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He agrees. “That’s probably a good idea, even with the top, it’d still be cold. Maybe an SUV or something?”
He tells me to just follow the road about a mile. “I’ll take you through the pack houses before we head to my brothers.”
“Oh, he doesn’t live with the pack?” I ask, curious about their life.
“Yes and no. He has a separate entrance about two miles past the gate we came in, and he has a little over a mile between his house and the pack houses. He needs his space. People forget he’s just a regular person, someone always wants something. This way he has time with the pack and time away.”
“What kind of things do people want from him?”
When I look over at him he’s shoving a whole cookie into his mouth, he smiles. “What? It’s good.” Brushing the crumbs from his hands, he closes the lid and says, “His time mostly, once a month he holds hearings for any disputes or petitions, even blessings for marriages. Sometimes, people just want to suck up to him. They think they’ll get better positions, better jobs, anything really. When you get to know my brother, you’ll see that he values hard work and loyalty. Suck ups just pisses him off.” He laughs. “I don’t have to share my sweets, do I?”
My lips turn up in a smile. “No, you big baby, those are all yours. I brought him the bigger batch.” I point to the container in the back.
His mouth falls open in outrage. “Nah-uh.” He pouts while looking at the other container to see if it is indeed bigger. I just laugh. It feels wonderful to laugh so much.
I start to see homes dotted here and there, each with enough space so they don’t seem crowded. They’re all a little different, all well kept. It looks like a subdivision, just much more spread out.
“Does everyone in the pack live here?” I question.
“No, just those who want to. Anyone in the pack can build here, they just have to supply their own materials and build it. Then, they have to contribute to the pack somehow, like run patrols, help watch children for those that work, or even clean the meeting lodge. Everybody helps each other.” I’m pleasantly surprised, it seems wonderful. I make sure and tell him so. “Not all packs have it this good, my brother’s a very good man.”
“He must be,” I say.
I see what looks like a small grocery store with a gas pump out front, a church-like building, and the largest building looks like a giant A-frame lodge with all windows and wood. As we pass, he tells me it’s their meeting place. They also have a large fire pit in the clearing behind the building, for festivals or ceremonies.
As we pass the last of the houses, I can feel my tummy getting worse. I hope I don’t get sick. Sniffer notices my discomfort. He grabs my hand that’s rubbing my stomach. “Hey listen, it’ll be fine, he’s great. I don’t think anyone else will be there. Well maybe Roxanne, she always wants to be around him.”
“Is she his Mate?”
He quickly shakes his head. “No, thank the moon. He hasn’t found his Mate yet. I hope he does soon. I’m just glad it’s not her.”
By the time we see the house, I think I might throw up. I’m shaking so bad I have to white knuckle the wheel. Please don’t let me puke on the Alphas shoes... or house... or girlfriend.
The house is stunning. It looks like a giant log cabin with wrought-iron balconies on the second floor and a wrap-around porch across the entire bottom. The roof is green metal that looks a little worn, like it’s been there forever. The large windows don’t seem to be covered. If it was night, I bet I could see right in. We drive up the slight hill the house sits on, and I see a woman in what looks like a ruby red silk robe come out to the porch. I suppose to greet us?
Soon as I stop my Jeep, I double over clutching my stomach. “Ahhh no, no, no, no,” I chant. Not here, not now. But I know what this is. My Mate is somewhere near. I want to scream and rip my hair out, and I want to run as fast as I can to find him. Sniffer is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind so I settle for a whisper, “Please Casper, please get me out of here.” I’m in tears, and I don’t even know when that happened. “I can’t do this again. It was so hard last time. I don’t think I’ll survive it again. Please,” I beg.
“What’s wrong, Sophia? You’re scaring me. What’s wrong?” I just shake my head, I’m beyond words. A soft keening can be heard, and I realize it’s me, me making that awful noise. “Okay, okay, can you move over? We’ll leave, just crawl over here sweet girl.”
But I can’t move, I’m frozen. I think I’ll shatter if I move. He must know because he pulls me to his side of the Jeep. I end up on his lap, and he can’t get out from under me. He’s too big and my Jeep’s too small.
My Mate’s scent is all around me. I’m lost, so lost I don’t hear the angry growl until the door is ripped open. Two strong arms wrap around my body. I cling to Sniffer, but it’s no use. I scream as I’m yanked from him. His handsome face is twisted with rage, eyes no longer blue but black as he leaps from his seat. My back meets a chest that’s heaving for breath.
“If you try and take her from me, I will kill you.” His voice shatters the ice, and I’m burning up, on fire so hot there’ll be nothing left of me, just ash and smoke.
Sniffer stops dead, horror replaces rage. “You! Why?” he spits.
The arms that hold me, turn me. My breasts smash to his hard chest. My feet hang uselessly, and my arms are locked to my sides. I have just enough time to see her, the same woman from that night so many years ago. She’s still standing there, her robe loose now, showing a red garter belt, a barely-there panty and nothing else.
My face is shoved into his neck. Where I can’t help but inhale his scent. Why? When he throws me away again, how will I make it? My wolf is purring while my head is spinning.
“Mate.” His voice is just as I remember low, raspy, and it soothes me like no sound I’ve ever heard. My mind is shutting down, and I wouldn’t stop it if I could. I need away, away from my heart trying to stitch itself together only to be shredded again. Silence consumes me, and I’m glad.
CHAPTER 7
Masen
The knockat my door has me looking to the clock on my desk. It’s a quarter to two, Cass must be early. I’m not surprised he wants to spend his day with...? I don’t even know her name.
