Her eyes widened. “No way.”
“And… his fingers…” I slapped a hand over my heart. “They do wonders when he’s giving it to me from behind.”
She made an ‘o’ with her lips, eyes softening. Then she smiled. “Isabella, I’m so happy for you!” Her voice sounded anything but happy. It sounded jealous. I bet she was just trying to get with any man that talked to me. Next, she’d be over Ryker when everyone found out I had been recruited.
The bell on the café door rang, and Derek walked into the room. When he approached us, she stood. “Well, I’ll leave you twoLove Birdsalone for now.”
Derek gazed at her for a long moment, then at me. “What was that all about?” he asked.
I chuckled and slid a brownie in his direction. “Nothing.” Absolutely nothing.
Chapter 23
Isabella
Let’s just say that word got around fast.
Vanessa blabbed to everyone in our entire pack that Derek and I werematesand that he wassoooogood in bed. When we walked back onto pack property, everyone gazed over at us and whispered. Some elder wolves congratulated the newest couple, but most young she-wolves were staring lovingly at Derek like he was a sex god who could please them just by looking in their directions.
I walked up the porch stairs to home, smelling the faint scent of meatloaf in the garbage from the other night.
Stupid me for thinking rumors spread about me and Derek were better than rumors about me and Roman. My wolf retired inside of my mind, refusing to speak to me when I lied to everyone. Yes. Derek was my mate. No. Roman and I had done nothing together.
Even though my wolf didn’t want it, maybe this was exactly what I needed. A perfect distraction as I flirted with Roman and began my recruitment to the Lycans.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
From: Rachel
Message: Did you find your mate?!?! Mr. Beck is saying you did?!
I took a deep breath through my nose and reached for the door, but someone pulled open before I could. Mom grinned at me, clapping her hands together. “Izzy!” She pulled me into a hug. “Derek is your mate?! You’ve been keeping it a secret for—What?—five, six months since he turned eighteen?! Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Mom… he’s not my mate.” I awkwardly patted her back and looked at Dad. “It’s just something that Vanessa made up.”
Dad wrapped her arms around her shoulders, trying to pull her away. “I told you. She won’t know for sure until it’s her birthday. And besides Sweetheart, if they were mates, Derek and her would’ve been all over each other when he turned eighteen a few months ago.”
Mom playfully slapped his chest, her mate’s necklace shifting on her chest. “He might be! You never know!”
Since we had been in diapers, Mom wanted us to end up together. So, I decided not to argue with her. Derek was the perfect boy for me, she had said. But, for me, he was too… how do I say this lightly… too submissive. Roman could order him to do anything, and he would do it at the snap of his finger. I wanted someone who was just as hard-headed as I was.
A vicious warrior. A strong wolf. A Roman.
Moonlight flooded in through the window. I inched toward the stairs, hoping that Mom and Dad would let me get out of another meatloaf dinner. I loved Dad, but… his cooking was… for the rogues.
“I’m going out with Derek tonight,” I shouted once I had successfully snuck up the stairs. I tossed my white doctor-in-training jacket onto my bed and looked out the window. Expecting Roman to be waiting for me. Expecting to see his golden eyes. Becoming disappointed each minute he wasn’t there.
The woods were empty and quiet. The only light came from the Moonflowers on my windowsill and not his glowing eyes. Damn it. I didn’t expect him to actually stay home. I expected him here.
I tugged on some shorts and a t-shirt, walking back downstairs and right out the door. “Love you,” I said to my parents before leaving. “Sorry about lying,” I said tomyselfand shut the door behind me.
Like Roman promised, no guards were perched at my front door. And I felt… weird. I didn’t want him to just let me do whatever. I wanted him to push me back, to scold me. It was exciting to see him standing above me, tugging off his belt, pushing his cock against my lips.
I shredded my clothes, shifted into my wolf, and ran through the woods.
Everything was silent. No wolves. No guards. No Roman.
After blowing off a deep breath and saying, “fuck it”, I ran to the packhouse to find him. Though the packhouse was unusually quiet, a single light flickered off on the second floor, and I stood outside his house, my tail wagging back and forth like a dog’s. He was here.
