Worse, in some ways, he dreaded that she might feel a mate bond with Charlie. Age differences weren’t the issue; that was a common occurrence in wolf relationships. Louisa was several decades younger than him.
But Chelsea was his baby. And that thought kept returning to his mind.
He’d have to bring his full weight down on both of them if she did feel a mate bond and tried to convince Charlie to consummate their mating earlier than Duncan wanted.
Not that Duncan really wanted to think about any of his daughters consummating anything, but he knew the facts of life.
Still, this wasn’t Scotland of a couple of hundred years ago. This was America and modern times, and he’d be damned if he’d let his daughter’s fate be determined by anyone but her.
They were almost to the clearing when Chelsea pulled up short, head up and nostrils flaring, eyes suddenly wide.
Before Duncan could stop her, she jerked her hand free and bolted toward the clearing.
“Badger!” he bellowed. “She’s coming!”
He and Louisa ran after her, bursting into the clearing as Chelsea started screaming at Badger to get away from Charlie.
Badger stood with a sword held across the front of Charlie’s neck. Charlie knelt on the ground, frozen, whether from self-control or Badger’s Prime order, Duncan didn’t know.
Duncan was finally able to grab Chelsea’s arm before she launched herself at Badger.
“Freeze!” Duncan yelled, his daughter immediately stilling over his Prime command as he wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her back.
“Da, he’s my mate!” she cried. “Make Uncle Badger let him go!” He felt her mind struggling to make her body work and defy his command, which shocked him because she should have gone completely limp in his grip. “Don’t let Badger hurt him!”
“Well, answers that question,” Louisa grumbled.
“Will you please stop fighting me?” Duncan told Chelsea. “No one will get hurt if you’ll just calm down and listen to me.”
She finally settled, but he didn’t release her. Charlie stared at her, his eyes wide and nostrils also flaring, but he wasn’t moving, wasn’t straining against Badger. Duncan suspected it was more his own self-control than Badger compelling him.
“Here’s the deal,” Duncan said. “If you are certain he’s your mate, he can court and claim you, but absolutely no sex until you’re at least sixteen. If he does, or if you try to get him to do that, I’ll kill him. He’s already sworn to me that he won’t, so don’t make him break his oath. Do you understand?”
She nodded, but she wouldn’t look at Duncan. Her gaze was focused on Charlie.
“Sit down right here,” he told her. He dared to release her. She finally dropped to the ground, but looked like she wanted to launch herself across the several yards separating the two.
“What do ye want me to do, Duncan?” Badger asked.
“Charlie, are you in control?” Duncan asked.
“Yes, sir.” He slowly tipped his head back more, fully exposing his throat. “My oath still stands, sir.”
Duncan looked down at Chelsea. “No sex—and I mean no oral or handjobs or anything like that—until you’re at least sixteen. You can hold hands and kiss and cuddle, but unless you’re in a group run with others, clothes stay on. Swear it, daughter.”
She finally looked up at him and tipped her head back. “I swear it, Da.”
He sighed and looked at Louisa. “Well?”
She finally nodded. “I know that look in her eyes,” she said, one corner of her mouth quirking up in a beautiful smirk. “Pretty sure that’s what I looked like when you and I met.”
Duncan held out an arm to his mate, and she stepped over and tucked herself against his side.
Back to Charlie. “You can put a mark on her shoulder, but you have to ask her and she has to say yes first. She also has to willingly bare her shoulder to you, on her own. And you cannot use your Prime on her for this.”
He nodded.
Duncan sighed again and nodded to Badger. “Let him go.”
