coven sealed shut. Tera felt the power of water fill her as she connected once more with her coven. The chanting began, and Tera followed the Corners’ lead as they moved through their spell casting and then chanted prayers of thanksgiving for the harvest.
The ceremony ended, and Tera nodded at Lorene and the other Corners, gathered her cloak around herself, and stepped away from her coven, joining her mates. She pulled on the dress quickly, and they hurried her down to the car, where Tahlon insisted she sit in the back with him.
He buried his face in her neck and licked across the mating marks. She shivered, digging her fingers into his shirt. Judging by the heated look in Melo’s eyes as she met them in the rearview mirror, it was going to be a long, hot night.
Chapter 5
Melo had been staring at the ceiling for an hour while Tera slept soundly, sprawled across him like a warm blanket. Her mouth was parted slightly, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. It was Wednesday morning, and he should be getting up and getting ready for work, but the last thing he wanted to do was move and wake up his sweetheart.
Melo worked for Midas, who owned Whispering Creek Construction. Melo had worked construction in Florida, so he was able to step right into the ambush-run company as a manager. That was what he considered his day job . His ambush job, however, was as the king’s protector, or personal guard. Melo went with Midas to any meetings that concerned the ambush or their community. He’d stepped in front of Midas a number of times during the last few years to protect him. Yes, there were dangers in his day job. He could smash his thumb with a hammer. Shoot himself with a nail gun. Fall off a roof. But the potential for serious danger came every time he stepped out with Midas as his protector, because as a leader, Midas was a target and Melo was the shield. It hadn’t bothered him that his life was on the line as he served Midas as his protector, but it bothered him now. Now that Tera was in his life.
A soft fingertip touched the corner of his mouth. He glanced down to see Tera looking at him in concern. “Why are you frowning?”
He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, hugging her just a little tighter. He loved the way she felt against him. The lush softness of her body and the slight weight of her was comforting. “I was just thinking about quitting my job.”
Her brows rose in surprise, and a smile curved her lips. “I don’t know what you heard, but receptionists don’t make that much money, even really awesome ones like me.”
He chuckled. “Not my day job. My ambush job as Midas’ protector. Just with the nature of the job, I put myself in danger when I go out with him, and I’ve got you to think about now, and our future cubs.” He brushed a lock of hair off her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “I think it’s time for me to step down. There are others who could take my place who don’t have my responsibilities.”
She hummed in her throat. “I don’t want you to stop doing something you enjoy because of me. You’re obviously very good at what you do or Midas wouldn’t trust you.”
“I am, sweetheart, but it would be selfish of me to put myself in harm’s way when I have you to take care of. The ambush isn’t ranked like a wolf pack. My stepping down doesn’t change anything except to free myself from an obligation.”
Tahlon came out of the bathroom, a towel slung low on his hips. “Besides, kitta, Midas wouldn’t want a mated male as his protector anyway.”
She wiggled around until she could see Tahlon. “Why not?”
Tahlon crossed the bedroom and stroked her cheek lightly. “Because a protector must ensure the safety of the king at all costs. There may come a time when a mated male would have to choose between his mate and his king, and no king worth his salt would ask a
The ceremony ended, and Tera nodded at Lorene and the other Corners, gathered her cloak around herself, and stepped away from her coven, joining her mates. She pulled on the dress quickly, and they hurried her down to the car, where Tahlon insisted she sit in the back with him.
He buried his face in her neck and licked across the mating marks. She shivered, digging her fingers into his shirt. Judging by the heated look in Melo’s eyes as she met them in the rearview mirror, it was going to be a long, hot night.
Chapter 5
Melo had been staring at the ceiling for an hour while Tera slept soundly, sprawled across him like a warm blanket. Her mouth was parted slightly, her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. It was Wednesday morning, and he should be getting up and getting ready for work, but the last thing he wanted to do was move and wake up his sweetheart.
Melo worked for Midas, who owned Whispering Creek Construction. Melo had worked construction in Florida, so he was able to step right into the ambush-run company as a manager. That was what he considered his day job . His ambush job, however, was as the king’s protector, or personal guard. Melo went with Midas to any meetings that concerned the ambush or their community. He’d stepped in front of Midas a number of times during the last few years to protect him. Yes, there were dangers in his day job. He could smash his thumb with a hammer. Shoot himself with a nail gun. Fall off a roof. But the potential for serious danger came every time he stepped out with Midas as his protector, because as a leader, Midas was a target and Melo was the shield. It hadn’t bothered him that his life was on the line as he served Midas as his protector, but it bothered him now. Now that Tera was in his life.
A soft fingertip touched the corner of his mouth. He glanced down to see Tera looking at him in concern. “Why are you frowning?”
He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, hugging her just a little tighter. He loved the way she felt against him. The lush softness of her body and the slight weight of her was comforting. “I was just thinking about quitting my job.”
Her brows rose in surprise, and a smile curved her lips. “I don’t know what you heard, but receptionists don’t make that much money, even really awesome ones like me.”
He chuckled. “Not my day job. My ambush job as Midas’ protector. Just with the nature of the job, I put myself in danger when I go out with him, and I’ve got you to think about now, and our future cubs.” He brushed a lock of hair off her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “I think it’s time for me to step down. There are others who could take my place who don’t have my responsibilities.”
She hummed in her throat. “I don’t want you to stop doing something you enjoy because of me. You’re obviously very good at what you do or Midas wouldn’t trust you.”
“I am, sweetheart, but it would be selfish of me to put myself in harm’s way when I have you to take care of. The ambush isn’t ranked like a wolf pack. My stepping down doesn’t change anything except to free myself from an obligation.”
Tahlon came out of the bathroom, a towel slung low on his hips. “Besides, kitta, Midas wouldn’t want a mated male as his protector anyway.”
She wiggled around until she could see Tahlon. “Why not?”
Tahlon crossed the bedroom and stroked her cheek lightly. “Because a protector must ensure the safety of the king at all costs. There may come a time when a mated male would have to choose between his mate and his king, and no king worth his salt would ask a
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