Page 40 of Thor's Unexpected Mate

“Oh…” I paused for a long moment. “Are… Are you going to kill him?”

“Loki really wants me to. But Baldr seems against it.”

“But you’re the Alpha, right? So whatever you say, goes.”

“Well, you’re right in a way. I can do whatever I think is right, but if I piss off enough of the pack, I could be challenged for my title and replaced. Then I’d have to find a new place to live.”

“Oh.” That didn’t sound like fun. “And that’s why you can’t be with me. Because it would upset the pack.”

He nodded. “It’s one of our oldest laws. Humans can’t know our secret. That also forbids me from taking one as my mate.”

“What’s this mate thing all about? Is that like marriage?”

“It’s deeper than that. It’s a bond between two people that cannot be broken unless one of them dies.”

“Is it possible to have more than one mate?”

“It’s rare, but it’s happened before.”

“So… do we have this bond already?”

“The beginning phases,” he replied. “I know you’re the person for me, the mate chosen for me by the moon goddess. But I’d have to… well… I’d have to breed you to complete the bond. Usually when that bond is formed between wolves, they can sense one another’s emotions over short distances. Kind of like telepathy or something.”

“Wow… that’s kind of cool!” Being telepathic sounded awesome. However, having to commit to a lifetime with one person that I’d just met seemed like a bit of a steep price. “What about with humans?”

“No idea,” he replied, shaking his head. “As far as I know, nobody’s ever done it. And if they have, they didn’t tell anyone.”

I let out a deep sigh, everything finally starting to make sense. “So, this bond is why I can’t get you off my mind? Why I crave your smell and touch so much?”

“Yeah. It’s not logical. It’s not even love. It’s just a simple thread of destiny binding us together. However, if we don’t nurture it, I think it might fade away someday. At least we’ll be able to go on living without inextricably winding up together again.”

“I… I don’t know if I want to,” I said honestly. “I mean… now that I actually know you, I feel a lot more attracted to you. You were hot to begin with, but the butterflies are getting a little more intense now.” I laughed nervously. “That’s probably not a good sign, huh?”

“I feel it too.” Thor glanced down at his fingers twirling through my red hair. “Even if I wanted to stop touching you, I’m not sure I could force myself to do it.” He took a deep breath. “But I can’t ask you to stay with me forever. The Skoll pack Alpha wants me dead, and my entire pack will shun us if they find out about all this. I… I can’t put you in danger like that. You’re like a pup. There’s nothing you could do to defend yourself against my kind. And I couldn’t live with myself if one of them hurt you or worse…”

I knew he was right. And there was no sense arguing with him. In the past two hours my eyes had been opened up to a world that I knew I didn’t belong in. Even a single step into it could cost me my life. As much as I felt this aching need toward Thor, I also didn’t want to put myself in incredible danger. Besides, if they found out about me, they could find out about Nana’s claims.

She’d been right all along of course. There really were wolves on the mountain.

“So, what do we do?” I said with a heavy sigh. “Just pretend we don’t feel anything and move on?”

Thor’s blue eyes took on a melancholy look I knew all too well because I felt it too. I didn’t want to leave, but neither of us had a choice.

“You promised to spend the night with me,” he said slowly. “Are you still okay with that?”

I nodded. “Of course I am. This is all a little crazy, but I don’t think I can leave just yet. I feel like I have to stay.”

“Then stay here in my arms for the night,” he smiled, pulling me close. “And tomorrow we can go our separate ways.” He nuzzled his face down into my neck, his beard tickling my skin. “I’ll never forget you, Flynn. I’ll see your beautiful face in my dreams for the rest of my life.”

“Thor?” I asked, looking up.

“Yeah?”

“Will you make love to me?”

Chapter Seventeen: Flynn

My question had clearly caught him off guard. He stared at me for a long moment, and I felt the need to fill the silence.

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