Connor’s dark eyes narrowed and Ana just shook her head. Everyone else at the table was silent as Liam and Connor stared at each other.

Finally Connor spoke. “We’re not going to go off half-cocked hunting this guy down. I understand why you’re angry, but we have to be smart about this. Can you kill this guy? Sure. But what will it do for the pack? We need to find the leader and cut off the head of this organization. If we kill this guy, someone else will replace him. This isn’t just about you. It’s about all of us.”

Liam forced himself to take steady, even breaths. His inner wolf wanted blood and he didn’t care what his Alpha said. That knowledge terrified him. Thankfully December hadn’t been hurt. Not really. Shaken up and scared, but not truly injured. He’d never felt so out of control in his life. Had never wanted to defy his Alpha—his blood—with the intensity he did now.

Right now he wanted to tell his brother to go fuck himself and hunt down the bastard who’d tried to take December. Beast and man had never been so unified about anything before. A loyalty to his brother that ran bone deep was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“What do you plan to do anyway, Liam? Leave December here all alone while you go off hunting?” Ana raised a dark eyebrow and gave him a look that made him feel like a cub being scolded.

Next to her, Erin snorted loudly. “Your woman is so scared out of her mind that she’s staying on a ranch with a pack of shifters and you’re gonna leave her? Yeah, real genius idea.”

Ana nudged her and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter the species, they’re all clueless,” she murmured.

Liam clenched his teeth together so he wouldn’t say something he’d regret. Right now December was taking a bath at the guesthouse. He’d called ahead and asked Jayce to move his stuff into the males’ cabin, into Liam’s room. He didn’t care if it was rude. December needed this right now.

She’d told him she wanted some time to herself, and he knew his time was limited before she got out. He’d planned to ask Ana to stay with her while he went after the guy who hurt her, but now he was reconsidering.

Connor looked away from Liam and nodded at Ryan. “Continue with what you were saying.”

Ryan cleared his throat and looked around the table. “I still haven’t managed to decrypt that flash drive, but we might have good news. The guy who tried to mug December a couple weeks ago is getting out of jail Tuesday morning. It’s because of the nature of the crime and overcrowding or something.”

“How is that a good thing?” Liam asked. Another asshole APL member with a vendetta against them would be walking free.

This time Connor spoke, his attention on Liam. “He’s afraid of us—you specifically. You want to do something useful? I need you to talk to this guy.”

“Talk?” He’d broken the guy’s thumb before and that had gotten him plenty of answers.

His brother nodded tightly. “Yes. Talk. We know his boss’s name is Edward Adler, but so far we can’t find out much about him. That guy, William, was scared enough of you to admit to his crimes and go to jail without a fight. And he gave up Adler’s name. We might be able to use him if you can play on his fear of you.”

Liam liked where this was going. If he couldn’t hunt down the man from tonight, this was second-best. Nodding at his brother, he stood. “Fine. I need to check on December.” Out of respect he knew he should be asking permission to leave the meeting, but he didn’t care at this point. All he wanted was to see December. The females were right. Leaving her now would be worse in the long run. She needed to know he’d be there for her, and if he was honest, he desperately wanted to comfort her. To convince himself she was unharmed.

Sighing, Connor nodded and dismissed him.

Liam barely felt the cold night air as he crossed the ranch. A few females were out walking and he could scent some of the males out patrolling the grounds, but all he could focus on was getting to December.

She’d been unusually quiet the entire drive to the ranch and when he’d left her to take a bath, she’d barely said two words to him. He’d rather have her calling him arrogant and annoying and yelling at him instead of this subdued version of her.

He’d left Aiden guarding the house and though he couldn’t see him, he knew he was in the shadows watching and would leave once he saw Liam. Once inside, he locked the door even though he’d be able to scent anyone who entered the house. He did it because he knew it would make her feel better. Hurrying up the stairs, he followed that sweet, jasmine scent. The bedroom door was open, letting light spill out into the hallway. He could hear her moving around inside the room and when he reached the door, he froze.

Sitting on the edge of the bed wearing some kind of blue, sheer nightgown thing that barely fell to midthigh, December was smoothing lotion on one of her legs. Her damp, red hair spilled down her back and covered her face as she bent lower to rub the lotion onto her calves.

