Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33372 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“Why?”
“Because your family would come in and then we wouldn’t be here, talking, and you do like talking to me, don’t you?”
Her frown deepened. “I … don’t know.”
This made him smile. “You say that a lot.”
“I guess as much as you say the word no.”
“Touché.”
Karina took a deep breath and looked down at his chest, but then tilted her head back and looked at him. “I’m human. I’m not a wolf. I don’t feel anything right now.”
“Right now, you don’t, but maybe, in time.”
“You’re not going to choose another woman?” she asked.
“No.”
“That pesky, irritating word again. Are you going to be this stubborn?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “A different response. I kind of like this one.”
He winked at her.
Karina lifted her arms and then placed them on his. “You know, you could have your pick of women here.”
“You expect me to believe that most of them were lined up ready for me because they wanted to be?”
She nodded. “Some of them were. Rose and I had no choice. Dad said something about his daughters being ready and available, and about insulting. Dad said a lot of things. This … union, or you helping him, I think, is important to him.”
“And you’re willing to do what it takes for your father?” Rage asked.
He didn’t want his mate to act out of duty, but he had a feeling that winning Karina over was not going to be easy. She was already nervous.
“I’m willing to do what is needed for the pack, but I don’t … I’m not a wolf. I’ve never turned. I don’t have great hearing, and I feel in the last few hours I’ve said this a lot.”
“Your parents have told me. You’re human, which I find hard to believe.”
Karina laughed. “Trust me, my family found it hard to believe as well. They don’t know what to do with me. I know they fear me finding a man to marry.”
Rage growled. He couldn’t help it.
She opened her mouth and closed it.
“Don’t,” he said. “No other male is going to have you. You’re mine.”
“Okay, so new rules apply. Do you even have any idea what you’re doing? What this is?”
He shook his head.
“So, neither of us has a plan?” she asked.
Rage didn’t know if he should tell her there was no backing out. Karina was his mate. He couldn’t leave her alone. He could not leave his mate behind. Regardless of whether that was what she wanted, there was no getting away from him, from them. Whether she liked it or not, he was staying. He’d already told Will he wasn’t leaving without Karina.
Their packs would be joined through a true mating.
“I have a plan,” Rage said.
“Are you going to tell me what the plan is?”
“In good time.” She didn’t need to know yet that he planned to win her and make her his mate.
Her time at the Westblood pack was limited. Rage would win. He’d never lost a fight in his life and when it came to Karina, he would be willing to fight dirty.
Chapter Three
“And then what happened?” Rose asked.
“Don’t you have an actual job to do?” Karina asked, picking up the plates that had been left outside.
Last night was still a little blurry for her. Rage had left and then her parents had told her to get something to eat and go to bed. They’d treated her like a child and she hated that more than being considered weak.
Now, her sister had decided to join her at the first job of the day—the diner. She loved working here and talking to the pack, loved their stories, and just genuinely feeling like she belonged.
She never told anyone this, ever, but she always felt like an outsider. There were times even when the pack talked to her, she never truly understood what was going on. She never turned into a wolf, didn’t feel the call of the full moon. She didn’t know what it was like to be mated.
Again, an outsider. She hated that feeling so much.
Everyone this morning had asked her how she was, what she was feeling. She didn’t like or want to be the center of attention, but in an odd twist of fate, that was exactly what she had become. She forced a smile to her lips and pretended nothing happened last night. That was the easiest thing to do.
“Come on, Karina, work can wait. I’m more interested in what you’re doing and what you’re thinking and feeling. I’m your sister.”
“Yeah, and I also know if I tell you now, everyone will hear. You know what happened. You were there. Nothing really happened.” She shrugged. “Now, you better get back to Sister Claire, otherwise, she’s going to be pissed.”
Sister Claire was the pack’s healer. They didn’t have a doctor as most of the wolves didn’t need one. That had been reserved for her alone. Thankfully, Sister Claire had worked with humans and even trained as a doctor. She was a woman who loved the difficulty and tried to learn everything she could. At least she’d been able to put her skills to good use, with the only pack human as the patient.