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"Go" With a push fro toward the open

Chilly air enveloped him as he climbed out and strode toward a dark blue sedan the pair had hidden a few yards from the ranch Stolen, no doubt They didn’t own a car, so Victoria "borrowed" one when she needed to be driven somewhere Or rather, have Aden driven so and wolves continued to howl

"Goblins out tonight," Riley explained as he settled into the driver’s seat "Though they’re thinning out, and should be contained soon"

Goblins Little monsters who liked to eat human flesh Aden hadn’t met one yet, but had heard the stories about sharp teeth ripping through huh butter Little wonder he wanted to put off that introduction as long as possible

Aden and Victoria had claimed the backseat She had tried to sit in front, in the passenger seat next to Riley, but Aden had grabbed her hand and tugged her back with hiht him, but allowed the restriction, silent

Once they were on the road, she withdrew a cologne bottle from the center console and sprayed hi on the scentedhis hand in front of his face

"This is necessary Believe me, you don’t want to smell like the Fae when you face my people"

"So I still smell like him?"

"Yes," she and Riley said in unison

Great Not at his best ht "So where’s Mary Ann?"

"Home," Riley said, and there was all kinds of fury in his tone The kind of fury Aden had been expecting since the wolf’s arrival Whichcan o’ crap "There’s no reason for her to be involved in this Plus, she checked out so to learn everything she can about the witches And speaking of Mary Ann--" his voice rose with every word "--why the hell were you shoving her around today?"

Yep Crap "I’m sure you asked her, and I’ her to defend herself"

"No, I didn’t ask her I figured the defense thing out on my own, thanks, but I wanted to chat with you about it first Did you have to be so rough? She’s only a huh That’s the only way to learn"

"No, it isn’t In fact, I’ over her lessons"

Oh, really? "Sorry, but she didn’t ask you She askedwith her lessons" He could have relented Wasn’t like he cared one way or the other But allow Riley to boss him around? Multiply "hell, no" by "dream on" and divide by "suck it," and the ansas "the wolf could bite the big one"

That earned hihed and dropped his head against the seat rest He needed Riley on his side tonight More than that, he had a thousand questions he needed answered Hoas this o down? What was expected of hi he should or shouldn’t do? But as he sat there, peering up at the car’s roof, , he could only h his exchange with Riley, stiff and too quiet, as if she didn’t dare breathe because sheWas she jealous of the time he spent with Mary Ann, as he was often jealous of the time she spent with Riley? Or was she still hurt about earlier? Or both?

Either way, he didn’t like it

He’d dreamed about her for six months before he’d actually met her, and in that time, she’d become the most important part of his life A part he needed, craved Like Mary Ann, she accepted hi Even though her own people considered him unworthy--not to mention his own She understood what it felt like to be considered different She was a princess, set apart And hadn’t he vowed just today to only ever ritted out "If you hurt her again…"

"You’ll call me a bad name?" Aden retorted "Or maybe tell your friends not to like me?" He knew he shouldn’t provoke the wolf Riley’s claws could rip through bone in a blink But again, bite the big one, wolf

Riley growled from low in his throat Expected What wasn’t expected? Victoria laughed, an honest to God laugh

"I’m sorry," she said when Riley tossed her a dark look "But that was funny You knoas"

"Whatever," Riley replied, but there was now suppressed amusement in his tone