Carter didn’t know about that. He had no real knowledge about what it was like before the supernatural world was revealed to the humans. His great grandparents had never talked about it, and they were the last who’d lived it.
“I think he might be my mate,” Carter said. “I keep wanting to give him a claiming bite. It’s getting hard to resist.”
“Well, then it sounds like you don’t need me at all. I wish you luck with your human.”
Carter thanked her for her time, and they ended the call. For a while he just stood there and stared down at the pancake batter.
If John was pack—enough that he didn’t miss his real pack when he was away from them—what was he supposed to do with that?
Stirring the batter, Carter shook his head at himself. He knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted to be with John. Instead of going back to Forest Hill on Sunday night, Carter wanted to just… stay—to live with John in Builder Falls and forget all about his life in Forest Hill and all the people who would hate him if they knew who he really was.
But that was easier said than done.
“Are you making pancakes?”
Carter jumped at John’s voice, nearly knocking the bowl over. He hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings—deep in thought—and John had startled him.
He turned around. “I am, sound good?”
“Sounds very good.” John walked to the island and sat down so that he had a prime view of Carter as he worked. His hair was still wet from the shower and he’d changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He gave Carter a considering look. “Are you okay? You look a little rattled.”
Carter smiled and shrugged. “I’m fine. It’s just pack stuff.”
“Yeah?” John’s voice was careful, like he wasn’t sure if he was overstepping.
“I hired a witch to do a spell that would help me become alpha, but I changed my mind. The price I’d have to pay was too high.”
“What kind of spell?” John asked. He looked worried. “What was the price?”
Carter didn’t want to admit what he’d almost done. In retrospect it seemed so callous and self-serving.
“The spell was going to make it so that I was attracted to other werewolves. That way I could find a werewolf mate and the pack would accept me.”
“Oh.” John looked hurt. “What was the price?”
Carter shrugged again, self-conscious. “You.”
“Me?” John bit his lip, sounding unsure.
Carter nodded. “I would have had to give you up—never see you again—and I didn’t want that.”
“Even though you could have been the alpha?” John looked bewildered, but also hopeful.
“If I had to choose between losing you or losing the chance to become alpha, then I choose you. Unless… do you not feel that way?”
Now Carter was worried. If this wasn’t serious for John—even though Carter knew that it was—then he should get out and do the spell anyway.
Just the thought of it left a bad taste in his mouth and a hollow feeling in his chest.
“No, I feel the same way,” John said. He looked nervous, like he was steeling himself for something, and then he blurted out, “I love you.”
Carter started grinning, and no matter how hard he tried to play it cool it was impossible. He was so happy he started to feel light-headed.
John was still waiting for a response, looking anxious even though Carter was smiling, and Carter didn’t have to think about what to say.
“I love you, too.”
John’s worried expression morphed into a smile, and for a minute they just looked at each other like a pair of loons.
