“Yeah. I asked Roger and Dani if they’d ever seen you before. They always told me no. I could never smell you. We believe the injections you were given were an attempt to mask your scent. They f**king succeeded as well.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
****
The big question he’d been waiting for. Licking his lips, he folded his arms and stared at her. “You’re my destined mate, Mary.” He settled for the truth.
“What?”
“Our wolves recognize each other. You’re the woman I’m destined to spend the rest of my life with.”
“How is that possible?”
Stepping closer, he invaded her personal space. “You can feel your wolf wanting me, Mary. She knows me. Our wolves are a perfect match, and if you give me a chance I’ll prove to you that I’m the man for you.”
She shook her head turning back toward the windows. “This is all so confusing.”
Reaching out, he gripped her shoulders not wanting to let her go. What started out as her being his toy had developed into something far more. On the quest to find his sister he’d discovered the woman who’d settle his soul and tempt his body. “Give us a chance.”
“The first time we met you had killed the leaders of my pack.”
“They were using you as a f**king science experiment. The whole pack was as corrupt as their leaders,” he said, trying to reason with her.
“You were going to kill a teenager. Jessica is too f**king young to die.”
“I wouldn’t have killed her.” He admitted the truth to her.
She jerked, looking back at him. “What? Max told me this before. You don’t need to say anything.”
“Yes, I do need to say something. I’m not a monster, Mary. I wouldn’t have killed her. I’d have pushed her aside. She didn’t smell corrupt or anything like the rest of the pack. She smelled like you, innocent.”
He heard and felt her take a deep breath. “This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me,” she said.
“I love you, Mary.” Zeke figured he should be the one to put the words out there. She could do with them what she wanted, but he wasn’t going to hide from his feelings.
She turned in his arms, staring up at him. “How do we know this is not because of the wolves? How can you love me? You don’t even know me.”
Taking her hand he pressed it over his heart. “Ever since I turned you, Mary, I’ve been looking for you. Your scent drove me crazy. I’ve never known a woman like you. None of the other women in the packs have been the one for me.” Pressing his palm to her chest he felt the rapid beating of her heart. “I know you’re perfect for me and for the pack.”
“I’m a half breed. How can a half breed ever have a place in your pack? You’re an Alpha, Zeke. You’re not a half breed or a lower member or whatever. I don’t even understand wolf politics,” she said, arguing her point.
Cupping her face, he leaned down closing the gap between them. He caressed her lips with his own, stroking along the plump softness until he plundered her mouth with his tongue. She met him, caressing him back. Zeke felt his blood boil. The feelings built inside him to a fever pitch. Mary was his woman. Her wolf was a perfect match for him.
“You can’t kiss me to make the problems go away,” she said, whimpering.
“I can. I’m the f**king Alpha, and I can do whatever the hell I want.” Running his thumb along her bottom lip he moaned as her tongue peeked out, licking him. “I need you to trust me,” he said.
Her eyes were glazed over with tears. Her skin was running hot from a mixture of his kiss and the pregnancy.
You’ve got to tell her about the pregnancy.
First he needed for her to understand that they were a mated pair. Right now he felt his wolf purring at her closeness.
“I love you, Mary. This is right, and you know we’re meant to be together.”
Her hand was shaking as she pressed her palm against his chest. “Then show me,” she said.
“What?”
“I’ve never seen a proper mated pair apart from Roger and Dani. Jane and Max I only ever really saw briefly. Show me a mated pair.”
Grabbing his cell phone from his pocket, he dialed his father’s number. “What’s the matter, son?” he asked.
“This Friday, is it okay if I bring Mary to a pack gathering? She needs to see other mated couples, and I think it’s time for her to see what it’s all about to be a proper wolf.” He didn’t break eye contact with her. Zeke needed permission from his father before entering a pack gathering. William’s pack was far bigger than his own because of how old his father was. Zeke hoped to create a good pack without fear of starting a war.
“I will accept. You’ll need to let Mary know the laws of respect within a gathering, but I’m more than happy to have her be there,” William said.
Zeke agreed and hung up the phone. “You want to see other mated couples? Then this Friday we’ll be entering my father’s territory. You’ll see other mated couples, and there will be rules you’ll have to abide by.”
“What rules?” she asked.
Taking her in his arms, he led her over to the sofa. He needed to touch her in some way for him to know she existed.
“We’re going into another territory, and with that we’ve got rules to follow.”
“It’s your father,” she said.
Smiling, Zeke shook his head. “Just because we’re related doesn’t mean we don’t follow rules. My father doesn’t like conflict within his pack. When we go I’m submitting to his rules, and he is the Alpha while we’re there.”
“Which means?”
“We’ll both be under his protection. Any arguments that happen will be handled by him. We’ll be entering the gathering with you known as my woman, my mate. You cannot approach other males. This is purely for mated couples to be together. It’s not sexual, but some nights it can lead to sex as tensions run high.”
Teasing strands of her hair, Zeke couldn’t stop touching her even if he wanted to. She leaned in close to him allowing his touch. Every move she made opened her up to his touch. The wolf within her was stroking along the surface trying to get closer once again. When they ran together he knew they’d be a force to be reckoned with.
“What else do I need to know?” she asked, breathlessly.