“What?” Suna asked.
“We need to speak to her more. Ask her these things directly.”
“We already tried that.”
“No, I gently prodded. She clearly has secrets, but we can learn more about her, her life, her family. If she is not to be trusted, it’s good to know now.”
Ronan didn’t believe she wasn’t trustworthy. At least, she was not the best at hiding her thoughts or feelings. He could tell she was genuine. But he wanted to know more. He was to take on a Silver mate, was he not? She was an option, and he owed it to his pack, and the others, to understand Rem more.
“If you wish. Although careful, brother. These Silvers are humans, and I am sure their heart still belongs to their family and their world.”
“And yet I have to choose one,” he warned.
She knew how much he didn’t like being forced into a mating, especially with females that were external to his world.
“Yes, but this one intrigues you. You’re already playing with her,” Suna teased, trying to lighten the mood.
“Of course. She is a Silver,” he said, looking away. He purposefully left out what her scent did to him. Or how he was curious about her, forhissake, and not just the pack’s. Or how he surveyed her body when she wasn’t looking, wondering how demure the witches had made her… Shifters like him preferredanythingbut modesty in their dens.
His kind enjoyed scents, bites, and tasting what wastheirs.
Those thoughts also felt premature, as he couldn’t forget the way her confession of blackmail rooted deeper in his mind than he anticipated. What plagued her? Why couldn’t she speak of it? Would it affect his decision?
Even more curious, he didn’twantit to affect his decision to choose her. A small fire breathed inside of Rem that ensnared his curiosity.
“If you insist. I will go fetch her.”
“Bring her to the study, in the home itself.”
“Not here?”
He shook his head. “This is private. The study will work.”
R E M
Rem’s bathwas just what she needed to feel fresh again. She even got to use an oily lotion to moisturize her dry skin. As she brushed her hair, the comb glided through the clean, silver strands, the dirt under her nails gone. Nia even rebandaged Rem's leg.
The two of them spent the rest of the night practicing Icelandic. The worst part for Rem was rolling the ‘r’, although she also struggled with the small variations in pronunciation.
During the hour of the moon, Suna appeared at Rem’s door. Nia immediately bowed her head, very low, speaking to the sister of the Alpha.
Rem had been getting ready for bed when she learned that Ronan summoned her.
“Should I change?” Rem asked, feeling completely unprepared for this.
“Suna says no, unless you are cold.”
Rem, of course, wanted to add more clothes, wearing only a thin nightdress.
But her gut insisted she go the way she was. He had already seen her naked, so what would a nightdress do? Ronan needed a Silver, and she needed a mate.
She also needed his help.
Fleeting thoughts of his gaze wandering over her body made her cheeks warm, knowing that her breasts were easily defined through the fabric.
Dare she admit a part of herwantedhim to look?
The walk to the study was full of Rem carelessly biting her lip in nervous anticipation, half distracted by the pain in her aching, deeply wounded calf.
