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KELLY COULD FEEL everyone’s eyes on her as she explained her theory.
“There aren’t that many packs that have human members,” Ryan said.
“It isn’t something that’s common knowledge,” Jace commented. “Poking around is going to make the packs nervous.”
“I think I’m on to something.”
“Things have just settled down within the packs,” Ryan said thoughtfully. He seemed unwilling to consider her idea and it stung. Anger rose to the forefront of her emotions, eclipsing the pain.
“You sent me away to help figure out this crisis and find a way to fight this problem, but now that I have a theory you’re just going to brush it aside?” She pushed away from the table. “Excuse me.”
She tried to leave without too much fanfare, not wanting to insult Jace or his mates, but if she stayed she’d likely punch Ryan in the throat.
“Kelly, come on, don’t go,” Jace called after her. Not trusting her voice to respond she remained silent and had reached the front hall before Ryan caught up with her.
“I never said we wouldn’t look into it, Kelly.”
“Don’t feel like you have to do me any favors.” She shoved her arms into her jacket, anxious to leave before she revealed how she was feeling.
“Kelly I’m alpha of the biggest lycan pack in North America. I have over forty people to think about. I can’t focus solely on my mate.”
“Of course, not. I don’t know why I would expect anything different. Tell ya what, let’s just focus on me getting healthy, and then you can go back to ignoring me, or better yet you can send me away again to find another mate in another pack.”
HER WORDS RIPPED into him. “I’m just fated to say the wrong things to you.” Ryan watched her leave, and his wolf howled angrily at the man for letting their mate walk away from them again. It wouldn’t do any good to remind her that he hadn’t realized that he was her mate and she wouldn’t care that she’d been the one to ask to leave. He hadn’tsenther anywhere.
“You okay?” his brother asked, putting a hand on his shoulder in a show of support as he pulled him away from the door and back to the table. “She hates me.”
“She doesn’t. She’s just hurting.” Sara chimed in. “She’s not thinking like a wolf. She’s thinking like a wounded woman.”
“It’s worth considering her idea. We’ll have to contact Julian. Three of the human mates belong to the Yellow Claw pack.” Ryan could hear the anger in his brother's voice, his fury that the Yellow Claws had taken his mate was still strong even though their two packs had formed a truce.
“Pull the council together. I’ll contact Julian and Claude, he also has a human member among his pack if the initial discussion goes well we’ll invite them to visit our pack.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The meeting was set. Julian and Claude were set to arrive in a couple of days, and Julian had even agreed to bring one of the mated pairs with him. The addition of strange wolves in their territory would have tensions riding high, but after Kelly had brought the idea to them he’d had Jonas look into her findings. Her argument was strong. She had a sharp mind, making connections to things that even Jonas with all his training and medical expertise around mating and genetics had never considered before. He was anxious to begin studying the couples and expanding on Kelly’s initial hypothesis.
Everything was falling into place, in every area except his personal life. He hadn’t seen Kelly for nearly a week since their confrontation, but through the stronger connection they’d begun establishing, he could feel her begin to weaken again. He wanted her to come to him, to acknowledge that she needed him, but it seemed she would allow her pride to rule her common sense. He reached out to her using the mental path that had been strengthening each time he used it. It was reinforced each time they were together and Ryan relished each strand that tied them tighter together.
“Let me come to you.”She was silent for a long time before finally providing an answer using the bond.
Her tentative “Ok” made him nearly whoop with joy. The path to his mate was finally clearer to him. He’d hurt her. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t meant to do it. If groveling was what it would take to win her heart he would do it. His wolf nodded his agreement. Despite being an alpha, he wanted to do whatever it took to secure their mate.
KELLY FELT HER stomach flutter in anticipation. Her wolf wanted to see their mate and if she was honest she wanted to see him too. She might not want to be but, she was softening to him. She didn’t bother fussing over her appearance for him. Her wolf was already feeling woozy like she had in the early days of her symptoms making themselves known.
She expected him to start something physical as soon as he walked through the door, but all he did was gather her body against his. Holding her close, he kissed her forehead before leading her to her couch. They cuddled up together with a big bowl of popcorn watching movies.
Ryan had his hand tangled in her hair at the base of her neck in an undeniably possessive gesture. It should have made her wolf crazy, but instead, it just felt right, safe.
“I’m sorry we fought,” he whispered against her temple, kissing her again. He told her about Julian and Claude coming.
“Really? You think I might be right?” She couldn’t keep the excitement out of her tone.
“I think it’s a good possibility,” he said. She sighed, her entire body relaxing into his hold. “It’s going to drive my wolf insane having strange unknown males in my territory around you when our bond is only partially formed.” She stiffened and knew he could feel the rigidity in her posture.
“I’m not ready.” It came out with a quiver, and she hated how it made her feel weak. Ryan tugged gently on her hair until her head fell back and their eyes met.
“I’m not pressuring you. I just want you to know how I feel. I don’t want there to be secrets between us again. Understand?”
