Wild Invitation

glass ball in his hand.
    “Why?” Nate insisted.
    Cian scowled at him. “Because Tamsyn said I had to.”
    “She’s less than half your age.”
    “Have you tried to argue with her when she wants to get her own way?” Shaking his head, Cian returned to his task. “Besides, it’s kind of fun. And she’s got the juveniles interested in something other than raising hell, which makes our job easier.”
    Now that Cian had mentioned it, Nate realized just how many of the older kids were present. Even arm-cast-laden Dorian appeared to be having fun. Nate watched as the boy bent down to help a five-year-old paint something on her globe. When she smiled, so did Dorian.
    Turning his head, Nate found Lucas sitting with another group of young ones. Several cubs were trying to use his body as a climbing frame, but from the sharp grin on his face, he didn’t seem to be worried. He called out to someone else and Nate’s eyes followed his gaze to locate another unexpected addition to Tamsyn’s gathering. Vaughn. He was an even worse loner than Dorian. But there he was, patiently helping several of the three-year-olds.
    “They’re happy,” a feminine voice said from beside him.
    He looked down. “You did good.”
    Astonishment was open on her face. “Oh.” A pause. “Thank you.”
    He scowled. “What’s wrong with me complimenting you?”
    “Nothing.” She shrugged, her breasts pushing out against the softness of her black cowl-neck sweater. “You just don’t do it much.”
    He reached out to pinch a bit of her sweater with his fingertips. “What is this stuff?” It was so damn strokable he was having a hard time keeping himself from doing exactly that. Shaping his mate’s body with his palms seemed like the best idea he’d had all day.
    “Angora blend.” She pulled away from his touch and took a step backward. “Do you want to paint an ornament? Or you can help the children.”
    He didn’t like the distance she’d put between them. “What’s the matter with you?”
    Something flickered in her eyes before her lashes lowered to screen her expression. “I’m living my own life. It’s what you want, right?” A small smile. “I’m finally beginning to appreciate what you’ve been trying to tell me.” With that, she went off to check up on a group of giggling teenage girls.
    Nate wondered if he looked as sucker-punched as he felt. She’d pulled that stunt out of nowhere. All these months of fighting him, of demanding he accept their bond, and she was suddenly going to fall in line? Right. He’d believe that when he saw it. Tamsyn had called him every day from New York—she couldn’t shut him out if she tried.
    Twelve hours of near-silence later, long after everyone else had left, he grit his teeth and handed her an ornament. “Thisis the last finished one.” Many had taken theirs home to complete.
    “Thanks.” She hung it on her damn tree before jumping down from the branch on which she’d crouched. “I think it’ll look fabulous when it’s done, don’t you?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned to walk up the path to her door.
    “Where are you going?” He barely kept the growl out of his voice.
    She threw him a confused look. “It’s dark. I’m going to have a bath and dinner.”
    He waited for the invitation to join her. It didn’t come. “Your parents aren’t back.”
    “Oh, don’t worry.” A tight smile accompanied her words. “A few of my girlfriends are dropping by tonight.”
    “Who?”
    “Friends. Actually, do you mind not coming by at all?” she asked. “We can hardly talk girl-talk if we know you’re out here skulking.”
    His temper wasn’t easily stoked. But it was smoking now. “Skulking?”
    She gave him an airy wave. “You know what I mean. We’ll be fine. I even asked some of the other soldiers to swing past during their night watches. You should go do your own thing.” A few seconds later, her door shut behind her.
    He didn’t move, rooted to the spot by pure disbelief. She’d told him to get lost. Nobody told him to get lost. Especially not his mate. He’d taken the first step up the path to her home when he felt someone walk out of the woods behind him. He turned to find Juanita. “What?” It was the leopard speaking.
    “This is part of my night route.” She gave him a curious look. “What are you doing here?”
    What kind of idiotic question was that? “Looking after my mate.”
    Juanita scowled. “You’re on the eastern