Page 19 of Camp Dire

“They were so small, of course I had to protect them. That’s my…”

“Job.” I finish for her. “You are everything, and I do mean everything, I could ever dream of for my alpha female.”

“Alpha female?”

“Only an alpha female can be with an alpha male, sweetheart.”

“I…I’m not alpha…”

“You kept those other girls safe, kept them calm, and attacked something that was five times bigger than you. You are a warrior, baby. And my perfect match.”

Our mouths meet and our tongues clash with one another as we explore each other’s mouths. It takes all my self-control to pull back. “Fuck! There is so much I need to tell you but I have to get all these people out of here and actually mate with you before the fucking moon comes up.”

“Why before the moon rises?”

“I…,” Shit! “I don’t want to hurt you. I…need to tell you something and I want you to, um, well, it’s actually kind of hard to…shit, that’s the wrong way to word that.”

She laughs at my slip of the tongue before telling me, “Just tell me, Merrik.”

“When we mate, my kind…well, we kind of, merge together.”

“Merge together? Me and you?”

“No. I mean, yes. Of course, we’ll merge together. That’s how everybody mates. I mean, we -the Dire people- have a moment where our human self becomes merged with our wolf self and things get…interesting.”

Not really the best way but what else can I do with time running out?

Chapter Seventeen

Piper

“Interesting?” What the hell does that mean?

“I’ll explain everything, but I just need to…”

“Get everyone the hell out of the house so you can explain 'interesting' to me.”

“Yes.” He looks relieved that I understand, even if I really don’t.

“Then go. I’ll throw clothes on and meet you downstairs fully dressed.”

He turns back to me right before going out the door, “Wear something you won’t mind having ripped off you. For later.”

And then he’s gone, and I am stunned. Something I don’t mind having ripped off me. Really?

I don’t waste time throwing an old t-shirt on over a pair of stretchy leggings and head back down to the kitchen where I am greeted by Annie and Kyra. Somehow while I was gone, the window now had a small wooden board in the place of the broken windowpanes and Larry had come over. He has his eyes all over Annie.

One of the guys must have called him to come over. He finally sees me and smiles. “Look at you, the new mate to our alpha! You did pretty good for yourself, Piper.”

I give him a slight smile before walking closer to Merrik. Just being next to him makes me feel better, more centered, calmer, and…stable. He pulls me down in his lap like maybe he can’t go without touching me either.

Merrik was right when he said he wasn’t going to drag things out. He’s ending the impromptu meeting before I even realize what is going on.

“The bodies have been disposed of?”

“Yes. Burned just as you ordered, Alpha.”

“The community is prepared for the blood moon?”

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