She hummed in her throat and said nothing. He let the conversation drop, thinking over what he'd said. He enjoyed sharing pack life with her. She seemed completely out of her depth with wolves, and he could thank her a.s.shole ex for that. Females were not treated well in her ex's pack, and Nila hadn't even had the luxury of being a true mate to him, protected and cared for by his pack. Malachi could admit that it was better this way, though, at least from his perspective. She wasn't wearing her ex's marks on her neck, and Damien's pack hadn't come for her.

He parked in front of Acksel's house and turned in the seat to face her. "When I was a kid, there was a she-wolf in the pack whose mate was a real jerk. He didn't treat her well. He had a gambling problem and wasted what little money they had at the OTB. They had young pups, and there were times when I remember my mom taking food over to her, and my and Mia's old clothes. One night, he hit her and trashed their house. In the morning, our alpha banished him from the pack and dissolved their mating. She moved into the home of a widowed she-wolf and was taken care of by the pack." Nila looked at him curiously but said nothing. "What you're going through now isn't supposed to happen. Damien abused you. His alpha should have stepped in and protected you."

"Damien is the alpha's son."

"Doesn't matter. Females are to be protected at all cost, treasured members of the pack that are never to be harmed."

She swallowed audibly and the scent of fresh tears filled the air. "I'm human."

He shook his head. "It still doesn't matter. You're precious, no matter what your DNA is."

He hugged her, finding the seatbelt release with his fingers so she could be freed, and pulled her closer. She was here with him, and no matter what h.e.l.l was going on outside, in the end it only mattered that she was his.

"When you're free, Nila," he said softly, "I mean really free, I want you to choose me. I want to be your mate and take care of you and Jack."

She tucked her head into his neck and sighed, but said nothing. He was going to take her non-response to mean she was thinking about it, and that was better than a flat-out no. He knew they were a long way from really being together, but the first step could come from him setting things right in her world and making her safe.

Chapter 8.

Nila laid Jack in the play pen in the master bedroom at Malachi's house. He hadn't woken up when they'd taken him from Acksel's house, or when she'd changed him into his footy pajamas and put him to bed. She looked down at him, and then around the room, sighing. The room was very masculine and smelled spicy and dark like Malachi. The furniture was dark wood, the navy carpeting plush under her bare feet. Her emotions were all over the place, her mind a riot of all the things that had happened recently.

Malachi had one of the omegas pack another bag for her and Jack, because when the protectors had gone to Diane's house to check on things, they'd found the bag she packed for herself and Jack destroyed, the clothes and personal items ruined. Two protectors were stationed at her house to make sure nothing else happened. She probably could have argued to go home. The windows had been replaced, the entire house cleaned, and everything that had been damaged had been thrown away. But she didn't want to go home. She didn't want to be in a place where Damien could get to her and Jack again.

Malachi whispered from the doorway, "It's late and I'm going to turn in. I'll be sleeping on the couch in the family room. Call if you need me."

She turned and looked at him. He smiled briefly and moved to leave, and she said, "Wait."

"Yeah?"

She blinked, glancing down as Jack slept soundly in the play pen that had been brought from her house, and then letting her gaze roam to the big bed. "Will you stay with me?"

"I'm not leaving the house," he said, his head tilting in confusion.

She grimaced. "No, I mean in here. With me."

The silence between them made her fidget and kind of wish she hadn't said anything. Wasn't it enough that he was in the house with them? Shouldn't she just be grateful for all Malachi had done?

He moved so quickly and silently that she gasped in surprise when he was suddenly in front of her. "You have a very expressive face."

"Um, thanks?"

He chuckled. "I wasn't saying no to the request, I was just arguing with my wolf a bit."

"You talk about him like he's another person inside you."

"He is, in a way, but not a person. I have normal human thoughts, but then sometimes the more wild part of me makes itself known. The wolf can be very vocal about certain things."

"What things?" Her voice came out breathy.

"You, mostly. Being around you makes him antsy."

She didn't have to ask what he meant by that, because she could see the answer in his eyes. Before she could say anything else, he said, "I'll sleep in the bed with you, Nila, but you have to promise to keep your hands to yourself."

She rolled her eyes. "I think I can control myself."

He grinned, that adorable dimple showing, and walked into the adjoining bathroom. She heard the water running in the sink and took the opportunity to change into the sleep shirt that was tucked into her bag. She was staring into the bag when Malachi came into the room.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Who packed my stuff?"

"Jeremiah, why?"

"He touched my things."

He looked confused. "And? Since your other bag was trashed, I asked him to pack you a new bag with a few days of clothes. Did he forget something you need?"

"No, it's just weird that a stranger went through my drawers." She lifted up a black lace thong. "He only grabbed my s.e.xy undies."

