Free Past My Defenses (Taming the Pack series) (Entangled Ignite) by Wendy Sparrow Page A

this to someone and see what they can recover.”
    “It’s wiped.”
    “It booted up…there’ll be traces of what was on it. Hell, if this is a power trip, and she tried to scare us into thinking poachers were around…”
    “So you don’t think there are poachers in the area?”
    He shook his head. “We’re the strongest western pack.” There was no shortage of pride in his voice. “We’ll keep looking for Cheri for a whole different reason.”
    Vanessa nodded. “Should I go join the others?”
    “No. Go home. Go straight home. Or go join your mate. Just make sure you take your allergy meds with you—and tell him his cat’s days are numbered.”
    “Okay.”
    “And Vanessa?”
    She turned back to him.
    “Just because it’s not poachers doesn’t mean she’s not dangerous. She always feints left in a fight.”
    “How do you know that?” She’d never seen Cheri fight. Though honestly, she might’ve been able to take her. Cheri was much slower even if she looked stronger.
    Jordan grinned, his teeth a strip of white in the darkness. “Cheri was lousy at submission too.”

Chapter Four
    He’d trained in an area that seemed to be made of matchsticks because he was constantly dealing with fires. He felt like his lungs were coated with smoke by the time he’d gotten out of there. The upshot was that he’d slept lightly ever since, and since his previous night was spent watching over a wolf who wasn’t a wolf, he’d gone to bed early.
    So when he felt the presence of another person in his room, staring at him, he jerked awake—even as awareness of who it was seeped into his consciousness. He glanced at his clock. Two a.m. He was going to be worthless mornings if this was her bedtime.
    “It’s creepy as hell to stare at someone while they’re sleeping. Also…on a side note, breaking and entering is a crime,” he said without looking toward her.
    She huffed out a breath in offense.
    He sat up just as he sensed she was getting ready to leave.
    “Vanessa.”
    In the light spilling out from a night-light in the bathroom, he could make out the outline of her standing there with her hands on her hips. “What?”
    Grinning, he pushed out of bed. Her blond hair made her easy to locate, even in the dark.
    “How’d you get in? The doors were all locked.” He waited to see if she’d admit to it.
    “Maybe you left something unlocked,” she said as he approached. Of course she wouldn’t admit to it. Maybe he would have been disappointed if she had.
    When he was only an arm’s length away, he stopped. “Nuh-uh. The only thing I left open was that pet door…and usually I slide the door’s panel closed at night so I don’t get any unexpected visitors. I didn’t close the panel tonight. I expected visitors.”
    She didn’t answer.
    “I see you got the shirt I left for you.” He reached out and fingered the sleeve of his “Tree-Kisser” shirt. His sister had found it hilarious. He usually wore it to run in—under a sweatshirt. She was in front of his dresser, and he stepped forward, backing her against it and put a hand on either side of her. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, “You’re welcome here any time.”
    “I’m not a vampire. You don’t need to invite me in.” Her breathing sounded fast and shallow—he hoped it was arousal and not that she was having allergy issues.
    “No, but this way it’s not breaking and entering.”
    “Mmm.” She inhaled deeply, and moaned softly on the exhale.
    “I can get you a key,” he said, purposefully rubbing his lips on the soft skin below her ear.
    Her palms slid across his chest and around his neck. She had such long, delicate fingers.
    “Plus, if you get here early enough, we can brush our teeth together.” The visual of such domesticity elicited something beyond sexual arousal—it sounded pretty damn good. It sounded like what he’d wanted for a long time. Only it involved her actually sticking around longer than their sparring