“You’re mine,” he growls.“And soon, you’ll be theirs too.”He nods his head toward the gathered wolves.“All of them will respect you.Protect you.Some will probably love you.I can’t blame them.”
I thought moving to Pine Falls meant leaving a big family behind.Apparently, I’m being adopted.
And this time, when I trace my eyes over the crowd, I notice the smiles and the encouraging nods.I see laughing conversations between different members and realize that I’m the only tense one in this group.Everyone else is here for a celebration.
After a long exhale, I give Warner a confident smile.
“All right.Let’s make this official.”
Roderick wades through the trees and wolves, joining us in the clearing.He raises his hand, and the murmuring crowd falls silent.
“Our brother wolf has brought a woman to us and wishes to mate.”Roderick’s voice sounds especially deep, as if he’s calling to something.He stalks around the circle, and with each step, an electric sensation builds in the air.
Is this magic?
He halts beside us.“What do you offer?”
Shit, was I supposed to bring an offering too?I’m going to kick Warner’s ass when this is done for not giving me a better outline.
As if hearing my thoughts, my wolf grins down at me.“He means the food.Courtney, did you bring it?”
“Of course I did.”The raven-haired woman steps forward, pulling her purse off her shoulder.Only when she unzips it do I realize it’s not a purse at all, but a small, fashionable lunch box.“This is a good batch.”
Warner reaches out to accept a paper-wrapped item.When he peels the layers back, I see a soft white substance.
“Is that …”
Warner nods, wearing a self-satisfied smile.“Goat cheese.”
“My preferred cheese!You figured it out.”
He steals a quick kiss.“We’ve lived together for months.Give me some credit.”
“You get all the credit.”
Warner straightens and takes on a tone as deep as his brother’s.“I will nourish my mate.As she takes from me, I give to her willingly.”He holds out his fingers, offering the soft cheese and nodding in encouragement until I understand I’m meant to eat it from his hand.
The tartness is delicious, especially as I lick it off his thumb.Black seeps into Warner’s eyes as they lock on my mouth.
“What do you offer?”Roderick’s heavy gaze redirects toward me.
I follow Warner’s lead.
“I will nourish my mate.As he takes from me, I give to him willingly.”A ridiculously hot blush covers every inch of me when I pull a ziplock bag from my jacket pocket and offer Warner a Goldfish.
His grin is delighted as he leans forward to snap the cheesy cracker from my hand, munching away happily.
“How will you live?”Another question from Roderick, who has turned back to his brother.
I listen for the words I’ll need to repeat back, but instead of responding right away, Warner hooks his thumbs in his shirt and pulls the thing off, leaving him bare-chested.
“We’re getting naked?”I mutter, clutching at the edge of my denim coat, wavering between feeling affronted or following suit.
Warner’s smile is apologetic.“Just a little.Like, we’re-going-to-the-beach-but-are-still-keeping-our-pants-on naked.”
“You’re lucky I love you,” I mutter, letting my jacket slide off my shoulders and tossing it to the side.“Shirt and bra?”
He steps close, hands on my waist and pressing a fortifying kiss to my forehead.
