“You've never done that before,” he tells me.
“I know. Do you hate it?”
He shakes his head. “No. I like wearing your marks, whatever they are. What happened, Cross?”
I take a long breath and then explain what happened. All of it. Genie. My wolf. Her taunts. My threat. Everything.
His expression is carefully blank when I finish and I know I've fucked up.
“You marked me because of her,” he says quietly.
“Not because of her, but she was the catalyst for the episode.”
“But you wouldn't have done it if not for her.”
“Not like it happened, but I will always put my mark on you, one way or another, as long as you allow me to.”
“What if I wash it off?”
“Don't.”
“What if I do?” he insists. “What then?”
A low, rolling growl rattles my chest and I can't stop it. “Don't.”
He sighs. “I won't. But I don't like leftovers, Cross. I need my own attention from you that has nothing to do with her or anyone else. I can share, but I won't be a second thought and I won't clean up someone else's mess. You have to find a way to balance it, because this doesn't feel good. I can't do this anymore.”
“I hurt you,” I say, linking my fingers with his on the bed between us. “I'm sorry. I'll try to be better.”
He turns his head to face me. “Try harder.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Genie
I lied. I have no intention of using any suppressants. I've already used them too much this year. But I am going to leave. The moment my temperature so much as hints at rising I am out of here whether the month is up or not. It isn't worth the risk. Going into heat here would be a disaster. They say that they can handle it, but I know they can't. Drew isn't the only wolf who would come for me and it would be a massacre.
My heats haven't gotten easier over the years. As I've grown older, they have become fine tuned and sharp edged. Every year I spend using suppressants to stifle them, or suffer through them with males who are at most adequate, makes the ache deeper. I need a mate. I needmymate. Seeing him in Drew's eyes made my insides burn. It took everything in me to stop myself from groaning when he scented me. That's all I want. I want him.
But not Drew.
Drew can still go fuck himself.
“Come on, Barrett,” Walker calls from further up the path. “We'll never get back if you don't get your head out of your ass.”
I can't stand him. I don't care enough to hate him, but he is the most obnoxious person I've ever met. He's pushy and rude, and full of his own self importance. It took several run ins with him for me to understand what his problem is – his problem with me, anyway. He can't have me. It makes me sound arrogant, but it's the cold truth. Walker is unsatisfied with his position in his pack and he isn't happy that his status isn't likely to change. He is angry with me because I am an unmated female with high status and a name to back it up and I won't touch him.
I'm not the only female here who has attracted his attention. He seems to be treating this program like a single's retreat. I understand trying to attract a partner who will help you move up in rank, but most of the females here are from different packs across the region. He wants out of his current position badly enough to align himself with another pack. I want to know why. Even if Drew had gone through with the mating ceremony, I wouldn't leave my own pack. Granted, our situation was different because we are both heirs, but even so, I can't imagine leaving everything and everyone I know.
There are six of us walking back down this mountain and I'm at the back of the line. Walker is second. I think that's what he wants. He doesn't want to lead, but he wants a leadershiprole, like an alpha's Second. Unfortunately for him, that position has to be earned, and earned well. I'm not sure what his pack situation is, but if he's here he isn't in line to be anyone's Second.
My hiking buddy is conveniently a female from his pack. He is very obviously not interested in her and it's a shame. She seems to find him interesting enough to keep an eye on him.
“Hey,” I call, and she looks over at me. “You know Walker, right?”
She nods. “Yeah. Why?”
“What's his deal?”
