Page 171 of The Alpha's Pen Pal

“Well, it seems like a good idea to do just in case, you know? I mean, another lycan had his sights set on marking her. You said she was healing faster than you expected. And she can feel the bond—my emotions, the tingles. She can even identify my scent,” I explained.

I left out the info about the blanket and the moons since I couldn’t remember exactly where I’d seen that symbol before.

“Well, it isn’t unusual for a human mate to feel the bond, too. It’s not something most werewolves know, though, since human mates are so rare, but they can feel the bond just like we can,” he said. “The tingles, the emotions, the scent—it’s the same for them. That’s the magic of the mate bond. It wouldn’t be fair if they couldn’t feel it just because they’re human.”

“Oh,” I said. “That’s good to know.”

“But. I do agree that with everything else you mentioned, it is worth looking into. Those things in isolation wouldn’t prompt me to investigate, but combined…” He trailed off for a moment, then continued. “Which is why I already ran the tests on her blood.”

“And?” I asked, gripping the edge of the counter.

“And I have the results.”

CHAPTER 57

HAVEN

“And I have the results,” Dr. Russo’s voice said through Wesley’s phone.

The volume was loud enough I could hear most of what he had said to Wesley, but not everything. Enough to hear he’d already run whatever special test they had to detect supernatural blood and to know he already knew the answer. Which I was sure was going to be “She’s just human.”

Wesley’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the counter, and his head whipped towards me.

Our eyes met, and through the bond, I could feel his anticipation. I gave him a weak smile, then turned back to the stove to shut off the burners since I had finished plating our food. I pressed my lips together and shut my eyes as he said, “Hold on, let me put you on speaker.”

My throat tightened, and my hands mimicked Wesley’s as I gripped the counter in front of me. I waited and focused on anything other than how worried I was about his answer. I didn’t want Wesley to feel it, to know.

But I was terrified. I knew I wasn’t anything special, but what if Dr. Russo confirmed I wasn’t, and then Wesley decided he didn’t want me?

Yes, he’d accepted me as a human, even before he knew we were soulmates. But he’d had a glimmer of hope that maybe I was something more, that maybe I was like him. I could sense that blossoming of excitement in him at the possibility. If it turned out to be a false hope, would he drop me?

Wesley’s body moved in behind mine, his bare chest as close as it could be without touching me, and I heard him say, “Just one second, Doctor Russo.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw as he muted the call so the doctor wouldn’t hear us, then his other hand grabbed my chin and turned my face to look at him. Once again, the pure, undisguised devotion laid bare for me in his eyes stole my breath away. I knew I would never grow tired of seeing him look at me like that.

He stepped in close to me, his chest brushing my shoulder. His hand gripped my chin firmly but gently as he looked me straight in the eyes. “Are you doing that on purpose?” he asked.

“Doing what on purpose?” I whispered back.

“Blocking your emotions from me,” he answered.

“I didn’t even realize I was doing that,” I admitted. “I was just thinking I didn’t want you to feel how worried I am.”

“Worried about what?”

“About you not wanting me if he says I’m just human,” I said in a voice almost too quiet to hear, my eyes dipping down for a split second.

His eyes lit with understanding, and his hand moved to stroke and cup my cheek. “His answer doesn’t change anything between us, Sugar Plum. I love you for who you are, not what you are,” he murmured.

My entire being relaxed at his words, as the feeling of acceptance washed over me again. I felt foolish for even thinking he’d change his mind over one trivial thing like me not being a werewolf or something else supernatural.

This was Wesley, after all. He’d shown me time and time again his love wasn’t conditional. Both as kids and as adults, he’d given me what I needed from him and expected nothing from me in return.

His love was like the sea—vast and endless, with new depths I constantly discovered just as I thought I’d reached the bottom. And all of that love was for me.

He lowered his face to mine and gave me a reassuring kiss, his hand sliding into my curls and combing down to the ends. His head rested against my forehead, and we stood there, breathing each other in and soaking in the other’s presence, neither of us caring about the man we left hanging on the phone.

“Are you ready to hear his answer?” Wesley asked, and I nodded.

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