My blood was boiling, and I could barely think.

“I want you,” I whispered against her lips when she pulled away to breath.  “Claiming isn’t enough.  I want you as my Mate, as my forever, Gabby.”

She smiled her beautiful secret smile that made my knees weak, then threaded her fingers in my hair.  I knew I was trouble.  I couldn’t take any more.  I’d give in.  She pressed her lips to mine at the same time she arched into me.  The ache riding in my pants turned to fire.  My hold on the counter tightened, and I arched back into her.

The kitchen door opened.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to growl at whoever it was or beg for help.

“Just give in to her already,” Isabelle said.

I pulled back to look at her, and Gabby made a small sound of protest and started to kiss my neck.  That same damn sensitive spot where she Claimed me.  It was like there was a target painted on it now.

Doing my best to remain focused on Isabelle and Carlos, I shook my head.  With them present, there was no way I’d give into Gabby.  A public Claiming she could handle.  A public Mating...she’d kill me.

“Fine,” Isabelle said.  “Then this is going one of two ways.  I can rip that lust from her, which would keep her high, or you can man up and walk away.”

I almost did growl at her then.

“Believe it or not, I’m trying to be helpful.  I just can’t stick around with all this emotion.  And according to grandma, I can’t leave either.  What Gabby’s broadcasting needs to stop.  Now.”

She was right.  It did need to stop.

I kissed Gabby’s forehead and tried to move away, but Gabby wasn’t having any of that.  She pressed against me firmly and nipped my neck, weakening my resolve to walk away.

“Bethi,” Isabelle yelled.

A minute later, Bethi joined the crowd of voyeurs.  Gabby was going to be so mad at me.

“Help Clay,” Isabelle said.  “I can’t touch Gabby.”

Bethi stepped forward and laid a firm grip on Gabby.

“Come on.  Clay needs to go, and you need to make Sam some coffee.”

As soon Gabby’s hands here loosened from my hair, I bolted.  Gabby made a small, upset sound, and I wanted to howl as the screen door slammed closed behind me.

With all the crap going on, I should have just given into her.  Bethi had said the only true way to protect Gabby was to be Mated, that the Urbat couldn’t break that if they ever took her from me again.  Why had I hesitated?  Because I couldn’t have taken advantage of her like that.  She wasn’t herself.  As much as I wanted her forever, I wanted her on her terms so she’d never have regrets when it came to our Mating.

And where did my nobility leave me?  Pacing by the damn cars, so stiff I could barely walk.

The door opened again.

“Now you can help me,” Isabelle said, waving for me to follow as she strode toward the barn.

It was only then that I noticed everyone else waiting in the opening of barn doors.

I followed Isabelle and listened to her speak to Winifred.

“Bethi won’t be able to handle Gabby on her own, and I can’t take anymore emotions.  I need you all to go back inside, help Bethi and Gabby, and stay away from me.”

The girl either had no idea to whom she spoke, or didn’t give a damn.  I figured it was probably the second; Isabelle had guts.

The interior of the barn was lit.  She continued inside as she gave orders.

“Ethan, can you grab our new bags from the car?  Carlos, can you ask around for some blankets?  If we have to stay, I can’t sleep inside the house tonight.”

She turned and looked at me with a grin.

“You look like you need to burn off some energy.  How are you at fighting?”

*    *    *    *

An hour later, I walked back to the main house, more relaxed and a little sore.  Isabelle was a fighter through and through.

The house was quiet when I entered.  Thomas and Charlene where lying on the couch with Jim and the Elders on the floor.  Michelle and Emmitt and Luke and Bethi were missing, probably in a bedroom.  I followed Gabby’s scent upstairs and found her asleep on the bed.  Just seeing her was enough to heat my blood again.  The remembered feel of her lips on my neck hit me hard.

I paced for a few minutes before I joined her on top the covers.

“Clay?” she murmured sleepily, reaching for me.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.  Are we safe to stay the night?”

She yawned and nodded.

“Nothing close by.  They are netting out from where they almost had us.  We’ll need to leave in the morning.”

I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her close to my side.  She sighed and laid her had on my chest, sleepily nuzzling me.

“Go to sleep, Gabby.  I’ll be here for you in the morning.”

Thankfully, she listened.

I didn’t sleep; I just held her.  When the sun started to rise, I went downstairs and checked the refrigerator.  It was well stocked as I figured it would be.

Setting out three dozen eggs, I started breakfast.  Those in the living room started moving, and after a few minutes, Sam joined me.

“Gabby herself yet?”

“She’s not up, but she seemed better when I came in last night.”

Sam nodded and started making coffee.

“I’m going talk to Gabby about leaving,” I said, cracking the last egg into the bowl.

Sam stopped his coffee preparations to look at me.

“You’re not talking about checking the way this morning to get back on the road, are you?”

“No.”

“It’s not safe out there for her.  She’s safer with us.”

“Is she?  She was pulled from a car yesterday.  If not for Isabelle...”

Sure Isabelle had saved her, but she’d probably almost killed her too.

“According to Bethi, we need Gabby.  We need all of them to finish this.”

“Sam, I’d let the world go to hell to keep her safe.”

“I know, son, but she would resent you for it.  Gabby isn’t the type of person to let people suffer just to save herself.  And neither are you.”

“What are you saying?”

Sam sighed and rubbed his chest.

“I’m saying we all need to be ready to make sacrifices, son.”

I stared down at the eggs for a moment.

“I’m still asking her.”

“Fair enough.”

When Charlene came into the room and took over cooking, I used the bathroom to clean up then went upstairs.

Since Gabby was still sleeping, I joined her on the bed and managed to rest.  Her disquiet woke me some time later, as did her attempt to try to sneak from the bed.

“Morning,” I said, opening my eyes.

She blushed red.

“Morning.”

I watched her stand and smooth her hair.  Her gaze was alert, but she was acting oddly.  I studied her, trying to get a read from our connection or her body language.  When that didn’t work, I inhaled subtly. Was she mad?  Should I apologize for yesterday?

“I’m going to use the bathroom,” she said at the same time I caught a hint of her shy confusion.

I nodded and stayed where I was, giving her time to sort out whatever was going on in her head.  After giving her a two-minute head start, I put my shoes on and went downstairs just in time to see Gabby head into the kitchen.

Gabby sat next to Sam.  She stared at her hands as I sat next to her.  I didn’t know what to say or do.  If she was confused, so was I.

Charlene set loaded plates and a glass of orange juice in front of both of us.  I thanked her and started eating.  Gabby did the same but with no enthusiasm.  Ethan came in to use the bathroom then went back outside.  Carlos watched the man closely from the doorway.  Everyone else went about their morning as usual, eating and packing up.  Gabby didn’t.  She ate slowly and didn’t look at anyone.  Especially me.

Long after we’d finished and Gabby still toyed with her juice, Isabelle walked in and went straight for the stove.

When Isabelle turned to the table, her determined gaze fell on Gabby.