Page 17 of The Wolf's Mate

“Michael knew who you were?” Rip growls, ignoring my question. “How is that even possible?”

“Hell if I know. Who is he?” I will not be ignored for a second time.

“Michael is someone who should have never been able to get past our defenses. He’s a threat and won’t hesitate to take what he wants.” His reply is clipped and gives me little to go on. The lack of information is driving me feral.

“How the fuck do you expect me to be your little queen if you insist on leaving me alone and refuse to answer my questions?” I really want something to throw at him. Like a pan or a shoe. It wouldn’t hurt him since he’s the fucking Hulk, but it would make me feel better.

Rip presses his lips together in a tight line. He’s furious, but so am I. “You’ll know what I allow you to know.”

The words hit me like a ton of bricks. I blink, trying to process them. Even Rip’s eyes widened like he’s surprised about what he said. But he’s quick to school his features back into an emotionless asshole.

Did I just trade one toxic man for another? A new controlling asshole who feels like keeping me at arm’s length until he needs me?

I don’t get the chance to retaliate, though, because Tallie rushes into the room, ignoring her cousin’s nakedness entirely. “Hettie!” She clutches her chest. “Thank goodness you’ve been found.” She sounds worried, which shocks me. Not even those I considered friends ever worried when I went days, sometimes weeks, without communication.

“Get her ready.” Rip’s command freezes me in place. “I’ll prepare for the ceremony.”

“Ceremony? What ceremony?”

I don’t expect him to answer, but when he does, my jaw hits the floor.

“Our mating ceremony. It’s happening tonight.”

I stand in the middle of Tallie’s childhood bedroom. A small but tidy bed is pushed up against one wall, with a cute pink chair next to a window. This room also has a fireplace that is currently burning brightly to keep the chill out of this room.

Once Rip left me in the hands of Tallie and her mate, Thorne, the two of them brought me back to Tallie’s childhood home. Her mother runs the ceremonies in town, so Tallie explained she’s with Rip to prepare for this evening.

I knew today was coming.

I just didn’t expect it to come so quickly. Seeing Michael was the catalyst for Rip, but I still don’t fully grasp the situation. As soon as we were alone, I attempted to get answers out of Thorne and Tallie. Thorne was apologetic but said he couldn’t tell me anything until I’m pack. Tallie looked like she wanted to say something, but with Thorne there, her hands were tied.

So, in the dark I remain.

“This is definitely your color.” Tallie takes a step back, looking over the peach-colored dress she’s spent the last thirty minutes tailoring to my body. Thorne nods from his spot on the pink chair. He looks like a giant in a seat made for a gnome, and I fear the chair might break underneath him.

The dress is long-sleeved, protecting my arms from the cold. The skirts flow to the floor, fanning out around me. It’s both simple and elegant. Not the type of wedding dress I would pick if this were a marriage I wanted, but it’s still pretty.

“What does a mating ceremony entail?” I ask as Tallie fluffs my dress in the back. I doubt the ceremony is the same as a wedding ceremony, so I want to be prepared for what’s coming.

“The pack’s mistress of ceremonies will tie your hands together. She’ll say a few words that tradition calls for, and then she will ask if you accept this mating claim. After you both accept the mating claim, Rip will give you his claiming mark.”

Tallie points to a darkened spot on her neck. It looks like a tattoo, but with no real shape or meaning that I can understand. “This is Thorne’s mark on me.”

“How did you get it?”

“He bit me.”

“He what?” Surely I misheard. “He bit you?”

Tallie laughs and shares a secret glance with Thorne. The two of them radiate love and adoration. He stares at her as if she’s the only woman in his universe. Love like that is rare. At the very least, it’s not something I have ever experienced. Something a lot like sorrow washes over me.

“It’s the best feeling in the world. It’s the start of your eternal bond. You can feel the person you mated to in ways you never knew existed. The best way I can describe it is a feeling of completion. Like you found the other part of yourself.”

The way Tallie describes it sounds magical. A storybook love, complete with the happily-ever-after. Like this one bite could change everything.

“Is that what you felt about Thorne when you mated him? Or did you mate him out of necessity?” My words are bitter. I don’t mean to cause offense, but the picture Tallie is painting isn’t one I believe I’m going to share.

A flush creeps over Tallie’s cheeks. “We were in love before we mated,” she says, almost apologetically. “But it doesn’t mean the bond won’t still snap into place and you’ll feel differently about each other,” she rushes, doing her best to console me.

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