“Jesus, man,” Zan blurted, startled. He offered his friend a hand. “What the hell was that all about?”

“Didn’t you see it?” He let Zan help him up and stood by his chair, clearly rattled. Wild-eyed, he spun in place, searching every inch of the dining room for the specter.

“I didn’t see crap except you falling out of your chair looking like you’d seen a ghost. You did, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Shit.” He tugged at his hair in distress. “But I’ve never had one attack me before. I felt the damned thing go right through me.”

“No way,” Jax said from nearby, frowning. “You all right?”

“Yeah. Or I will be, soon as I get the image out of my head of the Grim Reaper telling me I’m worthless and to die.”

This caused no little alarm among his friends, who peppered him with questions. Kalen made sure to interject a couple as well, just to throw off any suspicion. When all was said and done, the group chalked it up as a random occurrence, not that Ryon was all that convinced. Appetite gone, the man excused himself and left.

Another twinge of guilt speared Kalen’s chest. He’d upset a good man for nothing other than the sheer pleasure of watching another suffer. Worse, not everyone was fooled into thinking the incident was totally “random.”

Mackenzie was glaring daggers at him. His chest tightened as she stood and stalked to his table. “I want to talk to you. Alone.”

Out of self-preservation, he went on the offense. “You didn’t take a big enough chunk out of my hide last night? Want a knife so you can finish the job, baby?”

Leaning over, she whispered ominously in his ear, “I know what you just did. So unless you want everyone here to listen to our conversation, I suggest you come with me. Baby.”

Straightening, she marched out. Fuck me.

Ignoring the curious glances directed his way, he wiped his mouth, tossed his napkin onto his plate, and followed along. She led him down the corridor, not speaking again until she pulled him into the team’s empty conference room. Perching one hip on the table, she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look of pure disgust.

“Want to tell me what the hell that was about back there?”

Damn, she looked sexy when she got all butch like that. It was a side of his doc that didn’t come out often, and it turned him on. Probably not a smart idea to point that out right now.

Giving his full attention to her, he realized she wasn’t just angry—she was disappointed. She couldn’t hide the emotion in her blue eyes, or the exhaustion. He wondered if she’d slept any after she’d left last night.

He cared. Even though she’d rejected him, he cared far too much about her feelings. Her well-being. The thought of Mackenzie hurting, hurt him in turn.

“How did you guess it was me?” he asked hoarsely, slumping into a chair.

“I didn’t have to guess. We’re mates now, remember?” she spat. “I can’t read your thoughts, but every emotion in you is coming through loud and clear to me. Including your rage and your guilt.”

He tensed. “Since when?”

“This morning when you came to breakfast. I started to feel all of it, right after you walked in, and I know it’s coming from you. If you focus, you can probably read mine, too.”

“I don’t need to feel them to get that you’re upset,” he muttered.

“Upset?” She stared at him, incredulous. “Kalen, what you did to Ryon may seem harmless, but the intent behind the act is very serious. Why would you do something like that?”

His gaze dropped to his boots.

“My God, that Unseelie creep has an even bigger hold on you than I thought. What does he have that lures you in?” Her anger dissipated, replaced by fear, and she gasped. “You haven’t become . . . intimate with him, have you?”

His mouth fell open. “No!” He shook his head, stomach lurching at the mere thought—and that she would even suspect him of having sex with the Unseelie. His panther snarled in displeasure at the image of bedding anyone but his mate. “No way. Not like you mean. I’d never lie to you about that.”

She blew out a breath and nodded. Some of her color returned. “Okay. Then how is it that he gets to you?”

“You know part of it. He plays to my insecurities and sympathizes with all of the shit I’ve been through,” he admitted with difficulty. “He tells me everything I’ve always longed to hear from my father. He tells me how proud he is of me, and when I please him . . . he gives me a blood reward.”

She stilled. “His, or someone else’s?”

“His. It’s like a designer drug my system already craves, and now I don’t know how I’ll stop.”

She lowered her head and fell silent. When a tear slid down her cheek, Kalen pushed to his feet, intending to gather her in his arms, but she put out a hand to stop him. “This is so messed up. I don’t know how to deal with any of this, or with you.”

Agony speared his heart. “If I’m just another problem you have to deal with, then maybe I’m not worth the fight. At least Malik thinks I am.”

That was a low blow, and it produced instant results. Pushing from the edge of the table, she took a couple of quick steps forward and swung her hand. Her palm struck his cheek with a resounding crack that echoed throughout the room. He didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

“Don’t ever compare me to that murdering piece of scum, not ever again!” she shouted. “There isn’t a single person in this building whose life he hasn’t almost destroyed! Is that really what you want? To help that bastard kill your friends? Maybe even kill you?”

“No. It’s not what I want at all.” Any second, he was going to implode. How much more could he take?

“Then fight him! Otherwise, you’re not the man I thought you were.”

“But I can’t—”

She wasn’t listening anymore. Turning, she stalked from the room, flinging open the door so hard it bounced against the wall and chipped the paint.

“I can’t fight without you,” he whispered to the empty air. His mate was the only good and pure thing keeping his head above water.

Without Mackenzie, he would sink into the depths of hell and never emerge.

Eight

Mac swept past the front desk, ignoring Noah’s tentative question.

“Doc? You okay?”

She kept going. When she reached the sanctity of her office, she slammed the door shut and stood there, chest heaving. A wave of dizziness swamped her and the room began to spin. She wavered, put out a hand, realizing she was about to go down—

And a strong hand caught her arm, steadying her.

“Whoa! Easy there,” Nick said soothingly. “Come on, sit down.” He helped her into one of the two guest chairs in front of her desk and took a seat beside her, patting her hand.

“Thanks. I didn’t see you there.” She took a few deep breaths, rubbing the tears from her tired eyes.

“I just got here, thought I’d sit down and wait for you. Better now?”

“I think so.”

“Do I have to ask what—” He halted in midsentence, eyes widening. “Oh, Mac. Christ, don’t tell me what I’m picking up is true.”

“Depends on what you think it is,” she hedged.

“Don’t tell me you’re pregnant with Kalen’s baby,” he said softly.

She swallowed hard. “Jeez, it’s hard to keep a secret when you’re living with a bunch of Psy-wolves.”

Her attempt to joke fell flat. Nick’s lips didn’t so much as twitch. “Does Kalen know? I met with him yesterday and I didn’t pick up on anything.”

“If he knew, you would’ve been picking him up off the floor.” She sniffled. “Things between us have been a roller-coaster ride, to say the least. No, the perfect time to drop the bombshell hasn’t exactly presented itself.”

“Not to mention how scared you are for your baby, and that’s getting in the way of telling him the truth.”

She nodded miserably, trying not to cry again. “I know in my heart he would never intentionally harm our child.”