“You’re certainly a man of soft kisses.”
He chuckled as he continued to untangle my braid. “My wolf admires you. I would have never thought such a delicate woman could fight so bravely against Fox’s men. You have quiet strength. It’s something my grandmother talked about when I was a young and boisterous child. She said that Thunder and Lightning were two spirit brothers who lived in the heavens. Lightning was the quiet one who was bright and quick, while Thunder did nothing but growl and frighten people.”
I smiled. “She was a wise woman.”
His brows slanted. “I was convinced that Thunder and Lightning were one and the same. She said Lightning was the more dangerous of the two—he would strike without warning, and no one would suspect it because they were too busy fearing Thunder.” After a shallow sigh, he thoughtfully looked up at the ceiling. “I’d still like to believe they’re one and the same, but maybe I can never be Lightning. After she passed, I tempered my aggressive nature, but deep down, I’ve always been Thunder.”
I traced my fingers over his lips. “I am in awe of you.”
His dark brows furrowed. “Of me?”
“Yes, of you, Lorenzo Church. I’ve never met a man who was so contemplative in private and decisive in public. You’re like a coin with two sides. Don’t be conflicted about the man you are. Your grandmother would have been proud, and she told you stories to help you make better decisions in your life, not to change who you are. I like the man beneath me, the one who bellows when he’s upset and has so much power that he doesn’t know what to do with it. Just be willing to bend. When you cut a small stick from a tree, it bends because it’s still alive. It’s only the dead stick that’s been lying on the ground that will break with little effort; so as long as you have a heart and a conscience, you’ll make the right choices.”
Lorenzo rolled on top of me, his long hair creating a veil. “Can I shift?”
“Here?”
“My wolf demands to protect you and I have no choice but to comply.”
My chest squeezed. That was something only mates did. Our wolves often compelled us to do things, and guarding another’s life was considered a great honor.
“Kiss me first,” I whispered.
He settled his weight on top of me and his lips met mine. I grazed my fingers along his cheekbones, and then he rubbed noses with me.
“What if he howls?” I asked worriedly.
Lorenzo chuckled softly. “This is a Breed hotel and the floor is ours. If anyone complains, then I’ll take care of it. Order room service if you get hungry, but sleep. You’ll need your rest.”
“And if I want to go out?”
He reached up and pulled his hair back, settling beside me. “Then my wolf goes with you. But I don’t want you to meet with your son unless I shift back. Where else would you go?”
“I’ve never been to Cognito. I might want to walk around. When I get restless, I like to walk. It helps me think, and I prefer to be outside where I can breathe in fresh air.”
He pressed his lips tightly before responding. “Only in the daytime. Once it nears dark, you come back. Do you understand? Rogues come out at night and mostly hang around bars. This is the Breed district, so if you want to go in any of the shops and eat, my wolf will be allowed. There are symbols on the windows and doors to let you know. If they have a policy against animals, then find another shop. I won’t leave your side; do you understand?”
“I promise. You’re not as sheltering as I thought you’d be.”
His hand smoothed down the flat of my stomach and rested there. “I’ve seen you fight. A warrior doesn’t need to be sheltered, only guarded.”
In a fluid movement, Lorenzo shifted into his wolf. I ran my fingers through his soft grey fur, and in return, he licked my face. I gazed deep into his brown eyes, waiting for the light to flicker out so I knew when Lorenzo had gone to sleep and let the wolf take over.
Thunder turned in a circle, eyeing his surroundings, and then settled next to me, placing his head across my stomach.
Chapter 23
“Christ! You should keep him on a leash,” a man exclaimed when I emerged from the elevator.
Lorenzo’s wolf, whom I was now calling Thunder, growled at the tall man in a navy-blue suit.
“This is a Packmaster,” I said. “You should show some respect. And no one leashes a Shifter.”
He loosened the knot in his blue tie. A Shifter would never suggest leashing another, even one who wasn’t a wolf. He must have been a different Breed, or perhaps he was just an imbecile.
“Well, can you move your mutt? This is a hotel, not a zoo.”
Thunder stalked toward the man sedately. When he reached him, he did something unexpected. Thunder opened his wide jaws and clamped them around the stranger’s crotch, causing the man’s eyes to widen with fear. One of his teeth had punctured the fabric.