Page 26 of Wolf Sacrificed

My dad laughed and hit me on the shoulder. “Don’t look so surprised, Sawyer. We need to make sure that we have a successor in line. I think you’ll quite like her as well. She’s pretty and very eager to please.”

I wanted to be sick. Bile crept up my throat, and I forced myself to swallow it back down, making my esophagus burn. I was too hot.

My dad could ask me to do a lot of things, but touch another woman? I had to draw the line. There was no way I could do it.

I’d gotten lucky with Willa. She’d been all too happy to pretend for the sake of appearances. She was as relieved as I’d been to learn I had no interest in her. It didn’t sound like I’d get that lucky again.

My mouth went dry. “What about Willa? As far as we know, she’s still pregnant with my pup.”

I sounded panicked even to my own ears. I needed to pull myself together and regain my composure. Dad was serious about this, and I had to think of something fast before he started questioning me.

I sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “Shouldn’t we wait and see what happens with Willa first? The firstborn is usually the alpha.”

My dad threw his head back and laughed. “If we can bring the girl back alive long enough for her to deliver the pup, sure. But I fear that child will be weak like its mother. She was always too whiny for my liking.”

I shook my head. The poor girl had been terrified. She was still scared of me even though I’d kept my distance and done everything to make her comfortable.

Going down this road wouldn’t help my cause.

“I’m not even sure I have time to have another mate,” I said. “We’re constantly on the move. There’s so much going on right now without the worry of a woman who can’t shift because she’s pregnant to add to the mix.”

Dad squeezed my shoulder. “I would’ve thought most guys would be happy at the prospect of getting laid.”

He sounded so absurd that I actually laughed. Which made him laugh and only made me more uncomfortable.

I shifted on my feet as I broke out in a cold sweat. It beaded down my back and pooled where my jeans hit my waist.

He patted my shoulder and then took a step back, motioning for me to follow him. “Come on. I want you to come meet her.”

My abdomen felt heavy, like my dad had just punched me in it instead of telling me there was a woman for me to meet. I would’ve preferred the punch, honestly. This couldn’t be happening.

I felt like a robot as I followed him, my movements stiff and jerky. The floorboards creaked beneath my weight, and every noise had me on edge.

“She’s here now?” I asked.

My dad slowed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders so we could walk together down the long hallway. “She is, and she’s very excited to get to breed with the next alpha in line.”

My legs felt wooden. Was Dad just saying that because in his twisted mind she was eager but really wasn’t? Luna, I hoped so.

Maybe the girl was like Willa and would be terrified of me and hoped I never touched her. That would be the best-case scenario. When Willa learned that I had no intentions of breeding with her, she’d relaxed, at least enough so that we could have a peaceful existence in my room.

But what if this girl was different? What if she was drinking the Kool-Aid my dad was serving? What if she actually expected me to impregnate her?

Cold dread washed over me. I couldn’t do that. The thought of touching another woman made me physically ill. I might vomit. I’d never been so turned off after experiencing the ultimate high so fast.

I gripped the banister, my hand slick against the wood. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t think we should have any distractions right now.”

Dad put his hand on his stomach as he laughed. “Distractions. You just need to get her pregnant, son. I’d hardly call that a distraction. You did just fine with Willa. I expect you’ll do good with her, too, and maybe another.”

I covered my mouth like that might stop me from vomiting. I hoped it at least muffled my gag.

My dad had clearly lost his mind. He’d partially lost it before.

Sloane was right. I should’ve stayed with her and Lincoln. I didn’t know how I was going to get out of this. I had to think of something. Touching this girl wasn’t an option. Ever.

I rubbed my jaw. “It just seems a little personal, Dad. I don’t think I can just do that. With Willa, I at least got to know her for a few weeks first.”

Dad practically hopped off the bottom step like he was an excited teenager. “I suppose you can take a week at most to talk to her before starting the breeding process. But we have to start thinking about our future, Sawyer. It’s just you now. You are the only one who can carry on the pack bloodline, and we need to make sure that there are successors after you as well.”

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