Malachi chuckled. "He might be a non but he's still a man."

"What's a non?"

"A full wolf who can't shift. Do you want me to beat him up for touching your s.e.xy things? I really don't mind that he packed that kind of stuff."

She snorted. "I bet you don't."

After cleaning up in the bathroom, she joined Malachi on the big bed. She didn't even have time to wonder if he wanted to cuddle with her, because as soon as she climbed onto the bed he hauled her up next to him and covered them with a blanket. A click sounded and the table lamp next to the bed was turned off.

The room was bathed in darkness, but a sliver of light from the hallway was showing through the cracked door. Malachi curved himself around her back, letting her use his bicep as a pillow. He was naked save for a pair of boxer briefs, and she felt the ridge of his arousal against her back.

She moved to turn onto her back to see him, but he prevented it. "If you turn around, sweetheart, then things are going to get s.e.xy really quickly. It's better if we just sleep, especially since we're not alone in the room at the moment."

Her cheeks heated. "Fine," she said, finding the humor of the situation, "be all n.o.ble and keep your hands to yourself."

His warm lips found her neck and he nipped her gently before kissing the mark. "It's only because I don't want to wake Jack when I make you scream in pleasure, okay? Don't think I don't want you, because I do. I want to make you come a hundred times, taste you, touch you, make love to you."

A shiver raced down her spine and her nipples beaded. "Malachi," she whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. We'll pick this up another time, when we're not in the same room with your son."

She closed her eyes and tried to quell the desire that rushed through her. It wasn't hard when he pointed out that Jack was right there, sleeping soundly in the play pen. Thank goodness Malachi was thinking clearly enough for the both of them.

"Goodnight, Mal."

He kissed her neck again and murmured goodnight. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep. In her last bit of wakefulness, she wondered at her feelings for the protective male. She'd been so intent on keeping him away from her and Jack, but here she was just a few weeks after meeting him, letting him hold her while they slept and taking refuge in his home. She didn't know what the dawn would bring, but she wasn't as worried about it as she would have been if she were alone. Malachi was taking care of her, and she had no doubt that he would continue to do so. There was something very honest and real about him. He wasn't trying to charm her or lull her into complacency. He was just a good guy, right down to the very center of his being.

She wanted to tell him that she was sorry for being such a b.i.t.c.h, but when she opened her mouth she yawned instead and decided to tell him in the morning. Relaxing in his arms, she absorbed the warmth and comfort of him and slipped away into sleep.

Monday morning, Kammie opened the front door and smiled at Malachi as he wheeled an older human woman up the makeshift ramp to Kammie's front porch. "Good morning, I'm Kammie," she said, smiling at the woman.

The woman's face was black and blue from a severe beating, and her left arm and right ankle were in casts.

"I'm Diane. Thanks for taking me in." The woman smiled in spite of the bruises and cuts on her face, and Kammie smiled back. Kammie knew what it felt like to be beaten by a wolf, and according to Malachi, Diane had been attacked by several of them because she'd harbored Nila, Malachi's human mate, who had a crazy wolf ex.

Malachi introduced Nila to Kammie as Jeremiah took over, pushing Diane into the front room. Earlier that day, Jeremiah and Adam, both omegas, had brought over a hospital bed and a suitcase of Diane's things, and oversaw a human male from Malachi's security company as he installed a system in her home to make sure they were well protected. Kammie's home was going to be watched over by the protectors to make sure that Nila's ex didn't try to harm either of them. Kammie had suffered enough at the hands of her uncle during her teen years to know that she wanted to help keep Diane safe. At least Kammie had the ability to heal faster because of her wolf nature, and she was stronger than a human and could shift and escape if she needed to.

Nila came up the ramp swiftly and hugged Kammie. "Thank you so much. Diane is the only family I have left outside of my son."

Malachi cleared his throat noisily and Nila looked at him with a raised brow. "We're not official yet, I haven't said yes."

He hummed in his throat and Kammie had the distinct feeling that if she hadn't been there, Malachi would have enjoyed making Nila say 'yes' to whatever question she was referring to. Probably to mate with him. Kammie smiled at Nila and said, "I'll take good care of her. Come by anytime. Malachi has my cell and house phone numbers, and I'll report to him if anything is up."

"She'll be safe here with the patrols, Nila," Malachi said. "Go say goodbye so I can take you to work. We can stop by after dinner and you can spend time with her if you'd like." Nila smiled again and left Kammie on the porch.

Kammie wrapped her thick sweater tightly around herself as Malachi turned to her. "There are three protectors patrolling your home. They'll be in six-hour shifts, but there will always be three guys here. If anything looks off at all to you, call me immediately. I don't care what time it is. It's important to me that you and Diane are safe."

