It turned out she didn't need to, because James's sly wolf immediately took advantage of the extra space between them. He shifted closer and looped an arm around Isabel's waist; the heat of his fingers seared the she-wolf's lower back through the thin fabric of her dress. A noticeable shiver raced down her spine, and Isabel glowered as James smirked. "Tell me why you aren't happy to have a day off," she deflected, trying to breathe in Sadie's pure scent without also taking in the soldier's enticing fragrance.
James sighed. "I know this isn't the case, but part of me worries that Dominic only gave the order because he thinks I've lost my edge." When Isabel looked confused, he continued, "Yesterday we found out that it was probably my fault that the spy who bombed his convoy got into Vanara. The working theory is that he disguised himself as a refugee and snuck onto one of my flights last week."
A beat of silence met his words, and for one horrible moment, James was terrified that Isabel would lose interest in him. What good was he as a mate or father if he made such grave mistakes? If he couldn't detect lethal threats and endangered the very people he was meant to keep safe?
Instead, Isabel's face transformed from pensive to horrified. "He might have killed you! Do they think Damon is going to send more assassins this way? What if the next one decides to take over the plane? What if his army lies in wait at the coast and ambushes you?" Her panic was so swift and sharp that Sadie began to squirm and fuss, feeling the unpleasant sensation filtering down through their bond.
James's wolf was conflicted. He didn't like seeing Isabel upset, but he certainly enjoyed seeing her so disturbed by the thought of harm coming to him. He began to purr, stroking her spine and pressing his chest to Sadie's back so she could feel the comforting vibrations. "You're not worried about me, are you, little wolf?" he asked, only slightly smug.
As he'd hoped, the jibe snapped Isabel back to her usual self, and the frightened look in her brilliant blue eyes faded. "I'm not going to let my daughter lose another parent," she proclaimed sharply, tightening her grip on Sadie and adding her own soft sounds to the soothing efforts. "So help me, James, if you make her lose you too, I will never forgive you."
"I have no intention of going anywhere, Isabel," James promised, grazing his knuckles over her cheek. "If someone wants to take me from you two, they're going to have one hell of a fight on their hands. I won't go down easily."
"Going down isn't an option at all," Isabel corrected him. "If they try to lay a hand on them, you rip them to shreds and get out of there. Don't go doing noble things like turning back to save babies or…" She trailed off, her voice thick with emotion. She tried to cover it by kissing Sadie's head and averting her eyes, but James saw everything.
"Is that really what you'd want?" James questioned, the corner of his mouth quirking as he nodded toward Sadie. "For me to leave a precious pup like this sweet muffin behind, just to save my own ass?" They were so close now that he could see the moisture welling in her eyes, and the near-imperceptible quiver of her plump lower lip.
"I know I don't want you to die," Isabel replied grumpily, deciding that enough was enough. She started to get out of bed, but James stopped her, keeping her pinned with one strong arm.
"Because you'd miss me?" he suggested, the spike of adrenaline in Isabel's scent triggering his prey drive. His wolf was coming to the surface, and Isabel's was responding in kind. She was becoming more demanding, wilder, and less manageable with every passing moment.
"Because the pack needs you, and Sadie needs you," Isabel answered fiercely. "Now let me go. I need to feed the baby and get everything ready for the visit this morning. The delegations will be here in a few hours, and the nursery is always a mess after breakfast."
"I'll let you go," James agreed, his eyes glowing. "In exchange for a kiss."
Isabel froze, looking remarkably like a startled rabbit. "Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed, again trying to rise.
"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?" He tempted her. "You've kissed me before, and I seem to remember you enjoyed it quite a bit."
"I was distraught," Isabel retorted. "It's not the same."
"Oh, I see," James flashed his fangs. "Well, in that case, we'll just have to stay here all day and kiss Sadie-bug instead."
Isabel glared, and then an idea struck her. "Can I decide where I kiss you?"
"Anywhere you like," James agreed.
"Fine, then I want to kiss your hand," she announced slyly, and James almost laughed. He knew exactly what Isabel intended, but he played along.
"Alright," he extracted his arm from her waist, freeing her from her makeshift cage and opening the door for her escape. The moment his grip loosened on the she-wolf, she attempted to leap up with the baby. Of course, James was ready and waiting, so he jumped up with her and dragged her into his arms.
Isabel barely had time to register what had happened before James was dragging her mouth to his—one powerful hand on her nape, the other cradling Sadie's head between their bodies. Isabel whimpered as their lips collided, all her defenses falling away. Her wolf howled happily in her head as James expertly claimed her, extracting breathless kisses from her lips over and over—until neither of them could remember where one ended and the other began.