Page 20 of Dutiful Wolf's Mail Order Mate

“Well...” He paused, taking my hand in his and absently toying with my fingers. “What do you want to do?”

The question caught me off guard. No one had ever asked me that before. Not my parents, not my brother. Certainly not Bowen. My wishes had always been secondary, if they’d been considered at all.

“I...” I trailed off, at a loss.

His expression softened, understanding flickering across his face. He brought my hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to my palm. “Take the day. Think about it. We can talk more tonight, figure things out.”

“Maybe I want to do construction, too,” I said with a wry grin, hoping to lighten the mood. “Swing a hammer, get my hands dirty.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m not saying no. Just not today, with everything going on.” He sighed and stood, grabbing his keys off the dresser. “I was thinking we could all go out tonight. You, me, the pack. Do something fun, blow off some steam.”

“I’d like that.” And I meant it. The prospect of getting to know my new packmates, of feeling like I belonged, eased some of the tightness in my chest.

Rafe leaned in, fingers tilting my chin up. He brushed his lips over mine, the touch featherlight. Questioning. When I opened to him, he deepened the kiss, pouring all of his hunger, his longing, into it. His fingers tangled in my hair, nails raking against my scalp, as the taste of him washed over me.

Fuck, I wanted this man. I wanted all of him.

But all too soon, he broke away, leaving me breathless. A lazy smile spread across his face, and my stomach flipped. “I’ll see you later, then.”

He was gone before I could respond, the door clicking shut behind him. I sat there for a long moment, my fingers pressed to the spot his lips had touched.

Maybe, just maybe, this could work. Maybe I could find a place here, a purpose.

And maybe, if I was very lucky, I could find love, too.

The Rusty Pine Tavern’s door creaked open, a burst of humid summer air sweeping in along with us. Kai trailed a step behind, his boots scuffing the worn hardwood in a staccato rhythm. Kai bumped into my back as I hesitated on the threshold, nerves twisting in my gut.

“Come on, Mads,” Kai grumbled, prodding me forward. “Stop blocking the door.”

I shot him a glare over my shoulder but stepped inside, the mingled scents of stale beer and sawdust filling my lungs. This was it—my first foray into pack life.

My gaze swept the dimly lit interior, searching for a familiar face. A handful of townsfolk nursed drinks at the bar, their eyes following our entrance with a mix of curiosity and wariness. I tensed at their scrutiny, fighting the urge to bare my teeth in challenge.

Before I could dwell on the humans’ disdain, a burst of raucous laughter drew my attention to the far corner.

There, in the corner, I spotted them. Orion leaned over the pool table, cue in hand, while Brielle repeatedly tapped the other end to throw off his aim. Elise and Tara huddled near the dart board, heads bent close in conversation.

The knot of tension in my shoulders loosened a fraction. At least we wouldn’t be the only outsiders tonight.

I wove through the scattered tables and rickety chairs, Kai a silent shadow at my back. My stomach flipped as I scanned the rest of the bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rafe, but he was nowhere to be seen. Disappointment soured my excitement, even as a small part of me sighed in relief. After last night, the thought of facing him, of seeing that heated look in his eyes again, made my pulse race and my palms sweat.

It was all so new and so raw. The way my body responded to his, the way my wolf whined for his touch. It terrified me as much as it thrilled me.

Then there was his suggestion. I’d dwelled all day, feeling more and more like I’d walked into one of those naked exam nightmares. I didn’t have a single idea what I wanted to do in the next five minutes, let alone five years. A future didn’t feel real with Bowen’s threat still breathing down our necks.

Kai brushed past me, heading straight for the pool table. I trailed after him, skirting the edge of the room. The humans clustered at the bar eyed us warily, their conversation dying as we passed.

“Well, well, look who decided to grace us with their presence,” Orion drawled. He straightened, his lips curling in a smirk. “Thought you two might’ve gotten lost.”

“Nah, just fashionably late,” Kai retorted, snatching up a cue. “Rack ‘em up, big guy. I’m feeling lucky.”

Brielle snorted but began gathering the balls. “He’s not the one you should spend your luck on.”

“Now that’s just not nice, Bri.” Orion nudged her out of the way and leaned down, eyeing the pocket as he lined up the cue ball. “How is a man supposed to hustle the newbies when you give away the game?”

“What game?” Brielle’s nose crinkled in exaggerated confusion. “You’d need some to give it away.”

Orion took his shot, but the angle was off, sending the cue ball to spin uselessly along the table edge. Orion glared at his mate, who grinned back with pure, unrepentant glee. “Told you so.”

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