Page 4 of Dutiful Wolf's Mail Order Mate

“Plans change.” He flopped down on the mattress, hands behind his head like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like he hadn’t just blown up my entire life.

Again.

I stalked over, looming above him. “Do you have any idea what you’ve threatened here? What if they’d objected? Or worse, turned those suspicious looks into questions?—”

Kai propped himself up on his elbows, brows raised in mock innocence. “Come on, Mads. You didn’t really think I’d let you face the big bad wolf alone, did you?”

A bitter laugh escaped me. Of course he’d turn this into some martyr act, like I was the one who needed protecting.

I raked my fingers through my hair, nails scraping my scalp. How many times had I cleaned up after his damned messes? Smoothed over his mouthy moments? Fates, it was a miracle my language skills hadn’t devolved to ‘sorry, no offense meant’.

No. I couldn’t let that wound fester, not now. I had to stay focused on keeping us both alive.

I’d already lost Mom and Dad. As much as I wanted to throttle him myself, Kai was all the family I had left.

“I’m not alone, I’m mated. Or I will be.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue. “That was the whole point of coming here.”

My wolf stomped through my head. Curious and eager to get another giant sniff of that man—of Rafe.

My contracted intended.

She’d been on alert from the moment I stepped out of Kai’s SUV, practically pointing like a hunting dog. Panting hard enough to be one, too. It was very… unsettling. I needed protection, not a lay.

Though the latter would likely soon become a first. My first.

“Yeah, because I backed you into a corner.” Kai sat up, running a hand through his unruly curls. “Mated to a stranger. In a strange pack. All because I made a mistake.”

“It wasn’t a mistake.” The words came out low, almost a growl. “You knew exactly what you were doing with Shauna.”

He flinched, then his expression shuttered, mouth a flat line. We stared each other down, the tension crackling between us, and I fought the urge to scream.

So that was it—he didn’t regret sleeping with Bowen’s betrothed. Only the consequences of his selfishness. As usual.

I paced away from him. “Well, it’s too late now, isn’t it? The deed is done. I’m here, you’re apparently sticking around, and Bowen is probably already on his way to drag us both back to face his fucked up version of justice.”

Kai was silent for a long moment. Then, quietly, “I won’t let him touch you.”

I wanted to believe him. Wanted to sink into the comfort of his promise like I had when we were kids and he’d sworn to keep the monsters at bay. But we weren’t kids anymore, and the monsters were all too real.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around my middle.

Hurt flooded his scent, but I couldn’t let myself care. Not now. I had to focus on surviving this mess we’d made the moment I clicked submit on a long shot.

It’d seemed so silly at the time. Probably the tequila shots and desperation. But a long, twisty trip down search engine lane landed me with pages of results on ‘how to get married fast.’ Because in this case, the stranger I didn’t know was absolutely better than the monster who wanted to claim me instead.

A sharp rap at the door made me jump. Kai immediately rose to his feet, eyeing the entrance warily.

“Madison?” The deep voice was muffled but unmistakable. My inner wolf perked up, ears swiveling towards the rich timbre like a dog catching the scent of a fresh steak.

Rafe. My... mate.

I shot my brother a withering glare as I crossed to the door. What were we supposed to do in case of an attack? Scramble out the window? They’d be on us before the first leg breached the exterior, and I much preferred to meet my fate on my feet, chin held high and fangs bared.

Pine and leather greeted my nose as my eyes feasted on the wide expanse of the man in my doorway. I dragged my eyes up and across the broad shoulders straining the deep blue of his Henley, over a strong jaw and scruffed cheeks. To the bright, wolfy blue of the alpha’s stare.

My breath caught in my throat. A shiver raced down my spine, followed by a sudden blooming of heat.

Fates help me, the man was attractive. No—he was magnetic, drawing me in like the inevitable pull of the tides. I could already feel myself getting swept away by the raw power and dominance that rolled off him in waves.

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