Page 11 of His Wild Mate

Still, it bothered me that the kid might be right. I felt drawn to her in a way I'd never felt before. Did the others feel like this too? Some strange connection was pulling me towards her.

“They fought over her, Emmett. But despite her obviously being in heat and calling them to her, she didn't want anything to do with them and attacked. First it was the one everyone calls dumbass. I don't know his name yet.”

I chuckled. “Dumbass is pretty much what everyone knows him as.”

“Yeah, well, he approached first and she took a swipe at him, so Jerron moved in to pull him out and she got him a couple of times too. Brady jumped in to cover them, I think, or maybe he was going for her. I really don't know because it all happened so quickly, but she full on attacked him. He was pinned to the ground and she was ripping into his flesh. I ran in and pulled him out and shooed her off. When she saw I wasn't attracted to her like the others, she fled.”

“Look at her. She's so thin. Hand me the rifle. It's the humane thing to do.”

It was taking every ounce of strength within me not to go to her, but after what Will said, I knew I needed to keep my wits about me.

The wind was in my favor blowing her scent away from us, so it was likely a bit more bearable than what the guys had experienced. I could still feel myself pulled towards her, but it wasn't as potent as I suspected it could be.

Will retrieved the rifle and ammo for me, and I laid prone on the ground as I readied my weapon.

I sighted in on her, ready to take my shot, when she turned. Through the scope it was like she was looking directly into my soul. I didn't see the eyes of an animal there, but the most beautiful gray eyes filled with human intelligence.

The wind shifted and I caught her scent in full potency.

Mate, my inner wolf growled.

“Shit,” I muttered as my hands started to shake.

“Crap. I was worried about this. Let me take the shot,” Will offered.

I growled at him as he jumped back from me.

“Boss?”

I took a deep breath, set down my weapon, and stood up.

“Sorry. But that's no average she-wolf. That's a shifter.”

“A shifter wouldn't attack a person like that, especially not another shifter.”

“She might if she felt threatened,” I argued on her behalf.

Mine, my wolf growled.

“Shit. This is really bad. Look, I'm going to go over there and see if I can talk to her. I'm about ninety percent sure she won't hurt me.”

“Emmett, she nearly killed Brady.”

“I know, dammit, but I have to try. You just have to trust me on this. Okay?”

“No. This is insane.”

“Someday, you'll understand. I have to do this.”

“Please don't.”

“I have to. If she attacks, put her down.”

My wolf roared in my head furiously.

“I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that though. Okay?”

He didn't want to agree, and I could appreciate that. But he didn't have all the facts in this situation.