Total pages in book: 202
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 193561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 968(@200wpm)___ 774(@250wpm)___ 645(@300wpm)
“How you doin’?” I ask gently.
“I’m… worried.”
“About the fallout.”
She nods.
“If your cousin hadn’t abducted Riley’s mate it might have gone differently.”
She changes the subject. “Do you want me to make you some breakfast?”
“Not yet. I want you first.” I move her to her back and cover her body with mine. “Is that okay?” I trace her hairline with my fingertips.
She nods, looking emotional. If this was all I had to go on, I might ask if she’s sure, but I can feel that she wants me. I smell that she wants me, too.
I fuck her gently, missionary position, looking into her eyes, hoping I’m doing a good job of showing her my emotions with my eyes and my touch as well as what I’m sure is being sent through our mate bond. I want her to see and feel how important our connection is to me. How important she is already becoming to me.
Tears glisten in her eyes when she hits her climax with my knot pulsing inside her. She’s looking at me with affection. I feel it, too, mingled with the fear in her heart right now. After a while, my knot finally slows and she’s kissing me when it eventually stops and deflates. She’s kissing me like she’s trying to communicate through lip and tongue touches. I already mean something to her; I feel it.
Snuggled up after I slide out of her, I do my best to put her mind at ease. “It’s all gonna work out. I’ll make it work.” I caress her face. “Do you believe me?”
She leans into my touch and hope flares in her eyes. “The only promises I’ve ever believed from a male before were threats. But I believe you’re being sincere, Greyson. I only hope you’re right.”
“Things might go wrong, yeah. No way to know what’ll happen. What we’ll have to do, whether we wanna do it or not. But even if things go wrong, we’ve got each other. We’ll get through it together. And babe, nobody will ever threaten you again without answering to me.”
She bites her lip and says nothing, so I add, “Believe me… I’ll do my best to minimize damage. My goal is us. The life we’re building in the place we’re building it. I won’t allow anything to get in the way of that. And part of that is showing you how much your happiness means to me. I know these folks are your family. While this pack is my priority, your past matters too. I’ll do my best to protect the innocents, to reason with your brother.”
“But he’s not reasonable, Greyson. He only cares about himself. Since he’ll happily sacrifice his innocent pack members to further his agenda, believe me, he won’t think twice about sacrificing your pack members.”
“Let’s wait and see what happens.”
“You’re going to… wait for him to attack?” she asks, forehead crinkling.
“We’re investigating him and your pack. We’ve amped up our security. After we eat, I’m gonna ask Bailey to come over and keep you company while I go over to Joel’s and get an update. I’m also gonna call Wyatt and tell him you’re safe, you’re with your fated mate, and that I’d like to meet and have a conversation.”
Her eyes bulge.
“If he doesn’t answer, I’ll leave a voicemail message saying the same.”
She’s trembling. “You’ll t-tell him I’m your mate?”
“Absolutely. Can I ask you some questions?”
She nods hesitantly and I don’t know why she looks like she wants to plead with me not to call her brother, or not to tell him who I am to her. But no way would I keep this a secret. If anything, I’d think it could make him more open to a conversation with me. At least I’ve made the effort and given him the opportunity to handle this the right way going forward.
“Let’s get some breakfast and we’ll talk some more.”
***
When we’re seated at the dining table with an easy meal of cereal and the muffins she baked yesterday, I set a pencil and a pad of paper down between us.
“How many people in your old pack?”
“We’re down to seventy-two, not including me. Unless that changed after I left to come here.”
I write that number down.
“Can you tell me the approximate breakdown in age?” I make a list of categories. “How many pack members over forty but fit, over forty and not fit, under forty but over eighteen, and the rest. Also a breakdown of how many of those people are male and female. Just approximate numbers.”
I pass her the pencil.
She bites her lip as she jots down her answers. And it doesn’t take long.
“You’re well-versed on the demographics or these just approximate?”
“I did a lot of the admin for the pack. Handling supplies and things like that. I know everyone in the pack quite well. Those numbers are probably pretty accurate unless something has changed in the weeks I’ve been here.”