HOPEI was still in Nicco’s arms, held tightly when he asked me what we should do.  I didn’t answer, just leaned forward and gently took his earlobe in my mouth.  And then I began to suck on it.Nicco moaned again and began moving, but not in the direction of the bedroom.  He crossed the room in three steps, gently putting me on my back on the couch.  I held open my arms to him, but he shook his head. “I want you now,” he demanded, his voice husky.  I nodded, raising my arms above my head.  Nicco pulled my top off from me and tossed it to the ground before struggling out of his shirt.  I watched, an eyebrow raised, enjoying seeing the rippling of his muscles.  I licked my lips. Nicco reached down and pulled me to my feet, turning me around and pulling my pants off my hips in one smooth motion.  I stepped out of them, and he kicked them in the general direction of my shirt.&nb

NICCOHope fell asleep in the car on the way home, sprawled on the seat with her head on my lap. I looked down at her, a smile on my face. She was perfect tonight. My Luna.I caught Vinnie looking at me in the rear-view mirror. I frowned at him and his response was a huge grin. “You can’t fool me, Alpha,” he said, quietly. “Sweet Hope has finally captured your heart, too.”I let my features soften. “Yeah,” I admitted. “She has.” I reached down my finger and stroked her cheek. “She was really good tonight, wasn’t she, Vinnie.” Vinnie nodded. “She sure was. She’s going to be a great Luna.”“I hope so,” I said, softly, not wanting to wake her. That was true. I really hoped she would be a good Luna. I still had doubts because she wasn’t a shifter, but that punch to Angelica’s mouth today was a pretty good one. Not many human women could best a she-wolf. I was assuming she caught Angelica by surprise, but still. That was a good shot.Vinnie smoothly pulled up in front of

NICCOI looked at my watch with irritation. It was 10:30 and I had pushed my meeting to be done sooner so that I could hang out with my mate. She had said she would be here by nine but she was nowhere to be seen and she wasn’t answering her phone. I picked up my phone and called Eloise.“I waved goodbye to her around 8:15, Alpha,” Eloise said, her voice tinged in worry.“Did she have anything with her?” I asked, sharply, wondering for a moment if she had run away.“No, Alpha. A small purse, that’s it.” Eloise seemed even more worried now. I sighed. “Will you call down to the front? Find out who called her a cab.” I disconnected and looked at Vinnie. He also looked worried.“She wouldn’t run, Alpha. She loves you.” Vinnie seemed to be picking up on my doubts. I sighed.“I marked her last night,” I admitted. “Maybe it scared her.”Vinnie shrugged. “I doubt it. Hope is different. She’s tough. If she had a problem with it, she would have talked to you about it.”“Or just

NICCO “We have an approximate location, Alpha,” Vinnie said softly.  I knew that there was something he wasn’t saying.  An approximate location would be good enough.  We were wolves.  Our wolves would find her scent and then find her. “It’s near the Fishermans’ Harbor,” Vinnie explained.  I groaned.  The overwhelming smell of dried seaweed, rancid fish and the stagnant waters that got caught among the rocks was hard on our wolves.  They wouldn’t be able to track her down there. “Phone number is registered to a Billy Horton,” Vinnie said.  “That’s her stepdad.” “He found her,” I said quietly.  I knew that Hope still had nightmares about what happened to her when he took custody of her at fourteen.  I had vowed to someday find him and kill him so that she didn’t ever have to wonder if he was after her. “Looks like it,” Vinnie said.  “Charlie didn’t find anything at Angelica’s apartment. 

HOPEI could feel hands on me again and I started screaming, trying to fight through the drugs and the electricity. Then a sense of calm overcame me and I knew it was Lupo reaching out through the mate bond, soothing me. “How do I turn this off?” I heard Nicco frantically scream at someone. I feebly tried to move my arms. “There’s a box that the wires are attached to,” I mumbled, my body still jerking with the electrical impulses flooding through it. I was getting to the point where I was about to pass out and I fought through the blackness. I was afraid if I passed out, Nicco would somehow disappear, and I couldn’t take that. I wasn’t sure he was real.“I got it, Alpha!” I could hear Vinnie’s voice. Then, mercifully, the electricity stopped, and my body stopped jerking. Nicco rolled me over and cradled me in his arms. I could see Vinnie, his clothing in shreds. He must have shifted to come find me.“Is there a blanket we can put on her?” Nicco asked. I was shaking, but no