“You can’t judge at all. There will be full breeds and half breeds, along with several couples with mixed breeding.”
“Why would I judge? Love is love.” She nuzzled his hand as she stroked his thigh.
Laughing, he cupped her cheek feeling the softness of her skin. “You’d be surprised how many people would judge my father or myself. You were the first half breed to join your old pack. From what I can gather you were the last.”
She shivered, pulling away as he brought up the old leaders. “I hate them for what they did. How is Jessica doing?”
“She’s getting better. Her memories are returning, and she hates the fact they’ve taken them from her.” Zeke was sad thinking about the other girl.
“I bet. My time with them is fuzzy, but as the days go by I’m remembering more and more.”
“I hope we caught them before they did something far worse,” he said.
“What could be far worse?” she asked.
“If they’ve told someone about what they’re doing. There are others out there with enough greed to look past experimenting on their own.” Running a hand down his face, Zeke felt tired all of a sudden. Knowing there were people out there who wouldn’t care about taking out other packs scared him far more than anything else.
“I hope you’re right.” She snuggled in against him. “You’re so warm.”
They were silent for several minutes. He stroked her hair relishing the time they had together without any fear or worry. His biggest concern was his missing sister. Zeke really hoped she was safe somewhere away from any danger.
“Tell me everything is going to be all right?” she asked.
Chuckling, he kissed her head. “Everything is going to be all right. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. That I can promise you.”
The rest of the day was spent with her in his arms as they watched movie after movie. Zeke was content to simply hold her and never let go. Friday couldn’t come soon enough, but he’d have to bide his time. He made sure not to speak of his feelings until then.
He wondered if Mary realized that everything she asked for he gave to her. They were mated, and denying her anything was no longer possible for him. He couldn’t tell her she was pregnant yet. She clearly didn’t know her condition, but she’d not long gotten used to being a wolf. Roger and Dani had taken away a lot of time for her to grow accustomed to her wolf and the change. He knew her wolf liked him, which was why the little bitch had been calm. It was only a matter of time before the wolf wanted to have one final run before she remained dormant for the baby to be born. The wonders of their kind were connected to the magic of birth. Before she entered the second month she could have one final change, but after that, she’d kill the baby. Crap. What was she going to do when she found out he’d knocked her up as well as claimed her?
Chapter Eleven
Staring around the room Mary saw over thirty different couples, mingling, talking, making out, or just sitting, petting each other. She wore a pair of jeans with one of Zeke’s shirts. His scent surrounded her, and in the last the few days she’d found his scent calmed her nerves. Every now and then her stomach would turn and her wolf felt close to the surface, and that alone scared her. Whenever Zeke was with her the wolf within would settle.
She was starting to wonder who the actual master of her was, herself or Zeke.
He stood beside her dressed similarly in jeans and a shirt. At first Mary had been horrified by their lack of formal clothing. Zeke had laughed, reminding her that they were going to a room full of wolves. There was no need for formal clothing.
William and Helen had greeted them at the door. The couple seemed to be more in love than Mary remembered. Holding onto Zeke’s arm she looked around at all the couples.
“How do you know they’re mated?” she asked.
Zeke took her to a corner of the room, which gave them privacy but meant they were able to look around. “During a mating the male is not always gentle,” he said, reaching out to stroke the raised flesh of her neck. “Most men will lay their claim around the neck for most wolves to see. It’s a mark of ownership, love, and claiming but to also warn other males not to touch their property.”
“So I’m your property now?” She folded her arms trying to cover her ni**les, which had budded.
He laughed. “Baby, your pu**y is dripping wet. You’ve been mine a lot longer than you’ve been my toy.” He stroked a finger up her denim-clad thigh. “I’m being polite. Look around you, Mary. I know you can see the love, the need in every mated couple.” He closed the small gap between them. “I also know you feel something for me. I know you’ve changed around me, and I also know that you’ve not been my toy for a long time.”
“That’s a lot of stuff you know,” she said, moaning at his closeness.
Her body was on fire once again for his touch.
“It’s not all I know.” His hand slid up to cup her mound. “You’re mine, Mary. Look around you. See for yourself.”
She saw Max and Jane sat on the sofa talking with another couple she didn’t know. Helen and William were close as they made their way around the room.
“These people are your family?” she asked.
“Not all of them are related, but we’re all close.” His other hand sank into her hair, tilting her head back. “All wolves feel related in some way. It’s how I knew Roger and Dani had done something wrong. They no longer smelled like pack but of something corrupt and not very nice at all. They repelled me.”
“What do I smell like?” She whimpered as his lips kissed along her neck. The air between them changed. It became suddenly charged with need, sex, and something far more. Mary knew Zeke was right. She was in love with Zeke. He was the first man to ever make her feel this way. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, and that scared her.
All of her life she’d been under the impression that it took a lot longer than a couple of weeks to fall in love. Her wolf connected with his, and she found her dreams filled with images of them both together. Mary knew her future was with him, but she needed to be totally sure.
Seeing the couples together, Mary knew they were exactly the same.
“Heaven, like the best fruit or dessert on the table. You’re everything I ever wanted. I could smell you in a crowded room or in the city. They took you away from me, but I won’t let it happen again.” His lips covered hers, and Mary accepted his word and his love.