The Alpha's Reluctant Mate (7 page)

He walked around the desk, coming to stand in front of me. Not liking the nearness of his body, I backed up a few steps, only to have him follow.

The retreat and advance lasted until I found my back against the office wall. Connor was as close to me as possible without actually touching my body; I felt surrounded by him, engulfed by his scent.

I looked away from him, trying to avoid eye contact. One finger stroked down the side of my jaw before he used it to turn my face back to his. “I want to make this as easy as possible for you, but I cannot allow you to put yourself at risk. You have to stay here so I can keep you safe.”

“I understand that I have to be in Wolf Creek, but I won't be forced to share a home with you.”

“This is your home too.”

“No, it isn't,” I said vehemently.

“You're my mate,” he said softly.

“I won't have my future decided for me.”

“It's not in your control any more than it's in mine; you were born for me just as I was born for you.”

He leaned in closer, inhaling me as if he could absorb my very essence. My nostrils flared in response; he still wasn't touching me but I felt him everywhere at once, his scent surrounding me and filling my senses.

“Stop it!” I said, feeling too vulnerable by far.

“Shh…” His breath feathered my ear, sending shivers through me. “You know I would never hurt you.”

“No, I don't. I don't know you at all.” I barely recognized the thready voice as my own.

“Your wolf knows me, she knows me as her mate.”

I closed my eyes, taking a deep shuddering breath. “My wolf and I are one and the same. Not separate entities.”

He rested his forehead against mine; I could tell he was struggling with himself to regain control of the situation.

A tear escaped from the corner of my eye. “Please, this is all too much for me to deal with right now. I can't handle this on top of the whole werewolf thing.”

He straightened away from me with a sigh. “Don't cry, I'll try to be patient. I know I've handled this badly, Xandie; almost losing you completely has ruined all the plans I had to give you a normal courtship, to woo you as you deserve. I won't force you, because you'll never truly be mine unless you choose me. I want you to choose me as I choose you because there is no one else you will ever want.”

The sound of my nickname on his lips felt so right, it was hard not to throw myself into his arms, but I knew more than anything I needed time.

“I'll try to think about everything you've said.”

He smiled. “Though it goes against the grain to have you anywhere but in my home, the guest cottage next to Sebrina's is empty. You and Epenie can stay there, provided Tera stays with you.”

“Thank you,” I said in relief. Then another thought occurred to me. “Who's Sebrina?”

“Sebrina is our resident vampire.”

“Vampire?” I was frozen in place as I soaked in the possibility he was serious. “Vampires are real too?”

Connor merely nodded as he called Tera back to the room, using the intercom system on his telephone, and explained the new arrangements. Soon Epenie, Dizzy, and I were walking to the guest cottage to explore our new home.

Our cottage was pretty plain but the one next door was fully landscaped with flowers and exotic plants. It was beautiful.

“Sebrina likes to garden,” Tera said as she saw my wonder. “Wouldn't expect it of a vampire, would you? There isn't much about Sebrina at all that's typical or expected. You'll like her.”

I wondered how long I would have to wait to meet the vampire next door; it was dark, so shouldn't she be stalking the grounds looking for food? I looked around nervously. “Will I need a cross?”

Tera laughed. “Goodness, no. Sebrina is Jewish and that stuff doesn't typically work anyway. Besides it would hurt her feelings if she thought you were afraid of her. Sebrina is the vampire ambassador to the werewolf community. We have a wolf living with the vamps too.”

It was rather disconcerting to find out everything you thought of as make believe was real. It raised all sorts of questions about what other creepy crawlies lurked in the dark.

“Sebrina probably spent the first part of the evening in her garden and went to shower; she'll be over later to meet you, I'm sure. She's been as curious as the rest of us,” Tera called over her shoulder as she bounded up the stairs and into the cottage.

Tuck and E seemed to have made up their differences. He was carrying our belongings and Epenie even managed to say thank you with a smile as he left the luggage on the front porch.

Tera ran back to get her truck with all my new clothes. I frowned as we carried everything into the house. There was a lot more stuff being brought in than I'd packed but I decided I didn't want any answers as to why at the moment.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss, or at least a little momentary peace.

Epenie looked at me closely for the first time once we were alone. “Xandie! I can't believe how much weight you've lost. You look fantastic!”

I grinned and spun in a circle. “It's called the werewolf diet.”

“Wow, that's almost makes me want to let one bite me,” Epenie said with a wink.

Tera walked in at that moment and wriggled her brows at E. “Really? I'd be happy to oblige.”

“I said almost,” Epenie said tartly.

We all laughed, relieved to be released from all the tension in the main house and collapsed onto the couch and chair respectively.

“What's for dinner?” I asked, realizing that I hadn't thought about food in over four hours and I was ready to eat.

“Pizza?” Tera asked as she picked up the phone.

Epenie and I were quick to agree and Tera ordered five pepperoni pizzas for delivery, along with a pound of baked ziti.

I hoped it would arrive soon.

 

* * *

 

The pizza was good and as it turned out we wouldn't get to meet Sebrina tonight because she'd been called to the vampire council meeting.

It somehow made the reality of vampires a little more natural sounding to hear they had council meetings like any other community. At least it made me more comfortable with the idea.

Epenie seemed to be taking the idea of vampires and werewolves in stride, eager to learn more about their respective communities.

It had been a very long day and I for one was tired. Epenie and Tera agreed that they too were past ready to hit the hay and we all went to our rooms.

I'd just pulled my new nightgown over my head when Dizzy jumped up from the bed excitedly; she stood in front of the bedroom door, looking back at me with a wag of her tail.

“What did you hear, girl?” I asked.

She gave a soft woof and then looked back at the door. I opened the door and followed her into the living room of the cottage, and then I heard the soft scratching and whining at the front door.

