Chapter Forty-Six

Roan

Feeling Sullen’s pain was harder than he imagined. Roan had nearly tripped trying to get to her. The fear, the regret, the betrayal.

He had no idea what was causing her so much heartache.

She’d only left him thirty minutes before.

When he found her running toward the pack house, she hadn’t even realized he was running after her.

Roan’s body went cold when she repeated what the rogue said to her.

“Sullen, are you sure?”

She nodded and wiped her eyes. A few wolves walked around the corner of the pack house and stopped cold. “Come on,” Roan said, picking her up and carrying her inside.

He nearly raced up the stairs and didn’t stop until their bedroom door was locked behind them. He sat her down on the bed and bent down in front of her. “What exactly did he say?”

Sullen took a deep breath. “He knew my dad was a rogue. He knew that Duke had been calling and texting me, Roan. How else would he know that? Who else knew that other than you and me?”

Roan didn’t know. “Maybe someone heard? Maybe the mole heard and told him. It’s possible this is all a big play at getting to you.”

Sullen shrugged. “It seemed real, Roan.”

Roan cupped her neck. “I didn’t pick up another wolf scent when I was at your apartment. Wouldn’t you know that you were dating a werewolf, Sullen? I would understand if you were human, but you’re not. You would know the signs.”

“He said there are ways to mask your scent. Is that true?” she asked, her eyes wide in confusion.

“I’m not sure,” Roan said. “I’ve never looked into something like that. I’ve never had a reason. But it doesn’t matter, Sullen. If Duke is or isn’t a werewolf, it doesn’t matter, because they are coming either way. And we’re going to be ready.”

Sullen wrapped her arms around her stomach in an attempt to keep herself together. Roan was her mate, and she didn’t care what happened to Duke, but the lies were woven so deeply.

She wanted to make him pay. Because she felt he was using her. How? She didn’t know. But it had to be a reason why he would lie about his identity.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked.

“The lies. If he is a werewolf, why would he lie to me about it?”

Roan placed his palms on her knees. “I don’t know.”

“When I asked, he said that was a story for Duke to tell me. Do you think he’s trying to get me to reach out to Duke?”

“Possibly, yes. Do you want to reach out to him?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I have no urge to speak to him. I think it’s a trap.”

Roan leaned in and kissed her softly. “It could be. We’ll play it by ear.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Did you ever eat?”

“No.”

Roan nodded. “I’ll have lunch brought here to us. No one needs to see you like this. I don’t want anyone to know about it.”

Roan mind linked with someone, and sat down beside Sullen. “Natalie reported back to me a few minutes before I felt you.”

“What did she say?”

“That she’s been following and flirting with a bunch of wolves to get some

answers.”

Sullen chuckled. “Any luck?”

“She said that a few of the wolves said someone had been walking the halls at night, but when they went to check that no one was there.”

Sullen narrowed her eyes. “So, a ghost?”

He chuckled. “Or someone that knows the house really well, which could be any of the wolves. We’ve all lived here our entire lives.”

Sullen frowned. “So someone is sneaking out at night?”

Roan sat back and nodded. “Yeah, she said she is going to do some more

flirting to figure it out.”

“This is the perfect job for her,” Sullen said.

Roan chuckled. “You’re telling me.”

“What are you going to do about the night roamer?”

“I’ll handle it,” Roan said, getting up to grab the food someone left at the door. He brought the food over and sat down beside Sullen. “I don’t want you to worry about anything, okay? I know finding out your ex-boyfriend could possibly be a werewolf is a lot, but none of it matters now.”

Sullen pressed her forehead against Roan's. “I don’t want you to think that I’m feeling anything other than confusion and hurt from this. I don’t care about Duke.”

“Baby,” Roan said softly, lacing his fingers on the back of her neck. “I feel everything that you feel now. I’m not mad at you. I wish you wouldn’t have gone into the cells by yourself, but I’m not upset that you’re upset. I’m upset that someone lied to you. I’m upset that someone hurt you, but I’m not upset that you’re upset.”

Sullen nodded. “How did I get so lucky? I went from wanting to call the cops on you to falling in love with you.”

Roan stilled, and Sullen realized what she said. Then she realized that she meant it.

“I mean that,” she whispered. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”

Roan leaned in and kissed her. It was deep, hungry and it slid under her skin. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that to me.”

She closed her eyes and nodded.

“I love you, Sullen. Always. Forever. Until the end.”

Sullen smiled and pulled back to look him in the eye. “Don’t get mushy on me now, because you think you’ve hooked me.”

Roan pushed Sullen down onto her back and trapped her against the bed. “I think you’ve been hooked since you saw me. You just wanted me to work for it.”

She laughed. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he whispered against her ear. “I think you wanted me from the get-go.”

Sullen laughed. “You hit the nail on the head. I couldn’t resist you, Roan.”

He grinned. “I wore you down though. You wouldn’t be wearing my mark if I hadn’t.”

“You’re right,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t have accepted that month offer from you if I hadn’t wanted to stay. I liked being chased by you. I liked the way you looked at me. The way you wanted me. My body knew before I did.”

Roan traced the pad of his thumb against her bottom lip. “I’ll be sure to thank her.”