Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47126 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
“Who is the woman?” Matthew asked.
“Elle Smith.”
Lori charged at him shoving him in the chest. “You mean to pass me aside for that fat bitch. She’s never even been with a man. You can smell her innocence over her like a stink.” Grabbing her hand, Brandon twisted her away from him. She gasped, fighting his hold. He was bigger, stronger, and more determined than she.
“I will hurt you, Lori, I swear, if you say one bad thing about my mate again, and it’ll be the last words you ever speak.”
She growled, and her body went lax. He let her go then faced the crowd. “The fates have decided this for me. I didn’t choose a human mate. You know how fragile humans are. Elle is under my protection for the rest of her life. I will claim her. She will be mine. If anything happens to her from this day forward I’ll come to all of you. You’re responsible for looking after your queen, my woman.”
Brandon looked toward Daisy, hoping the older woman would help him convince his pack.
“Elle is a great woman. She’s strong and hard working. Yes, she’s human, but who cares about species? I stick by my alpha and my queen.” Daisy went down on one knee before him.
After she went down the rest of the pack slowly went down, consenting to his claim of a mate. Lori glared at him, refusing to go down on one knee until she was the last person standing.
“Are you fighting me, Lori?” he asked.
“No, but I hope you know what a human mate will do to this pack.”
“This is not your place to say, Lori. Bow down, or get the fuck out of Grace Hill.”
She reluctantly went down on one knee.
“I give you thanks. Let’s run.” Brandon walked away from the group. He stared up at the full moon, howled, and then changed into his wolf. All around him pack members changed. He listened to their thoughts. Many of them were picturing Elle by his side.
“I want to congratulate you,” Matthew said. The wolf bowed down before him.
Nodding his head, Brandon took off toward the forest. His three men followed him.
“That went better than I thought,” Lewis said.
“Only because Daisy showed she can still kick ass. She’d make one hot cougar,” Drake said.
“Gross.” This came from Darcy.
Brandon laughed finding their banter funny. He felt each member of the pack. Going to the edge of the forest he found himself near the edge of Elle’s house. Looking up at the window, he saw her, arms folded, staring down at him.
“We’ve got to go, Alpha,” Drake said.
He watched her, and inhaling her scent, he felt a calmness settle over him. Lori hadn’t been wrong. She was completely innocent. He’d sensed that this afternoon when he’d brought her to climax. Her response to him was far too shocked for her not to be innocent. Also, being a wolf he could smell innocence a mile away. She was pure, and the scent clung to her like a second skin.
Soon, his scent would cover all trace of her innocence. There would be no other man lingering on her skin.
Moving away from her house, Brandon howled at the sky. His mating couldn’t come soon enough for him.
****
The second bell of the night rang out in the air letting the humans know it was clear to move out of their homes. The bells were in place for the humans’ safety. Some wolves couldn’t control their beasts, and if they sensed fear then they’d attack a human without thought. After the second bell she was usually forced to stay home, but now she was of age she could participate. Elle lifted a pot of chilli from the stove and made her way out to the table. Once she placed the pot on the centre she went back for more. For the next twenty minutes she gathered food and plates from her mother’s kitchen to place on the table.
Layla nudged her with her hip. “Are you nervous?”
Elle nodded and went back to setting the table. Pack members started arriving as the table was filled with food. They took their places at the head of the table. She sat by Layla as her parents took their seats next to her. Some of the wolves stared at her for several moments. She wasn’t used to being scrutinized by so many people. Male and female wolves took their time observing her. When all the wolves were seated, Elle wiped her sweaty palms on the tablecloth in her lap.
Brandon still hadn’t joined them. No one reached for food. She noticed the whole pack around the table tense and stare behind her. Before she could turn around to see what gained their attention, fingers brushed her hair out of the way.
“You shouldn’t be sitting here,” Brandon said. He pressed his lips against her neck, making her gasp.