His cock hardened in an instant as he watched her. He must have made a sound, because her head jerked up.

She smiled softly as she sat up and turned to face him. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He tried not to focus on the way her nipples peaked so tightly against the silk or how the soft curve of her breasts molded perfectly against the thin material. While he wanted to run his hands all over her body, more than anything he wanted to just hold her. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugged and put the small bottle on the nightstand. “The bath helped but I’m still kind of freaked-out. That guy wanted me as a way to get to you and it was so obvious he saw nothing wrong with what he was doing. I still don’t know what I’m supposed to be feeling, but I guess I’m just pissed he was there in the first place and that I didn’t react better. I should have fought him.” Breaking his gaze, she stared at the gold duvet and traced over the intricate design with her fingertip.

He hated the fear and loathing he heard in her voice, but was thankful she was talking again. It was the most she’d said since they’d left her house. Careful to keep his movements slow, he walked to the edge of the bed and sat next to her. Even though he knew touching her would be torture, he lightly cupped her jaw until she looked at him. “There was nothing you could have done. You’re not a trained soldier and that guy had a gun.”

Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. The sight brought up a new wave of anger, but he shoved it away. He needed to keep himself under control or she’d sense the change in the air.

Her wide blue eyes searched his. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

Like she even had to ask. “I’ll be right outside all night.”

Her cheeks flushed. “No. I mean…with me?”

He felt as if his heart skipped a beat. Pausing, he tried to catch his breath. He’d been waiting to hear this for what felt like forever, but never under these circumstances. “Of course,” he rasped out.

The tinge of pink covering her cheeks darkened to crimson and the wave of desire that rolled off her was unmistakable. She wanted him and he definitely wanted her, but he didn’t trust himself to be gentle. And that’s what she’d need tonight.

She wouldn’t need a randy shifter ready to rock the bed for hours. If he let himself sink deep into her, he knew that’s exactly what would happen. He cared for her too much to do that.

Forcing himself to stay immobile when all he wanted to do was jump her, he said, “Are you hungry? Do you want anything before we go to bed?”

She shook her head and scooted along the edge of the bed until their thighs touched. He could practically feel the electricity arc between them, sharp and potent. She swallowed hard, then leaned forward.

No, she did not want anything to eat. Except maybe him. December knew that taking this next step would come back to bite her in the ass later, but she didn’t care. She desperately wanted to feel all Liam’s warmth and strength covering her. After the day she’d had, she wasn’t afraid to admit she needed him. Wanted to feel him push deep into her and bring her such exquisite pleasure she could forget all the craziness going on around her.

So there was no mistaking what she wanted, she reached over and held on to his shoulders, then straddled him. As her knees sank into the soft bed, his rigid cock pressed against her.

Liam’s dark eyes widened as he froze, making her wonder if she’d made a mistake. “What are you doing?”

“You really need me to explain it?” Lifting up slightly, she rubbed herself over his hard length. Teasing him like this was wildly erotic. And being on top of him gave her a welcome sense of control.

For a brief moment, his eyes glazed over. He fisted her hips and before she could react, he flipped her onto her back and pinned her against the bed. She should have known he wouldn’t let her be on top very long. Maybe that should have annoyed her, but the feel of his firm, muscular body on hers gave her an unexpected sense of safety. Which was a little ridiculous considering he was more or less the big bad wolf in the flesh.

The silky duvet was soft and soothing against her exposed skin, but the heat in his dark eyes was enough to scorch her. Spreading her thighs wider, she let him sink against her. Even with the small barrier of clothing between them, she could feel his heat. When she rolled her hips, his eyes flashed dangerously darker. A reminder that this man was a lethal predator. But he’d never hurt her.

He might drive her crazy, but she knew the only thing he’d ever bring her in bed was pure pleasure. Right now that’s all she wanted.

“Hold on to the headboard.” His words weren’t exactly a whisper, but he spoke so low it came out as a rumble.

Even though she wanted to thread her fingers through his dark hair and hold him close, she did as he said. Stretching her arms up, she clutched on to the vintage iron headboard. When she did, his mouth captured hers.

The urgency humming through him was unmistakable, but his kisses were slow and sensuous. His tongue rasped over hers in lazy strokes, as if he had all the time in the world. She felt as if she’d combust from the heat surging through her, and he wanted to take his time?