“But it’s fun.”
She snorted, turning to face him as he stepped back. “Fun? You didn’t have a hard cock trying to jam itself between your ass cheeks.”
“It was one way to stop you ignoring me. Were my questions really bothering you?”
“Bothering me?” Gwen waved a hand. “No. I stopped listening a while ago.”
A throaty chuckle was followed by the appearance of Bracken, who strolled out of the kitchen and leaned against the desk. “I like that you don’t make things easy for him. He’s too used to having his own way.” Zander flipped him off, but Bracken just grinned and added, “On another subject, Gwen, have you heard anything from Andie?”
“Not yet. Hopefully we will soon.” She sighed. “I’ve decided to go with her and check out the shelter. Then, if she doesn’t like it, I can bring her back home. If she knows she has that option and has someone with her who she trusts, she’s more likely to be open to the idea of staying there.” As Zander clenched his jaw, Gwen cocked her head. “You don’t want me going to the shelter, do you?”
Zander hooked his finger in the belt loop of her shorts and tugged her to him. “I intended to stay here with you while Bracken took her.”
“Why? Do the people at the shelter have something against humans?”
“Anti-shifter humans, yes. People like you, no.”
“Then what’s the issue?” But she could guess. “You said your pack is closely allied with Makenna’s. If she sees the mark you left on my neck, she’ll tell your other pack mates, won’t she? You don’t want them to know about it.”
Bracken grinned at Zander. “Must be hard dealing with a female who can read you like a book.”
Zander ignored him. “No, I don’t want them to know about the bite. Not because you’re a dirty secret or something. It’s because my Alpha, Nick, might not like that I’m involved with someone I’m protecting.”
“He’ll worry that you’ll ignore his orders for me.” Gwen understood. “I’ll cover the bite with makeup . . . What’s with the growling? It’s a perfect solution.”
Still grinning, Bracken explained, “He wants you to wear his mark with pride, not hide it. It’s a shifter thing.”
It was a pride thing, in Gwen’s opinion.
Bracken’s head tipped to one side. “A car’s coming.” He stalked to the door and opened it wide, looking all intimidating as he filled the doorway. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.”
Gwen tensed despite the note of amusement in Bracken’s voice. “What? What is it?” But Bracken loped outside.
Zander crossed to the door. His jaw hardened as a familiar vehicle pulled up outside. “Whose name is the next reservation in?”
“Derren Hudson. Why?” He cursed, and Gwen added, “I take it you know him.”
“Oh yeah, we know him.” And there would be no way that Zander could hide his involvement with Gwen from the couple currently exiting their SUV. Not when Gwen’s mark was clear to see and her scent was all over him.
Gwen stayed behind the desk as Bracken entered with a dark-haired couple behind him. More shifters, she sensed as they exchanged greetings with Zander, who then turned to her.
“Gwen, this is Ally and Derren. They’re the Betas of my pack.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Gwen.” Ally moved to the desk, emerald eyes gleaming. “So, is your B&B haunted?”
Zander sighed. “Of course it’s not.” Even if the place was sometimes chilly and eerie, and even if sometimes things happened that he couldn’t explain.
Gwen blinked at him. “You don’t think it is? Huh.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean, huh?”
She shrugged. “I just didn’t think you were the kind of guy who blinded himself to the obvious. It’s okay. Lots of people only see what they want to see.”
Zander’s frown deepened. “I don’t blind myself to anything.”
“So nothing at all has happened here that’s spooked you?” He didn’t answer, and Gwen smiled. “Thought as much.” She turned back to the Beta pair only to realize that they were both staring at the mark on her neck. Busted. Before they could comment on it, she checked them in and slid their key across the desk.
“What floor are they on?” Zander asked.
“Same floor as you.”
“I’ll show them the way.”
Gwen was totally fine with that. “Okay.” She cast the Betas another smile. “There’s a Welcome Hamper and leaflets with all you need to know in your room—Zander will fill you in. Hope you enjoy your stay.”
Ally’s mouth curled. “Thanks.”
Derren looked at Gwen, eyes narrowed, jaw hard. But at Ally’s urging, he followed Zander and Bracken up the stairs.
Blowing out a breath, Gwen turned back to the desk.
As the four of them gathered in Ally and Derren’s room, Zander folded his arms. “So, why are you here?” He sincerely doubted that Nick sent them as backup, given things had so far been uneventful.
“A couple of reasons,” said Derren. “Someone made an anonymous call to the police to say that Harley sells drugs at the club to humans. Even though it’s a club exclusive to shifters and all shifter territory is beyond their jurisdiction, the police turned up anyway. Nothing came of it, but it was a pain in the ass. Our guess is that the anonymous caller was Rory.”
His brother was such a fucking asshole. “You could have told me this on the phone. What’s your other reason for coming here?”
“Nick wanted us to check on you.”
Zander slid a brief look at Ally, who was sitting on the bed, looking awkward. “You mean he wanted Ally to get a read on Gwen.”
Derren’s brow arched. “I’d be surprised by how much that seems to piss you off if her scent wasn’t all over you, and I hadn’t seen that brand on her neck. At what point were you going to mention that you’re involved with the human?”
At no point, really. “There’s no need. It’s my personal business. It doesn’t affect the pack.”
Derren sighed. “Look, I appreciate what the human is doing for the cougar. I respect it. And, yeah, where you choose to dip your dick is your own business. But there are things you don’t know.”