“No, she doesn’t.” Alpha females were rare and had to fight hard for pack or pride dominance, with the males below her always ready to take her down. The few alpha females Sean had met were more ruthless than any alpha male and would rip the heart out of said male the instant he couldn’t make eye contact with her. With alpha females, a male had to be constantly on guard, or preferably, in another state.
“Not quite what I mean, no,” Dylan said. “Andrea isn’t an alpha. But at the same time, she doesn’t give a damn how alpha anyone else is. When Glory brought her home, Andrea walked right up to me and looked me in the eyes. No avoidance, no submissiveness. Her stare wasn’t bravado or defiance; she just didn’t care. Glory still has a hard time meeting my eyes, even after all these years, but not Andrea. I see Andrea do the same to you. It’s as though she has no interest in the hierarchy, like she’s somehow outside it.”
Sean had noticed that, and her lack of fear somehow spiked his libido. “Maybe she learned the trick because she grew up more or less at the mercy of her own pack. The Colorado Shiftertown is pretty insular, and they always treated her like an outsider. It couldn’t have been easy on her, poor lass.”
“Granted. But it’s something to watch.” Dylan came to Sean, put his strong hand on his son’s shoulder. “Be careful of her.”
“Don’t worry. I plan to watch Andrea very closely.” From an inch away, if Sean had his way. Better still, from even closer. “Are you staying here tonight then?”
Dylan let his gaze drift to the eastern window, through which they could see the line of Glory’s house. “No,” he said quietly. “No. I’ll be next door if you need me.”
Sean nodded, and then father and son stepped together and shared a long embrace. Sean and Dylan were the same height, Dylan’s hair as dark as Sean’s except for a bit of gray at the temples.
“You need her, Dad,” Sean said. “Shifters, we’re not meant to be alone.”
They released each other, and Dylan stepped back. He broke eye contact first, and that fact pulled at Sean’s heart.
“Good night, son.”
“’Night, Dad.”
Dylan left. Sean watched with mixed emotions as Dylan crossed the yards between the houses and lightly ran up onto Glory’s back porch, entering the house without knocking.
Sean’s father did need Glory, as interesting as that lady was. Dylan was slowly conceding his place in the pride to Sean and Liam, and he needed someone to both soothe him and distract him from the pain of that.
Andrea had the nightmare again. This time the threads that bound her were white, so bright they blinded her. She fought, screamed, kicked as they wound tighter and tighter, ivylike fingers slicing into her wrists and ankles.
Andrea. It was a whisper, the silver threads of it tangling around the wires that already held her. Andrea. Beautiful one.
Andrea screamed loud and long.
“Andrea!”
Andrea jumped awake and sat up straight. Sean Morrissey stood inside her open window, in his underwear, the glare from the harsh streetlight streaming in behind him.
CHAPTER SIX
Andrea yelped and yanked the covers up to her shoulders. “Sean, what the hell are you doing in here?”
“I heard you yelling,” Sean said, as calmly as though they stood in the middle of a park. “My window, it faces yours. And you left yours unlocked.” He turned and pulled down the sash, closing off the frigid air.
“I’m on the second floor. In the middle of a well-patrolled Shiftertown.”
“A second floor easy to reach by climbing onto the porch roof. Piece of cake to a cat.”
As he came closer to the bed, Andrea saw fully what he was wearing. Or not wearing. A T-shirt and underwear, easy to peel off for the shift, to slide back on once he made it to the roof.
“Briefs,” Andrea said. “I knew it.”
“Have you got a blanket I can wrap myself in, love? It’s bloody cold in here.”
“You’re the one who decided to turn into a cat and climb in through my window.”
“I did. Had to leave most of my clothes behind to do it too.”
He sounded so nonchalant, as though this were nothing unusual. And maybe it wasn’t to Sean. Not that Andrea could imagine any ladies locking the window to keep him out. He stood tall and tight, his hands on his hips, silhouetted against the light outside. His body made the wolf in her want to howl.
Hurried footsteps sounded in the hall, and the door of her bedroom swung open to reveal Glory, resplendent in silver pants, camisole, and gauzy robe. She was tense, poised to shift, but she relaxed when she saw Sean.
“Ah.” She gave a throaty laugh. “I guess it’s Felines for both of us tonight.”
“Sean and I are just chatting,” Andrea said before he could speak. “Everything’s under control.”
Glory’s smile spoke volumes. “Of course it is. Good night.” She turned, robe floating, and closed the door behind her.
“About the blanket,” Sean said. “It’s still bloody cold.”
“I thought you were a big, bad Feline Shifter.”
“I am. Now I’m a cold one.”
“I also thought you were leaving.”
“I never said that.” Sean sat on the edge of her bed. “You’re shaking like a leaf and you smell of fear. Tell me about these nightmares, love. After you lend me a blanket.”
He was right about the fear. Sean waking her abruptly had sent the nightmare fleeing, but Andrea couldn’t stop shivering, even though her skin was clammy with sweat. The dreams were incoherent but at the same time terrifying as hell.
Sean might say he was cold, but his body radiated warmth. So much warmth. She wanted it. Her libido noted every line of his strong, hard body; the curl of his hair at the base of his neck; the sensual mouth that had kissed her so masterfully today. Twice. But right now, she longed even more for his Shifter touch, his comfort.
She eased down a corner of the covers and moved over, inviting him in.
Sean’s eyes glittered as they flicked to her, his chest rising with a quick intake of breath. Just when Andrea thought he’d refuse, Sean took hold of the covers, lifted them, and slid into the bed with her.
Sean laid himself down next to Andrea, wondering if this weren’t the biggest mistake of his life. She had a double bed, so there was room for him, but the damn bed wasn’t that big. Not big enough that his legs didn’t touch hers, that when he put his head on the pillow, her face wasn’t inches away from his.