Page 18 of Bonded Beyond Trickery

I make a humming sound, not liking that she hasn’t eaten, but understanding all too well. A comfortable silence descends between us as we make our way through the backdoor of the packhouse which opens straight into the large dining room.

Eyes turn our way immediately which I’m not at all surprised about. What does shock me a little is the way Tilly ducks her head for a moment before taking a deep breath and raising her chin. Even though she looks regal as fuck, there’s nothing haughty about my mate. Her shoulders are relaxed, and she has a soft smile on her lips.

Fuck. She just keeps on surprising me.

She’s witty. She’s easy going and full of so much light. There’s nothing pretentious about her. She trains. She doesn’t look down on anyone. And she’s smart, so fucking smart. It was obvious with the questions she asked me as I gave her a tour of my, our, pack.

When I reach out and touch the small of her back, she looks up at me and her eyes damn near sparkle. I lead her toward the table where all the ranked members of the pack sit for meals. It’s empty right now, which is perfect as far as I’m concerned.

The moment we sit down, two plates filled with food are placed in front of us. The smile Tilly gives the Omega serving her is filled with gratitude and kindness. Damn it, this woman just keeps stealing bits of my heart for herself without even trying.

It’s only once the server is back in the kitchen that Tilly looks at me and scrunches her nose slightly. With a pointed look at the buffet set up for the rest of the pack, she tips her voice low, “Why is someone serving us when the buffet is right over there?”

I blink at my mate a few times before opening my mouth and then snapping it closed almost immediately. “I, uh,” and here I am, an Alpha reduced to stuttering while searching for an answer, “I’m really not sure. It’s the way it’s always been.”

“You can tell me that it’s none of my business if you want, and I’m not trying to sweep in here and change everything, but I’m perfectly capable of getting my own meal just like every other member of the pack. I’m sure everyone who is part of the leadership of Silver Howler is as well,” there’s nothing sharp about her words, but they still hit me center mass.

“More than capable,” I admit.

Tilly grins at me before we tuck into our meal. The little noises of appreciation she makes does nothing to help how hard I am for my mate. It’s been bad enough being so close to her and surrounded by her scent. Then there have been the little touches as I gave her a tour.

While it’s pretty common for mates, especially for Alphas, to not waste any time claiming the other half of them, getting to know Tilly has eased some of the frantic need inside of me. It’s still there, burning coals just waiting for more fuel, but I’m not blinded by it.

The entire time we’re eating, the pack members who are seated around the room watch us with curious expressions. If it bothers Tilly, she doesn’t let on. I’m not sure if I expected her to buckle under the weight of their interest, but I should have known better.

“Our mate will continue to surprise you,”my wolf chuffs.“Stop punishing her for the past and look toward our future.”

“I’m not punishing her,”I growl back, my hackles rising at the suggestion that I am.

“It’s why you didn’t immediately and formally announce who she is,”there’s the threat of violence in my wolf’s words.

Huh. Could he be right?

CHAPTER 8

WHITAKER

I frown slightly and consider whether he’s right. The more I think about it, the more I realize that he is right. I’ve also been purposefully obtuse in other aspects. I haven’t admitted to her that I waited for her and didn’t stop the flirtatious looks from she-wolves even though they made my skin crawl.

Just as we’re finishing up, Tilly pushing her plate away slightly and sitting back in her chair with her blue eyes watching me intently, Cassidy comes to a stop next to the table. I almost snarl at her, pack member or not, but bite back the sound.

“Alpha Whitaker,” Cassidy’s drawls in a way that I’m sure she thinks sounds sensual. Didn’t she learn from our last interaction? “I thought I’d have seen you at breakfast earlier since you slipped away so early this morning,” she pouts slightly.

I narrow my eyes and Tilly pales slightly. Fucking hell. How the hell did Cassidy manage to imply we were together last night or this morning while not really saying much of anything?

Talk about a fucking skill.

“Cassidy,” there’s a warning in her name which I growl fiercely. “Don’t,” I command. The she-wolf hunches in on herself, but it doesn’t give me an ounce of satisfaction.

I stand up and offer my hand to Tilly, hoping she’ll take it even though I have no reason or right to hope for such a thing. Not right this moment anyway. The tingles that race up my arm when she slips her hand into mine is like a jolt to my system. A damn good jolt.

Cassidy has the wherewithal to look ashamed, but there’s something like satisfaction and victory in her eyes that I don’t like. “I thought we had an understanding after the last time we spoke,” I level her with a pointed stare which has the interloping she-wolf paling. “I don’t appreciate, nor will I tolerate, inferences made about me on a personal level. Especially when they’re bullshit.”

Cassidy lets out a small whimper before scurrying away. When I look at Tilly, I find her watching Cassidy’s retreating back with a small frown on her lips and her eyebrows pulled together like she’s concentrating.

Fuck. Time to right at least one wrong.

I lean toward my mate until my lips are almost brushing against the sensitive skin of her earlobe, “I’ve never touched a she-wolf, not one in this pack, not one ever. I’ve been waiting for my mate, for you.”

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