Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 137524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 688(@200wpm)___ 550(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 688(@200wpm)___ 550(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
“Okay.” I pull my hood off and toss my cape on the couch next to me. He growls, making me look back up at him. His eyes roam over my body, making my blood heat. It’s the same feeling that coursed through me when I opened my eyes to see him looming over me. I’d wanted him to kiss me so bad. I’ve never been kissed. Never even been close to being kissed.
He’s handsome. Maybe a little overgrown and rough around the edges, but that doesn’t take away from his handsomeness at all. In fact, I kind of like that he looks a bit scary. He could protect me.
“Just ‘okay’? You’re not going to fight me?” I can hear the uncertainty in his voice.
No, I’m not going to fight him. He’s right. If what I’m thinking is true, then my people did do worse than what he’d do to me here. I’d seen glimpses of how my father treated the shifters he’d kept caged away. The ones I’d left behind because I was too scared to stay. Selfish.
This, I could do. I could be his mate. I glance around the room, taking in the mess and chaos. If I know how to do anything, it’s make a home. It’s what I love to do. I owe him this. Maybe I can make him see not all humans are terrible.
I can see the sadness in his eyes. I see it when I look in the mirror.
“No, I won’t fight you, but I need to tell my brothers.”
“No!” he growls. “They can’t have you.” He snaps the last part, making me jump. A frown forms on his brow. It shows me he doesn’t like scaring me. I like that. It’s an oddly cute look on his hard face. Not that I would inform him of that.
I widen my eyes and pouting. “I just need to let them know I’m okay.” I do the same face that seems to work on my brothers. His eyes go wide as if in panic.
“Don’t cry,” he growls, like that will make me stop.
“They’ll worry. Then I’ll worry that they are worrying, then I’ll worry myself sick with all the worry,” I push on.
“That’s a whole lot of worry. You should only worry about your mate. Me.” He points at himself like I forgot who my mate was.
“Well, I can just worry about you if I can undo all this other worrying...” I let my words trail off.
“Fine.” He stomps past me towards the kitchen and starts digging through drawers. I grab my cape, sliding it back over my head.
He comes back and hands me a notepad and pen. I take it from him, not sure what he wants me to do with it.
“Address,” he says, nodding down at the paper. I scribble it down and hand the pad back to him.
“I can just show you the way.” I glance at the closed window. I can’t see out of it as it’s been boarded up. “Or maybe not. I don’t remember the way here.”
“Good.” He looks down at the note. “Then you can’t try to leave because you won’t know where to go.”
My mouth drops open. “What are you going to do? Blindfold me to my brothers’ and back?” I snap.
“No, that’s ridiculous.” He folds the paper and tucks it into his jeans pocket “I know where the Denali brothers live. I also know they are wolf shifters, making them not your actual brothers.” He growls the last part, and it spikes my temper.
“Maybe not by birth, but they raised me like one of their own.” I narrow my eyes on him, not liking him saying they aren’t my brothers. Maybe not by blood, but they are family.
“Write them a note. I’ll deliver it to their cabin so they’ll know you’re okay.” He takes a step towards me, crowding me.
“No, I’m going to tell them in person.” I go to move around him towards the front door. I don’t even try to open it. I heard the million locks click into place when we entered. Besides, one looks higher than I can reach. “Let's go.” I try to use the same tone I use on my brothers, but it doesn’t seem to work. He just stares at me, jaw clenched.
“No. You’re not dressed to be in the cold. No one can take you if I have you here.” He comes closer to the door, crowding me all over again. His woody smell carries a touch of cinnamon, and it fills my lungs. He smells delicious. I feel my body react to the dominance pouring off him, waking up parts of me that I didn’t even know existed. It makes me wonder if humans feel these mating feelings, too. I don’t know anything about shifters mating with humans. I’ve heard it could happen, but I’ve never seen it.