“I’m sorry for yer loss, HeatherBanks.”
She squeezed his hand. “Thanks,bigguy.”
He hadn’t even realized that he’d picked up her hand and was stroking the back of it with histhumb.
She cleared her throat. “What about you? What’s your story? Are you older than dirt likeLucian?”
He chuckled. “I am the Beta of the Irish pack. I am many centuries old, and yes, nearly as old as Lucian, though not even remotely as old as Ciro. I don’t actually remember the year of mybirth.”
“Really?” She soundedsurprised.
“Records weren’t kept well that long ago, and birthdays weren’t celebrated. So over time, I just forgot, if I ever really even knew. Other things, like surviving, seemed more important,” he explained. “Humans would judge me to appear around thirty, I guess. My parents were both killed in a fight for dominance over our pack a century ago. I have no siblingseither.”
“How many wolves are in your pack?” sheasked.
“Twenty-five. Ten unmated, fifteen mated, which is a lot compared to most other packs. Unfortunately, we’ve noweepups.”
“Do you miss them?Yourpack?”
“Aye. Pack is family.” He paused, unsure if he should bring it up, but then decided there was no reason not to. “They will be your family, if you’llletthem.”
Heather fiddled with a blade of grass and seemed to be thinking about his words. “I figured I’d have to move to wherever your packlived.”
“No. You do nah. If you want to go somewhere else, we can seek permission to join another pack. If Ireland’s too far from your home, your friends.” Kale wanted her to go home with him. He wanted to see her in the den he’d built, hoping one day his true mate would live there with him. But he wouldn’t force her, and he wouldn’t leave herbehind.
“Is it something I need to decide right away, or can we first make sure that Volcan doesn’t destroy the world and Jewel and Anna don’t become soul-suckingwitches?”
“You can take all the time you need, luv,” he said gently, and he meant it. “I’m not going anywhere. And you’re right. We will probably be needed here to fight Volcan before we can go visitmyhome.”
“Alright.” She breathed out. “Now, on to what’s really important. I need you tokissme.”
* * *
Nick pulledout one of the kitchen chairs, flipped it around, and sat down, straddling it as he rested his arms on its back. He stared intently at Kara as she took the seat across from him. Her sandy brown hair, streaked with blonde highlights, cascaded onto her shoulders. His fingers itched to push it back away from her face so he could see her better. Where was the confident young woman he’d met months ago? She seemed almost afraid of him. His leg was bouncing like a junky needing a fix as he forced himself to remain seated instead of walking over and scooping her up to sit her in his lap like hewanted.
“Kara,” he said her name gently, but firmly. “Lookatme.”
She raised her head slowly until finally her blue-green eyes met his black ones. His wolf growled at the worry he sawthere.
“I realize we don’t know each other well. But we’vetalked,yeah?”
Shenodded.
“You talked to me for the past two weeks, and you seemed okay. Has something changed? Are you scared of me?” he asked, his voice sharper than heintended.
“No, I’m not scared of you,” she said, the words rushing out of her in a quick breath. “Not at all. Nothing’s changed except you can talk,” she saidawkwardly.
“Did something happen while you were in the pixie realm? Did someone hurt you?” He hated to ask, but he had to understand the look in her eyes and why he was feeling waves of uncertainty, fear, and even some defeat, flowing outofher.
“No, nothing like that happened. Mostly we listened to Heather tell stupid jokes,” she said with a smallsmile.
He didn’t even want to ask his next question out loud because he feared the answer.“Are you disappointed”—he paused and gritted his teeth—“that I’m yourtruemate?”
Her eyes widened, and he wasn’t sure if it was because he’d spoke to her mind through the bond or because of what he’dasked.
She stood up slowly and walked around the table until she was directly in front of him. Since he was sitting, they were eye level with one another. Her vanilla scent washed over him, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning and grabbing her to bury his face inherneck.
“Disappointed?” she asked. “I’m a lot of things right now, shocked, excited, worried, flummoxed—is that a word?” She shook her head and waved her hand. “Whatever. I’m curious, overwhelmed, and yeah, even, ah, um, a little, well, aroused. Yeah, I went there. But disappointed? Of you? Have you seenyourself?”
