A shout from upstairs tells me our mystery guest is awake.
My wolf surges forward instantly, clawing at my control. He wants to tear through the house, race up the stairs, and barrel into her room just to make sure she’s safe.
I’m in the middle of wrestling him back—mentally insisting that storming in like a feral beast will probably scare her half to death—when Nicole finds me.
“She’s awake, Alpha.”
“Why did she shout? What happened? Is she okay?” I try to sound calm, composed… but the panic leaks through anyway.
Nicole tilts her head, watching me with a look I’ve never seen on her face before. Curiosity. Amusement, maybe. She’s never seen me like this—rattled.
“She’s fine,” Nicole assures me. “She didn’t see me when she woke up. I startled her.”
Her words take some of the edge off
