Abby propped both hands on her hips, and when her afghan fell to the floor, it took every bit of self-control I had to keep my focus on her face. “Let me draw a boundary line for you. If I don’t go, you don’t go, because you swore to spend every single second at my side. So, which is it going to be? We stay here and do off-duty things, or we go catch this son of a bitch—together?”

Warner laughed again, then pretended not to hear my growl of warning.

“Damn it, Abby,” I grumbled, but she only shrugged.

“I don’t make the rules. Yet. So what’s it gonna be, Alpha?”

I exhaled slowly, clinging to patience. “Get dressed. We’re going to the lake.”

“If I could make a suggestion…” Warner’s nearly silent footsteps came toward us from the hall. “Take a shower. No, take separate showers. Unless you’re both ready to confirm the rumors buzzing in the main house.”

Abby raced across the back yard in faux-fur-trimmed white winter boots, with little leather tassels hanging from the shoestrings. We were going to have to talk about her work wardrobe. Enforcers do not wear tassels. But then, none of my other enforcers had ever sat on my lap, nearly naked, and asked me to slide my fingers…

Focus, Jace. There’s still a job to do. And a good deal of the upcoming work would involve defining the line between Abby-the-enforcer and Abby-the…girlfriend? I wasn’t really sure what to call her other than the woman whose very scent provoked an X-rated Pavlovian response in me.

She clomped up the back steps, red curls bouncing against her roommate’s white down jacket, highlighted by what little moonlight remained. A cat’s eyes don’t need much light, even in human form, and Abby practically glowed. My right hand and I would have liked to claim at least partial credit for that, but the truth was that she wore her most recent victory well, and something told me I wouldn’t be winning many arguments in the near future.

That wasn’t a problem many Alphas faced, but I could not give less of a shit.

None of the other Alphas had Abby.

I caught up with her as she turned the doorknob, but the door didn’t open. “We’re locked out.” She turned and stared over my shoulder to where Warner was crossing the lawn from the west cabin, with Hargrove’s laptop under his arm. “Do you have your keys?”

He shook his head. “Left them in the cabin.”

Before I could tell him to go get them, the doorknob rattled, and I looked up to see Chase Taylor opening the door. “You locked us out.” Abby stepped past him into the kitchen, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

“Turnabout’s fair play,” Chase returned, as Warner and I followed her in. “Did you really need the whole cabin? All night?”

Abby flushed, humiliated by the insinuation, and my temper sparked into an instant blaze in defense of her. My vicious growl surprised even me, and Chase and Warner instinctively backed away, eyes wide.

Abby slid her arm around my waist as mine curled protectively around her shoulder. I’d never in my life felt such a powerful protective instinct, and the strength of my unexpected reaction triggered memories of Marc’s fury anytime anyone had threatened Faythe. Ever. What had seemed irrational and excessive when the shoe had been on his foot suddenly felt perfectly appropriate. The last thing Abby needed was to feel guilty or insecure about her sex life, and I wouldn’t tolerate a single insult hurled at her.

I turned back to Chase. “You ever take that tone with her again, and I’ll consider it a personal challenge to my authority.”

“Whoa.” He took another step back and bowed his head in respect for a second—the strongest submissive gesture a werecat could give in human form. He was surprised but clearly not confused by my reaction. “I meant no offense,” Chase insisted, and I nodded, acknowledging the apology.

“Chase, listen,” Abby began as Warner closed the door behind us.

When she didn’t seem to know how to finish the thought, Chase laid a hand on her shoulder, with a quick glance in my direction to make sure I had no plans to rip it off. “No worries, kid. Brian told me the wedding’s off. But he didn’t mention this.” He glanced cautiously from her to me.

“He doesn’t know,” I growled.

“Chase, Jace didn’t… He’s not the reason…” She let go of me, as if downplaying our connection would help. “I broke up with Brian before we…”

“It’s okay, Ab,” I said. She was nervous and upset, and that made me want to kill someone. “What’s between us is none of anyone else’s business.” But we all knew that was wishful thinking on my part. Warner was right—there was no such thing as privacy for an Alpha. Or for a tabby.

Abby nodded but looked unconvinced as she turned back to Chase. “How is Brian?”

Chase shrugged. “More embarrassed than anything, I think.”

Having been dumped by the world’s most powerful tabby, I knew how he felt, but the truth was that in a way, Brian had lost much more than I had. Along with Abby, he’d lost his chance to be Alpha of her territory, and he’d almost certainly lost his chance to be a father. Toms were forbidden from procreating with humans, in order to keep our existence secret from humanity at large. Logan was a happy accident and one hell of a cute kid. But if Ethan were still alive, he would have been sanctioned for breaking a very serious rule.

Michael, Faythe’s oldest brother, had married a human, but he’d had the good sense to fall in love a woman who didn’t want children.

As both my past and my present illustrated, I had much less control over my heart and what—or who—it wanted.

“Will you give him this and tell him I’m sorry?” Abby pulled something from the front right pocket of her jeans. Her engagement ring glittered in light from the back hallway as she placed it in Chase’s palm.

He nodded. “So, what’s with the predawn invasion?” He slid the ring into his pocket and turned to pull open the refrigerator, signaling his willingness to dismiss the subject.

“Warner thinks he’s found Hargrove,” Abby said. “We’re going to take him out.”

“We’re going to bring him in,” I corrected, and she frowned at me. “The council wants to question him, and our job is to make sure they get that chance.” But she still seemed to be having trouble with the idea that we wouldn’t be killing him on the spot.