Page 77 of His Wild Mate

Lily snorted. “What are you, five?”

“Accurate,” Wyatt said. “And tables are ready for everyone, so stop distracting my customers and take a seat.”

He had tables pushed together so the fifteen of us could all sit together.

I hadn't been oblivious to the looks and stares when we walked in and knew the Pack gossip train would be alive and well by morning. It was their first look at my mate. And word must have gotten out faster than I thought because by the time our meals arrived, there was a line out the door to get into Kate's.

“Well Paige, clearly you're good for business. Do feel free to come back every night for dinner,” Wyatt teased, giving her a wink.

I could feel her tensing up and I growled at Thomas when I tried to comfort her and couldn't. My arm draped uselessly on the back of her chair. But when she realized it, she scooted closer to me and leaned against me while we talked.

I didn't think she realized that her action was as good as claiming me right there in front of everyone. The guys were all grinning at us.

“Told you they'd find a way to make it work,” Lily said to Thomas.

“Then no need for him to kick my ass.”

I growled and eyed him closely.

“Okay, okay. It's just a month. I need to make sure it holds and that we have no more issues next month,” he assured me. “If it goes well, then I promise I'll lift the ban and you can claim her before I reinstate it.”

“With exception to our boy here,” Austin insisted.

“If they're mated, then it's not a problem. Only unmated males were commanded,” Clay pointed out.

“Exactly,” Thomas confirmed.

“One month is going to be hell for him though,” James said.

“It already is,” I grumbled.

“But we're already mates,” Paige said.

“Mating, not mated. Big difference,” Thomas explained.

She shook her head. “But we’ve had sex. Lots of it.”

“Ahh! I don't want to hear about your sex life,” Esme said, dramatically covering her ears.

“You go girl!” Lily cheered.

Thomas shook his head at her overzealous approval. “It takes more than sex to bond you to each other and officially become mates.”

“It does?” she whispered.

I nodded. “I'll explain it later.”

“She was thirteen when she left home, but if her parents were going to bond her to a grown-ass man, then they should have had the decency to explain what was going to happen,” Mom said. She was already starting to feel very protective of my mate, and I couldn't thank her enough for it.

“Is that true?” Lily said. “At thirteen?”

Paige nodded as I looked around at the reactions of my friends. They were all pissed and needed to calm down, but damn I loved them for it.

She was truly one of us. Despite all the craziness, they'd accepted her into our little made family and I knew that each of them would protect her with their lives, just as I would for Kate, Lily, Winnie, Katherine, and Angel.

I was so excited by the realization that it took me a minute to notice Paige had gone quiet.

“What is it?” I asked her.

---