Page 8 of Wolf Chosen

She's looking for holes, for cracks in my story. The last thing I want is to push her further away before I've even had a chance to show her what we could be.

“If you're uncomfortable with the arrangement, I can go back to my parents' place,” I offer, the words like ash on my tongue even as I force them out. “But I'll ask Riley to stay here with you instead, so you're not alone.”

Tension eases from her shoulders ever so slightly at that, the rigid line of her spine relaxing incrementally. A small victory, but I'll take what I can get in this moment.

“At the very least, you should let me cook you some lunch,” I try again, keeping my tone light and casual in the hopes of putting her more at ease. “You missed your meal earlier, and I'd be happy to tell you about some of the local hot spots you can check out while you eat. I’ll try not to be too boring. I promise.”

I silently hope she’ll let me show her around. The more time we spend together, the faster the bond will strengthen. I wonder if my blood in her veins will strengthen the bond faster than it normally might.

At the least, my blood is healing her. Her pallid complexion has given way to a warm, healthy flush, the sickly sweet scent of disease fading as her natural fragrance of woodland rose petals grows stronger.

My cock swells against the confines of my jeans, a familiar ache blossoming low in my belly as my wolf growls its approval. I've been in a near-constant state of arousal since first catching her scent in Sally's Diner.

I shift my stance and try to subtly adjust to a more comfortable position, a move that doesn't go unnoticed if Cindi's knowing smirk is anything to go by. I shoot her a warning look, silently begging her to keep my predicament to herself.

Thankfully, the crunch of tires on gravel provides a timely distraction, and I turn to the window just in time to see Zane pull up in Taylor's sedan, Mitch's cruiser right behind him. Relief washes over me as I watch them exit their respective vehicles, Zane disappearing around the side of the building only to reemerge a few moments later with Taylor's suitcase in hand.

“There you are,” he says with an easy grin, handing the luggage off to its owner as Mitch joins us in the lobby. “All taken care of.”

Taylor accepts the luggage with a murmured word of thanks, her brow furrowed in an expression of profound bewilderment. “Everyone in this town is just... so friendly,” she muses, shaking her head slowly as if she can't quite wrap her mind around the concept.

Of course she's confused. She has no way of understanding the true depth of the bond that links us all, the sense of family and unity that comes from being part of a pack. Not yet, at least.

It's one of the things I miss most when I'm out in the human world. Here, in Willowbrook, we’re a pack. We look after our own, protect and cherish them. And Taylor, my mate, my destiny... she’s the most precious of them all.

“It's all part of the service. We want to make sure you're comfortable here for the duration of your stay,” Zane replies with an easy shrug.

Mitch's gaze finds mine over the rim of his hat, and I see the understanding there, the subtle nod of acknowledgment and acceptance. He knows, of course–could scent the truth on me the moment I carried Taylor's unconscious form into the clinic.

“I'll be on standby. In case any... wild wolves are in the vicinity,” Mitch says.

Taylor’s apprehension spikes and she raises stricken eyes to the sheriff. “Should I be worried? About these wolves, I mean?”

“You'll be just fine now that Liam is here to watch over you,” Cindi reassures her with a warm smile. She steps out from behind the desk and gestures to the corridor that leads to the hotel’s rooms. “Why don't I show you to your room, hon? You must be exhausted after such an eventful day.”

I take Taylor's suitcase from her and we follow Cindi down the corridor toward the guest rooms. Through our bond, I can sense Taylor's appreciation for the cozy space Cindi shows her… the warm, inviting colors, the plush bedding, the view of the gardens through the windows. There's also a flicker of unease, a desire to retreat and shut the world out for a while.

I'm not ready to let her slip away just yet, not when the need to keep her close thrums through my veins. I know it must seem overbearing, even untoward, the way I'm inserting myself into her life. She doesn't know me; doesn't understand the forces at play.

My wolf, however, knows exactly what's happening. He snarls and growls, demanding that I claim our mate immediately, that I stake my claim and make her ours before anything else can get in the way.

Get a grip, I chide him mentally, struggling to maintain my control. We can't just pounce on her like that. It would only send her running in the opposite direction.

I promise him a run later tonight, once Taylor is settled and sleeping. A chance to burn off some of this restless energy, to sate the raw urges raging just beneath the surface. For now, though, we need to be patient. We need to let Taylor heal and give her time to regain her strength before dropping the bombshell of her true nature—and mine—on her shoulders.

The wolf grumbles, displeased but momentarily placated by my reasoning. He knows, as I do, that rushing headlong into this would only end in disaster.

Still, the guilt gnaws at me. She deserves to know the truth, to understand the depth of the bond that has already begun to forge between us. I am her mate, her destiny, just as she’s mine.

But one look at her pallid complexion, at the fatigue etched into the lines around her eyes and the slump of her shoulders, and I know that now is not the time. She's been unwell for far too long. I need to be patient and give her time to heal and regain her equilibrium before I turn her world entirely upside down.

“I'd still like to make you some lunch. You must be starving after missing your meal earlier,” I suggest, keeping my tone light and casual.

Taylor hesitates and her eyes glide from me to the room. I sense her looking for an excuse so I interject before she can make an excuse. “It will help with the blood transfusion. And I make a mean burger. Maybe even better than at the diner.”

“Don’t let Sally hear you say that,” Cindi’s laughs. Her gaze flicks to mine as she continues. “But I do happen to have all the makings in the kitchen as long as you make me one too, right Liam? I’ll be in the garden. Just call me when they’re made. Would that be all right if I join your lunch, Taylor?”

I know exactly what she’s done. Cindi is a romantic at heart and I know how lonely she is out here. However, like male shifters, the female shifters of our town haven’t met their mates either. Time is running out for all of us and this is Cindi’s way of bringing us together and having the happy ending she may never have the chance to experience.

---