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. Thank you."

She nodded at the big male and turned and headed into the house. Diane had been settled into the hospital bed that was tucked into the corner of the family room. Nila was sitting on the edge and holding Diane's uninjured hand. Both of them had tears on their faces. Kammie stepped into her bedroom and brought out a box of tissues, handing it to Nila discreetly. Then she went into the kitchen and busied herself with breakfast.

Nila stopped into the kitchen to say goodbye, leaving with the omegas and Malachi. Kammie carried a lap tray to Diane. "Your meds say you need to take them with food. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I stocked the kitchen with all sorts of things."

Diane looked at the tray, laden with scrambled eggs, pancakes, apple juice, and bottled water.

"Oh, it's perfect. I haven't had anyone cook for me in ages; I'm always the one cooking for everyone." She lifted the fork in her right hand and said, "Thank goodness those a.s.sholes didn't break my right arm, or I'd have to learn how to do everything left-handed."

"It's good to find the humor in these situations," Kammie said.

Diane swallowed a bite of pancakes as Kammie opened the water for her. "Sounds like you know something about being knocked around."

"Yeah. But he's gone and won't be back."

"How do you know?"

"He was banished. If he shows up in town, Acksel will kill him."

Diane raised a brow. "I think I like your alpha."

Kammie brought out her own food and sat with Diane, and then after the dishes were put away, she walked into the family room to ask Diane if she'd like to watch TV and found her trying to open a new package of cards.

"Can you shuffle? I'm out of commission but I'd love to play some UNO, if you're up for a few games."

"I'd love to."

Sitting on the bed, she made herself comfortable and shuffled while Diane moved the lap tray until it was between the two of them.

"I might be a bit of a card shark," Diane said with a wink.

"I'll watch out for you, then," Kammie said, chuckling as she dealt out the cards. She could tell she was going to enjoy Diane living with her. As a human, Diane wouldn't pressure Kammie like some of the she-wolves did, demanding that she make herself available to work for them. Even though all females were omegas, some of the females thought they were better than others, as if service to the pack was beneath them. Those females, who treated Kammie like a second-cla.s.s citizen and saw her as too weak to be of any real value, ordered Kammie to cook and clean for them, threatening to tell the alphas she wasn't performing her duties. Kammie spent a lot of time hiding from the pack during the full moon hunts because her body was scarred from her uncle's abuse. She liked letting her guard down with the sweet human. It was nice to be appreciated without feeling obligated.

Kammie tried to focus on the cards, but she found her mind wandering to something Jeremiah had said to her earlier in the day.

"I'm thinking of going, you know?" he said, after he'd brought in the hospital bed.

She had looked up at him in surprise.

"Leaving? What do you mean?"

He'd shrugged his broad shoulders and looked away from her. "It's hard to be on the bottom. At least you like being an omega; I'm forced to it because of my genetics."

"Where would you go?" She didn't mind being an omega. She liked to help, and that's what omegas did.

"I don't know. Somewhere. Anywhere but a place where everyone looks down on me for not being able to shift."

"I don't think less of you for not being able to shift. You know how much flack I get for never shifting in the yard with the others? They think I'm weak because of my scars and my fears."

Jeremiah shook his head, turning his brown eyes to her. "I don't think you're weak."

"I don't think you are, either. Screw genetics. Genetics gave me a rotten uncle and terrible father."

He smiled half-heartedly and said, "Thanks for listening to me b.i.t.c.h, but don't say anything to anyone, okay?"

She nodded at him and he'd left, but the conversation had stuck with her. Maybe the right thing for her to do was take off. She could walk away from the pack and find a new life somewhere. Maybe get some land somewhere so she could hunt in her own territory and not worry about who was looking at her scars and thinking she was damaged. Now, playing cards with Diane, Kammie was beginning to see the benefits of leaving the pack life behind. It's not like her mate was in Wilde Creek. If he was, she'd yet to meet him. Maybe she'd run into him someday in the woods and he'd sweep her off her feet.

She snorted, laying down a red 'draw two' card and making Diane curse. Shoving aside the thoughts of her current status as an unmated omega, she turned her attention to the card game. She'd find a mate someday and he wouldn't care that she was scarred. Jeremiah would find his happily ever after too, she was sure of it.

And birds could suddenly fly out of her b.u.t.t.

Snorting at her dreamy sub-conscious and her snarky inner b.i.t.c.h, she laid down a 'draw four' card and Diane cursed a blue streak while she pulled more cards from the deck. "I'll get you back, don't worry about me."

Kammie grinned. "I'm sure. UNO."

"d.a.m.n it!"