I watched Nickoli come down the stairs alone, face flushed with a look between smug and frustration. That was all I needed to see to confirm he was in a lip lock with my Sam. Biting the inside of my cheek until I could taste blood; preventing me from opening my mouth or slapping that pleased look off Nickoli's face. He was not so much as rubbing it in, it was more as if he was replaying the last few minutes over and over again. I knew those moments all to well. My emotions were running high after being shot and I did not need to be reminded of my choice to share Sam.

Someone brushed up against my shoulder had detoured my attention away from Nickoli and my own decisions. Still off from the drugs it bothered me that I let someone get so close before I noticed.

Jack, my Alpha, fought a smile. "It's the drugs they are still in your system. Give it another hour and you will be back to your old self." Jack always knew what was going on in our heads most of the time. "You two decided this was what you wanted so either you both talk to her about it or deal with what you decided," Jack added before he walked away.

Just like that, Jack rolled everything that was going through my head in less than a minute. He was right, I made this bed so know I had to lie in it or find another bed.

Sam came down a few minutes after with fresh clothes and her wet hair tied back in a ponytail. When our eyes met and that smile of hers that could light up a room, the one just for me, how could I be upset with her? She was my life.

As she made her way over, Sam stopped to take Nickoli's hand first then continued over where she then took my hand. Not the idea circumstances, but as long as she was with me, touching me, I would ignore the other man at her side holding her other hand. With that simple touch, I felt much more relaxed and was able to finally see the rest of the room.

At least half a dozen of my pack brothers and an equal amount of lions stood in Sam's living room talking quietly among themselves waiting for the meeting to begin. The others dispensed outside to check the perimeter, in the kitchen and in the formal dining room. Since Sam's barbeque the lions seemed to be more at ease and more willing to take a stand to protect Sam without their Leader's persuasion.

From the back of the house Mason emerged, just getting back from his business trip. He, like myself always knew where she was; his eyes darted in her direction. Within a second, Sam looked over at Mason, where her eyes lit up like a kid in the candy store. I accepted their relationship, not that I had a choice. Those two were inseparable, especially when Mason was leaving on a trip or just getting home from one. Sam had never neglected me for Mason; it just meant she would make more time for him for those few days. I could feel the excitement radiating from Sam's body and the urge to bolt over to Mason. I expected her to drop my hand and then have to watch them together for at least an hour. What I did not expect was for her to look up at me with those puppy eyes that she had never used on me and hopefully she wouldn't use again. First thing, Sam does not ask for anyone's permission so that caught me off guard and the second, she was not one for begging. Right now she was doing both just with her eyes alone, and probably not even realizing it. That look alone was definitely one that I doubt I would never be able to refuse.

Giving a curt nod then loosened my grip around her hand, Sam turned and from what I saw on Nickoli's face she just gave him the same look and he too would never be able to refuse her.

"Go," Nickoli said sounding defeated. Sam dropped both of our hands and said, "Thank you," then she hurried across the room right into the arms of Mason.

I sighed, what else could I do. I loved seeing her happy, but in another man's arms and that included Mason's was not an easy thing to watch. But I would never turn my back and not watch. "That was a first for her," I said under my breath, but knew Nickoli would hear.

Nickoli huffed, "And if she finds out just how much that one single look did to us...Let's just say we're screwed."

At that, I had to laugh. Nickoli was so right, we were screwed. "You do know that we will probably have to wait a good hour before we can pull her away from him," I said to Nickoli.

"I'm a fast study. You sure it's nothing we have to worry about?" Nickoli asked as we both watch the way Mason stared at Sam, and the way he had his arm around her shoulder as if he had ownership. I kept my thoughts to myself and said nothing. I just looked at Nickoli and headed for the dining room where the meeting would take place. He heard Nickoli mutter, "Great. Just fucking great, another wolf." My sentiments exactly.

Halfway to the dining room, I noticed Sam's head shot up in the middle of talking to Mason. Always keeping Sam in my sights, I followed her gaze. That was when I first noticed Matt, who was standing in a shadowed corner. From the corner of his eye, I could tell Nickoli was looking at Matt as well.

I watched as Matt stared back at Sam and when she went to take a step in his direction, Matt's shoulders tensed and looked like he was ready to bolt. Sam's smile faltered at Matt's reaction and with another step, Matt left the room and was out the front door in a flash. I watched Sam face fall with hurt, staring aimlessly at the door Matt just left out of and for the briefest of moments I could feel her heartache before she block it out. From the look of the others, and how quick the room fall silent, I knew they too felt it. Mason of course right there, put his arm around her, and lead them to the kitchen.

Nickoli now right beside me. "What the hell was that about?" I asked Nickoli.

"I'm not really sure, but I'm sure the hell going to find out," Nickoli said then walked past me.