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Marley snorted a little laugh and sighed. “Somehow, he and Lana are perfect for each other.”
“You’re right,” I said as I put the car into reverse and backed out of the parking spot. “So, we have time to kill. What should we do?”
“Honestly? I stink. Why don’t we just go back to the house so I can shower and get ready for dinner?”
“You don’t stink.”
“I definitely do. You just like how I smell.”
I shrugged. “Same difference. But yeah, let’s get you washed up.”
I turned on the radio and rolled down the windows, letting the fresh air into the car to enjoy the sun and the comfortably cool day. We listened and bobbed our heads along to two songs, and then Marley turned down the volume.
“Okay, so are we going to talk about the fact that you just told me you want to hunt me down in a forest and claim me when you catch me?” she asked. “Or are we going to keep pretending you didn’t just drop that bomb on me like it was nothing?”
“Consider it retribution for, ‘I want you to let me become a shifter, Cole!’” I smirked at her.
“Rude,” she said. “But really, was that a joke?”
“No,” I said. “It wasn’t. But I don’t want to rush through the conversation about it, if that’s okay with you. We can talk about it tonight after dinner.”
“Does this mean you figured out the logistics?”
“I did some research, yeah,” I said. “Got an idea of how other mixed couples have done this whole thing and determined that, with proper preparation, we can reduce a lot of the risks and have an enjoyable time. Hopefully, it will help you feel a little more secure in your position in the pack and in your position as my mate.”
“It would be nice to know that there’s some kind of distinction making us official in the eyes of the other pack members and shifters,” she said. “People can tell right away if you’ve claimed me, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s sort of a step between just being together and going through a mating ceremony.”
She blew out a small breath. “Yeah, I’d like to have that recognition. I don’t want to seem like some throwaway girl to other people.”
I glanced at her. Her knees were bouncing lightly with nerves, and I felt the echo of them in my chest. I wished I could make her feel more secure in our relationship without having to subject her to the feral nature of some of these things. She was always such a trooper, but I frequently wondered if she would even consider things like this with me if it weren’t for her insecurities and the combative, competitive nature of pack life.
Marley deserved ease and comfort. She deserved a straightforward relationship that culminated in someone dropping to one knee and offering her a ring.
Instead, she was stuck with a half-beast who could think of nothing more exciting than hunting her down in the forest, ripping her clothes off, and fucking her like an animal.
Disgusted with myself, I rubbed at my chin. When I’d been with Olivia, I’d never thought of anything like this. Mostly because she never would have entertained anything like it. She was interested in shifters because we were stronger, more virile, and better suited toward athleticism and power. But she was terrified of my lycan form and hated Noah once she learned he was a shifter, too.
Now that I was with a woman who was so accepting and eager to celebrate my nature, I couldn’t help but feel like a monster. Like some kind of degenerate corrupting a perfect girl to be my little plaything.
“What’s wrong?” Marley asked.
I jerked slightly and looked over at her. “Huh? Who said anything’s wrong?”
“You’re rubbing your chin,” she said. “You only do that when you’re stressed about something. Well, at least that particular version of the chin rub.”
“Huh, no kidding?”
She nodded as I came to a red light. “Yep. I pick up on these things, you know.”
I smiled over at her and nodded. “I know you do. You’re very perceptive.”
“So, what’s wrong?”
I sighed. As a rule, I didn’t like lying about something when Marley asked me about it directly. But I had a feeling I knew how she would answer a question like, “Do you think I’m a freaky monster man?” So, I decided to just disclose how I was feeling.
“I just worry that you’re getting swept up in my rip tide, you know?” I admitted. “That you’re making an effort to make me happy by agreeing to all of these things and that you’ll regret them. That one day, you’ll push yourself too far and start to fear me.”