Baffled, I swung the door open; a huge black wolf sat on the front steps looking up at me hopefully. He was so big, his large head was almost even with my shoulder. I knew almost immediately that it was Connor. Almost without thought, I swung the door shut in his furry face.

I heard a deep muffled growl before he began to softly scratch at the door with another pleading whine.

Like I hadn't heard the growl, I made a face at the door.

A little woof accompanied a more determined swipe at the door with his claws.

Against my better judgment I opened the door and scowled at him from where I stood holding the door partially closed. “What?”

The wolf stood and walked to the door, giving it a little nudge with his nose before looking up at me and wagging his tail. Dizzy bounced around behind me, barking eagerly.

I hesitated, knowing this could be a pivotal moment in the whole scheme of things. I didn't want to give away any ground I'd gained earlier by winning the argument about where I was staying. Wouldn't letting him in totally make that a moot point?

He barked at me impatiently.

I frowned at him. “This doesn't mean I'm ready to play happy family with you.”

Large golden eyes that stared intently into mine gave me the eerie feeling that he could see straight into my soul.

Shaking the feeling off, I firmed my shoulders. “If I let you in, it won't mean a thing regarding the mate issue.”

Connor just sat down and looked at me as if he could sit there all night. I wasn't sure if he even understood me as an animal, or how much of the human side was retained when a werewolf changed.

“Oh, all right,” I said sourly as I opened the door and let him in; somehow he wasn't nearly as intimidating to me as a wolf.

Connor ran quickly in the door through the living room to the bedroom I'd claimed as my own and jumped up on the bed. Dizzy bounded after him, curling up happily next to him.

Closing the door to my bedroom, I turned to study them both. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”

He obligingly moved his big furry body over to one side and barked softly in invitation.

I knew I shouldn't give in and let him stay, but somehow it felt right. As long as he stayed a wolf, everything would be fine, right?

I mean it would be like having another dog, not like I was accepting him as a mate. I stood chewing my lower lip as I thought the whole thing through.

Connor barked impatiently. Okay, it was like having another dog that was extremely bossy.

“Fine,” I said shortly as I climbed in on the other side of the bed. “You better not change back. Only pets are allowed in here and no peeking when I'm changing clothes in the morning.”

I curled up on my side, facing him and Dizzy as I pulled the covers beneath my chin.

“Goofy animals.”

I smiled and curled my hand in his thick pelt, drifting off to sleep feeling safer than I had since this whole mess started.

 

* * *

 

I was naked beneath him; he slid down my body, forcing my thighs wide as he took me in his mouth. I whimpered and lifted my hips in supplication begging for more. He gave a greedy growling sound as he licked deeply into me as if he could devour me whole. I began to shiver as I built toward release. My fingers sank deeply into his thick fur…

Wait… fur? I frowned; that didn't make sense. Then I felt soft fur beneath my cheek and twined between my fingers, jumping when a long warm tongue licked the side of my face in response.

My eyes sprang open and I found myself staring straight into the golden gaze of the wolf sharing my bed. I was cuddled tight against him with my head resting on his chest. I almost laughed when I saw Dizabell.

She was lying on her back in the dent between us with her legs spread wide and her head lolling back, softly snoring.

Dizzy growled in protest when I rolled away from my furry companions to stand beside the bed. My movement caused her to roll off of Connor and land in the center of the bed with a plop.

“It's time for everyone to go outside and potty.” I ignored the fact that Connor flattened his ears at me and clapped my hands loudly. “Come on, everyone out!”

I walked quickly to open my bedroom door and usher them out to the front yard.

Connor pointedly ignored my summons.

“Come on, it's time to go outside,” I said, trying to be firm.

Connor flattened his ears and growled at me again before jumping from the bed and walking past me to the bathroom, where he nudged the door closed with his nose.

I blinked, not sure I even wanted to imagine how a wolf managed to use a toilet. When the sound of the toilet flushing echoed through the walls, I stood frozen in place.

Was he going to come back out as a man?

The door opened and to my relief the wolf's big shaggy head pushed through the opening and he walked into the living room.

“Can you at least watch Dizzy for me, while I go to the restroom?”

He woofed in response and walked out the front door to supervise my hyper Yorkie.

While they were outside taking care of business, I ran to the bathroom to take care of my own needs and then changed into some clothes for the day.

I was happy to see that I could now fit into the size twelve jeans we'd purchased and paired them with a yellow tank top covered in little white daisies. A pair of strappy white sandals completed the outfit. Brushing my hair into a ponytail, I went to let my two ‘dogs' back inside.

“Breakfast?” I queried on my way to the kitchen. Dizzy and Connor padded after me. Connor sniffed the kibble in Dizzy's bowl before turning his back on it rather disdainfully and looking up at me expectantly.

“I suppose you want bacon and eggs?”

The wolf barked and nodded his big shaggy head. With a sigh I started pulling the supplies from the fridge and began breakfast.

Thankfully, Dizabell had no such problems with her regular diet; she happily gobbled down the bowl of dog food before turning a few circles and lying down for an after-breakfast nap on the rug in front of the window.

Connor watched me closely as I prepared the bacon and eggs. I only divided the food into two portions since neither Epenie nor Tera seemed to be up and placed one plate on the floor in front of Connor.

“This doesn't mean anything,” I said almost defensively as I left the plate.

I carried the other plate to the small round kitchen table and sat in one of the chairs with one leg folded beneath me so I could watch Connor while I ate.

It took only a matter of moments for me to scarf down everything on my plate, but when I finished, Connor was already licking his own clean.

“You don't plan on spending the whole day like that, do you?”

The air around him started to shimmer and he morphed back into Connor the man right in front of me, a very naked Connor.

I blushed profusely and stared at my plate. “I didn't mean for you to change right now!”