Page 43 of His Wild Mate

“Yeah, I guess so.” I considered that for a moment, though I knew Paige couldn't control it. She was in heat, and they wanted her. Just thinking about it made my wolf stir and my blood boil.

Mine! my wolf reminded me.

I nodded to myself.

Whatever Paige's past, it no longer mattered. I honestly didn't believe she was doing it on purpose. I'd seen the look of terror in her eyes. I wanted to take it all away from her and if need be, I'd fight every unmated male to the death to keep her safe, but I truly hoped it wouldn't come to that.

My protective instincts were raging. It wasn't something I could joke about or make light of. This was as real as it got.

“I need to check in with Sam for an update on Brady.”

“Saw him this morning. He's conscious today,” Wyatt informed me.

Conscious?

Damn. It was worse than I feared if that was the good news.

Sam was waiting for me at the bunkroom when I walked over.

“Hey, Emmett. How are you holding up?”

“I'm good. How's our patient?”

“Look, before we get into that, I really just have to say how sorry I am. I had no idea she was your mate. And if there's anything I can do to help with the repairs of your house, please let me know.”

“You were there?”

He hung his head in shame then slowly nodded.

“We were all there.”

I sucked in a breath. “I appreciate the offer, but you'll understand when I say there is no way in hell you or any other unmated male is coming near my house anytime soon, right?”

He sighed. “I know. I really am sorry. I don't know what came over me. I've never experienced anything like it before, and I've been sifting through journals and old newspapers looking for anything that could explain what happened. But I'm coming up blank so far.”

“She's in heat,” I explained. “That caused pretty much every unmated male in the Pack to go crazy with desire. You were all trying to get to her, not that I'd ever allow that to happen.”

“In heat? I guess that makes sense, sort of. The scent was enticing, but I also felt sort of dazed like I was watching things happen verses actually experiencing them. It was surreal. Is that how it felt for you too?”

“No,” I confessed. “I was not affected in the same way and immediately recognized her as my true mate.”

“As her mate, I'd think you'd be hit the hardest of all,” he pondered more to himself than anything.

“I'm not saying I didn't want her. Hell, I still want her. But it was not the same. I had an overwhelming need to protect her.”

“That's really fascinating.”

“Will’s wolf has not yet come in and he was not affected by her at all. Austin and James, Thomas even, all mated males were not affected either. They said they could smell her but were not drawn to her the way others were.”

“I'm going to keep looking into this. There has to be more to it.”

“Let me know what you find out.”

“I will. Come on in. I know you’re here to check on Brady.”

I followed him into the bunk room. Peyton and Oliver were sitting around Brady. Peyton was one of Thomas's six sisters and Oliver was her mate. Oliver had practically raisedBrady and their two younger brothers, making him more like one of their children.

Nodding to the both of them, I got my first good look at Brady. He was bandaged up and looked rough, even with his wolf's accelerated healing powers.

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