Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“You’re thinking this means I’m trapped here now, aren’t you,” he guessed with a smile.
He was a pain in her ass. “Stop reading my mind.”
“I just know how that brain of yours works. Thanks for being so supportive. I appreciate it.
And I hope the same thing happens for you and Dante someday.” There was no denying that she wanted that, but it wasn’t something that could ever happen.
Hearing Gabe bring it up only served to put salt in the wound. “Gabe, you know that—”
“What I know is that the guy absolutely adores you. Look at all the things he’s done for you, all the changes he’s made. You don’t do that for someone unless they mean a lot to you.”
“It doesn’t mean he wants to be bonded.”
Gabe snorted. “You’re not dumb, Jaime. It’s only a matter of time before imprinting starts.
You must already know that.”
She shook her head. “Dante would never want that. Especially when there’s no guarantee that Trey won’t make me leave the pack at some point. I’ll keep fighting my wolf every step of the way, Gabe, but I won’t ever allow myself the luxury of thinking that I’ll always be able to. Trey would be right to throw me out if my wolf got too strong. Dante would have to choose between going with me or breaking an imprinting bond”—again—“and I know he’d never choose the latter. I wouldn’t let him.”
“You know he’d never let you leave, no matter what anybody said. If you try to go, he’ll track you down and drag you back here. We both know that you’d never be able to hold out against him if he fought to keep you or wanted to imprint on you.”
Damn her brother for knowing her so well. Her words were quiet and sad. “I’d be risking his life if I imprinted on him.”
He put his arm around her and pulled her to his side. “Jaime, you must realize how much better your wolf has been. She responds to Dante—he makes her feel secure. It stands to reason that she’d feel even more secure if you bonded.”
“I can’t ever take that risk, even if he wanted me to.” She knew for sure that he wouldn’t chance going through that pain again.
“At least you’re admitting that you want to. That’s more than I expected. If you’re scared that you’ll lose him to his true mate, don’t. If he wanted her, he wouldn’t be in so deep with you. And if you’re feeling bad that you’re not waiting for your true mate, don’t do that either.”
“Don’t you feel bad that you’re not waiting?”
He sighed. “A part of me does. But there’s no guarantee that I’d find her. Lots of shifters don’t.
I’ve found somebody I love enough to bond with them. I’d be an idiot to ignore that. And so would you.” With a kiss to her forehead, the pain in her ass released her and continued down the tunnel.
He’d always had a way of jumbling her thoughts.
Outside the main door, she found Dante waiting impatiently. “You could have gone without me. I’d have followed.”
He took her hand in his and dragged her to him so that he could plant a kiss on her mouth. “No.
We go together.”
He often did that—ate up every single bit of personal space she had. She shouldn’t have liked it, should have instead felt threatened by it or found it imposing. Instead, it made her feel safe, cared for, protected, and cosseted. The way his body heat swathed and encased her only added to that feeling of safety, only made the close contact more comforting. It scared her how much she liked it, because she wasn’t sure how she’d cope if she no longer had it. A little of that anxiety must have shown on her face, because he cupped her cheek and breezed his thumb over her mouth.
“You okay, baby?” Her bright smile settled and invigorated him.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
In a small clearing far into pack territory, they found the rest of the pack. Having watched them out of her bedroom window many times whenever they gathered near the lake, Jaime knew which wolf was which. She smiled as she watched a wolf with the salt-and-pepper fur—Dominic—
playfully bound into a wolf whose fur was black other than that on his face, neck, and the insides of his ears, which were a creamy blond. Ryan, she knew. He somehow withstood the impact and gave the salt-and-pepper wolf a look that could only be described as superior. Then he swiped his paw at him, knocking him to the ground.
Suddenly two gray-brown-yellow wolves—Trick and Marcus—were on top of the salt-and-pepper wolf. The three of them tussled and wrestled, releasing high-pitched barks.
“Maybe one day Dominic will realize that he doesn’t have a chance of coaxing Ryan to play.
How’s your wolf?” Dante studied her expression intently as he ran a hand through her hair and brushed his lips against hers.