CARESSED BY ICE

“You’re mated to a Tk.” He smiled and while it was small, it was most definitely a smile. The impact was, to say the least, devastating. “It looks as if I can do all sorts of things to you now that the bond’s functioning as it should.” As if to prove that, the next pulse traveled directly to the heat between her legs.

Sucking in a breath, she leaned over and bit his lower lip. “My turn.” Mate, he was her mate. Hers forever. “Mine.”

“Yours.” His hand tightened on her nape as he allowed her to take advantage of him.

“Why wasn’t the bond working before?” she asked the next time they came up for air. “My wolf couldn’t sense it.”

“Silence.” Shadows in his voice. “It had me wrapped up so tight, I was blocking it, likely stopping you from feeling it, too. To accept it would probably have led to a fatal strike from the dissonance, so my brain protected itself the only way it could.” There was anger now. “Silence tried to destroy us before we could begin.”

“But the bond was always there,” she whispered. “So take that, Psy Council. Not even your damn Silence can stop what’s meant to be.”

Judd’s eyes widened at her vehemence and then that small smile widened a fraction. “I thought I told you to come here.”

“And I thought I told you not to mess with me.” But she went. Sometimes, you had to give in to a male. Especially when he was yours and he looked at you with that naked heat in his eyes.





It was amazing what a man could do when he was properly motivated, Judd thought as he straightened Brenna’s clothing. Just in time. Four wolves burst out of the forest seconds later. Walker wasn’t that far behind, having been brought there on a snowmobile loaded with emergency medical equipment.

The wolves shifted as his brother got off the snowmobile and walked across. “Are you all right?”

Judd nodded. “Yes.”

But another conversation was taking place on the LaurenNet.

You’ve disabled the Silence Protocol. There was no judgment in his brother’s tone. It’s already influencing the familial Net.

Judd realized Walker was right. We’ve been living with emotion since the children started adapting. It won’t harm them.

No. Walker’s psychic presence was a star that had an odd twisting motion at the center. He wasn’t a martial Psy, and no one had ever been able to figure out what that twisting motion meant. There’s a new mind in the Net.

Judd blinked and looked again. There she was, linked to the Net through him and protected by his powerful mind. None of the others could touch her, though her strong, affectionate nature was already influencing the flows of the tiny LaurenNet. Brenna. She couldn’t see this, couldn’t see her wild silver star with ricocheting shards of vibrant blue, but it was something that calmed his psychic mind. He could protect her now, no matter where she was. He’d know if she shed a single tear.

She’s making the Net stronger.

Of course she was. She’s a wolf.

You’re sure?

Judd knew they were no longer talking about Brenna. I’m safe. Reaching back, he took his mate’s hand in his. Have you seen the other changes in the Net? Faint sparks of color where there had once only been black and white.

I think it represents a formerly suppressed aspect of Toby’s abilities. It doesn’t fit the parameters of any known designation, but I have my suspicions.

So did Judd. We’ll talk later.

Hawke narrowed his eyes as Walker stepped back. “I leave you going blue and thinking I’m going to have to dig a grave, and return to find you . . . well exercised.” A pause that took in the rucked-up snow. Behind Hawke, Lara did a bad job of hiding a grin. “You want to explain that?”

“No.” Judd felt Brenna’s blush in his mind and knew she’d realized her packmates could smell the scent of their recent explosive union. He liked the idea of her being covered in his scent. “There’s nothing to explain.”

Hawke grunted, amusement in his eyes. “Right. Let’s head back.”

“Give me a minute.” It was Riley.

Judd met the other man’s eyes as everyone else dispersed. Beside him, Brenna went very quiet. Her brother came forward. “You ever make her cry, I’ll break every bone in your body, tear you to pieces, and hold a barbeque for the wild wolves.”

“Riley!” Brenna sounded shocked.

Judd wasn’t—despite Riley’s calm exterior, the male was as ferally protective as Andrew. “I think Brenna is more than capable of doing that herself.”

“Judd!”

Riley’s face broke out in an uncharacteristic grin. “Yeah, she is.” Reaching out, he kissed his gaping sister’s cheek before pulling back and shifting. Then he was gone.

“I can’t believe you said that.” Brenna was scowling when he turned to her. “I would never hurt you.”