. They were seated in a circle.
Aaron took a vacant chair.
As Hope walked over to a chair pulled up by the window, the young woman nearest to him, a shifter who had lost her twin more than ten years ago, nudged him. "So this is the dragon shifter?" She gestured to Hope.
Vance had been right. The rumor mill had been working overnight.
Leaning toward her, Aaron patted her shoulder. "She's my mate, Sheila."
When her eyes widened in surprise, he had to stop himself from chuckling. That should give them more than enough to gossip about for the next month at least, he figured.
His eyes were drawn to where Hope had settled into a chair. She moved around to find a more comfortable position.
Catching his gaze, she tilted her head. He sensed the questions in her. She was wondering why he'd brought her to this group.
He wasn't sure why he'd wanted her at this session. Perhaps so she could understand him better, or maybe he just wanted her close enough where he could see her, smell her, make sure she was safe.
Damn, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
He'd hoped to have a little more time before making his move. Yet seeing that young wolf shifter flirt with Hope had sent him right out to stake his claim over her.
There was a low hum of conversation and shuffling of feet.
James, an older male shifter who'd only joined a month ago, leaned forward. "You going to start the session today, Aaron?"
At his nod, silence fell over the group.
"It's been three months and eight days since my twin Zayn died." Aaron found his muscles tensing and forced himself to relax. "After his death, I was lost. I couldn't accept that he was gone."
Sheila touched his shoulder.
His chest tightened.
He'd been building up to talking about himself, but when it was his turn, it felt like he was ripping out his heart and laying it out for others to see. "I felt alone. I was so angry that Zayn left me to face life on my own."
Another woman who had been attending the group from the very first session stifled a sob.
Aaron rubbed his hand over his face. "I felt guilty about being alive. I often thought I should have been the one who died." His voice shook at the memory.
He looked around to find the group watching him.
James had his hands around himself. He was rocking back and forth, his head down.
Aaron caught the glistening of tears as he cried in silence.
"Without Zayn, I had no sense of what I wanted, nor did I care." There, he'd said it.
He realized why he'd wanted Hope in this room with him, so she could understand why he'd risk even death to be with her.
Another group member, Kai, a young man who'd lost his twin just a fortnight ago, wrung his fingers in his lap. His knuckles were white.
Kai stared ahead dry-eyed. His hair was mussed up and his clothes crumpled. He hadn't said a single word since he'd joined the group.
Aaron recognized the early stages of grief. He reminded Aaron of how he'd been just a few months ago.
"I met a woman who made me feel again." He looked at Hope in time to see her stiffen.
She played with the pendant around her neck. Her shoulders slumped.
"She helped me face the fear of grieving for Zayn. I could find it in me to forgive him, to set him free. For she gave me the best gift of all. She gave me a reason to live."
Hope got to her feet and began walking toward him.
He sensed the group watching her as she approached to stand before him.
Her green eyes were wide and shimmering. Her face held a look of understanding and sadness and…something else.
A feeling of inevitability twisted his heart.
She opened her mouth to say something and then shook her head. Her fingers touched his face, her eyes scanning his features, as if she were memorizing them.
Her hands dropped to her side, and she ran out of the room.
Jumping to his feet, he made to go after her, but a voice called out to him.