Page 84 of Claimed

“You said your family traveled around. You never went to an actual school, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. We were homeschooled.”

“What about your mother? Did she have the same lifestyle, or did she live somewhere?”

She tilts her head, and I know she’s thinking about it, so I keep scanning the search results as I wait for her answer.

“I remember my mom telling me stories about how she often traveled with her parents. Sometimes they would hop on trains, sometimes they would hike for days. I always assumed they were talking about vacations, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe they moved around like we did.”

She turns in my lap to face me, a frown on her face as she asks, “Why did my family do that?”

“There are a few possibilities,” I tell her, my thumb gently caressing her hip as I explain. “They could be running from someone, but it sounds like it could be a multi-generation threat, so I’m not sure what that could be. Another option is that they were just trying to stay hidden, under the radar.”

“Because we’re wolf shifters?” she asks.

“Maybe,” I say, although that isn’t likely. There were many wolf families and packs hiding amongst humans.

“But you don’t think so,” she says, reading my expressions a little too well.

“It’s hard to know for sure,” I explain. “But you would think throughout your grandmother and mother's lifetime, they would have come across a community of shifters safe enough to live with.”

“Maybe shifters are who they were hiding from?” I nod, not liking the theory, but I had thought the same thing. I’m just not sure why yet. “Did you find anything on Dr. J?” she asks when I don’t respond.

“Actually, yes,” I say, switching the browser tab to show her.

She scans the property ownership document as she asks, “Brookfield? How far is that from here?”

“About three to four hours by car.”

“And we’re sure this is him?” she asks, her voice quiet now.

“No. But it’s the best guess we have. The name matches what Finn heard, and this man’s illusiveness makes me think he’s likely involved. What sort of doctor isn’t registered at any hospital or research facility?”

She nods as she stares at the screen. “When do we go?” she asks and I pull her tighter against me.

“You’re not going anywhere near him.”

“But—”

“No, my little omega. Please don’t press us on this. I can’t stand the thought of you being anywhere near that man.”

She turns in my lap, her knees straddling my thighs as she holds my face. “But you’ll all be there to keep me safe.”

I shake my head. “I don’t care.” I trace my finger over the line of heart marks etched into her skin along the top of her chest. “You have no idea how much it hurts, knowing the man who caused each of these deaths is out there, still walking around and breathing. I don’t even want him in the same state as you.”

Her eyes bounce between mine as if searching for something. “Gage, you know I’m like… immortal, right?” she asks gently.

Grabbing her hand, I hold it over my heart as I tell her, “We don’t know what you are. Besides, it doesn’t matter. You will never die again if I have anything to say about it.” I lift her hand and kiss her fingers before adding. “And I do, little omega. I have a lot to say about it. And do you know why?”

I lean forward, my lips close to hers as she shakes her head, her eyes blown wide as the room fills with the sweet scent of her arousal. I brush my lips over hers, not in a kiss, but a tease as I whisper, “Because I’m your fated mate. Your alpha. And if everything I’ve read is true, it’s in your nature to want to please me just as much as it's my nature to protect and care for you.”

I place a ghost of a kiss on the edge of her mouth. “So tell me, little omega, do you want to please your alpha?”

She nods once as she licks her lips and swallows heavily. “Goddess, you smell delectable,” I whisper as I shove my nose in the crook of her neck, letting my teeth graze the skin there. “Hmm, is this where I should put my mating bite?” I ask before sucking the spot below her ear.

She lets out a small gasp, her fingers finding their way to my T-shirt as they dig in. “Hmm…” I hum, pulling back and raising her right hand. I look down at her wrist and grin. “I think I want to put my mark here,” I rub my thumb over the soft skin on the inside of her wrist. “That way you’ll always be able to see it.”

I take a moment to taste the skin there as my dick jerks upright, eager to get in on our playtime. Just the thought of my mark on her is enough to make me come. Luckily, I have more control than that.