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What he found uest rooms had been aired Nor had the brothers' childhood bedroom Sheets still draped all the furniture, the s sealed tight

Griht of stairs to the master suite Of course, it had been readied Munro, you prick Treating Will like he was master of the keep?

Chloe blithely entered, then turned in place "It's beautiful," she breathed

He understood her appreciation Softly lit by another fire, the airy suite stretched froantly appointed, though differently froh bed had been replaced with an enored for more modern pieces The handwoven brocades hiswere gone, replaced by lighter textiles The coverlet had a narrow border of plaid, the MacRieve tartan

Chloe crossed to a curving bank of s "What's that forest called?"

"The Woods of Murk," he grated, fists balling The woods where his e lay inside that forest Remember, Will Remember hoeak you were

Whatever Chloe detected in his voice drew her gaze She see his reaction

"It's a place you will never go"

With a glare, she turned to the opposite wall, to another bank of s From there she could see the woods to the north and the courtyard below In the center was a sera cherry tree in full blooer It'd been there since he was a child

When she saw it, she gave a little gasp As if spurred by some invisible force, he joined her No, not an invisible force-it had to be her strew Was it getting stronger?

They fell silent, watching the breeze flutter petals He knew both of the about that one perfect day

Still gazing down, she said, "You really screwed yourself, MacRieve Every day could've been like that An eternity of therateful that you haven't beheaded , she padded toward the walk-in closet "Oh, my God, it's full of new clothes! And they're ones I'd actually wear"

Draining his glass, he peered into the closet, saw jeans, long-sleeved T-shirts, no-frills button-downs, and blazers There were running shoes and even tiny cleats A new set of luggage stood by As if Chloe would be traveling?

She turned to hireen with e this"

Succubus green A shock of anger hammered him "I would no' do this for you You'd best thank Munro" That bastard had provided her with things that Will hadn't

She arments

Had his brother picked out the lingerie she was now ruh? The red silks that would quicken any wolf's blood?

There was a piece of paper taped to the closet door She handed it to him "I can't read this It's in either Gaelic or Wolf"

A printed out e- jackass Cassandra picked out all the clothes Consider theifts from you-for the new mistress of the keep

Mistress? Then that would htily Conall belonged to both brothers Yet Munro kept giving hints that Will would live here with Chloe

Probably to protect the clan Will had already been shuffled to the fringe

Chloe turned back to her neardrobe,why I couldn't be Munro's mate You both look the same-"

Will lunged forward, snatching her upper arm to yank her from the closet "You push too far, woh to stretch over nine centuries He growled, "Is it him that you want?"

"Why wouldn't I? At least he's been decent to me"

As Will's grip tightened, he wondered why he was so surprised by this It was only a matter of time before Chloe strayed Munro would never touch her, but any other red-blooded male

"Let go, MacRieve" When she couldn't budge his hand, she punted his leg "Don't touch me!"

"Best get used toyou Soon I will no' be able to help ht now"

"What?" Her face paled evenher bruise "No No way"

"Oh, aye I could barely concentrate on the road, co"

"But you said it would madden you"

"It's getting stronger," he said, the truth-yet it was not so si him differently than Ruelle's had Perhaps because Chloe was his mate

Ruelle's had controlled hi him over both physically and mentally, an even more shuddersome proposition He was compelled not only to mate her, but to clasp her to his chest, tolook that was on her face right now

He resisted it with everything in him My will is my own

"I wish I could stop," she said "It's not consciously done"

"That's all you have to say? Do you have any idea what it's like to have no control of your mind? Your body?"

A flash of irritation crossed her face "You're kidnapping and terrorizing ot a clue"

"Kidnapping? Try saving your arse I've brought you to an isolated location for your own safety"

She pinched the bridge of her nose "You don't seem surprised that I've started this"

"I kneas only a matter of time"

"If that's true, and you believed I couldn't escape, then you fully intended to be with mesexually?"

"There were two scenarios for me to choose from: let another male have my mate, or take you myself My Lykae Instinct and my beast would never allow another to fk you, which meant there really was no choice I'm compelled to claim you"

She sank down on theseat, as if the mere idea exhausted her "Compelled? You are the ain, what the hell did I ever do to you?"

He didn't have a ready answer Yes, she'd pulled hie But that wasn't her fault

She'd been his dreaain, not her fault

"You canna have it both ways, canna fill the air with your cheot my hands tied"

"You're cool with this? To have sex with someone who doesn't truly desire you as a person? Who only wants not to feel pain anymore?"

"My predicament exactly," he lied He'd never desired another so fiercely "It will happen tonight, Chloe Prepare yourself And gods help us both"

Chapter Thirty-Two

Blech, blech

Chloe drew the wastebasket toward her, then spat out a mouthful of saltines as if they were radioactive

Surrounding her on the floor was a moat of cracker wrappers and crumbs