Page 4 of True Wolf

“No.”

“Why not? Look at him.”

Alec’s unfairly handsome face sported a cocky grin. “Yeah, look at me.”

Men and their determined ego.

He was sexy, well suited for any woman who wanted a protective mate who would no doubt make her feel loved, safe, and cherished but I belonged to someone else.

Someone I couldn’t have…

I snatched the twenty from his hand and almost laughed because he assumed he was getting what he wanted. However…

I shoved the twenty into the tip jar, removed cash from my pocket, and keyed the amount to cover the order. After clearingthe change, I placed what was left from my own twenty back into my pocket. Through the entire exchange I kept a heated glare on Alec. He flashed a charming smile, tipped his disposable cup in my direction, and stepped away from the counter.

“Well, that was a veryweirdexchange.”

“That was me making things unmistakably clear that I’m not interested.”

“Why not? He’s sexy.”

“He is but I’m still not interested.” I turned to prepare her order, placing the danish in the microwave for fifteen seconds while I assembled her drink to her specifications. Once I was done, I slid them both across the counter.

“Have a great day.”

“You too.” She collected her coffee and danish before heading to the door, barely keeping her balance when my cousin Mina rushed through the door like a tornado hellbent on destroying everything in her path.

“We have a problem.”

The panic in her voice had my pulse thumping instantly. Mina was my only true family. Well, the only true family that still claimed me as such. When my parents learned about myissue, they led the charge to exile me from my pack. They should have loved and protected me, stood by their eldest daughter, but instead, they chose to prove their loyalty to the pack. Denying me was a ploy to lessen their embarrassment from producing a child who’d disappointed them.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s coming home.”

“Who?”

“You know who, Nessah.”

Zion.

“Shit. I can’t be here. I have to…”

“You have to what? Leave? Not happening. There is nowhere else. You’ll be alone out there and I’ll be alone here. Neither is okay. We need each other.”

My heart crushed from the pleading in her tone and desperation in her eyes.

“You won’t be alone. You have an entire committee of wolves who have embraced you.”

“They’ve embraced you too, cousin.” Her hands gripped my arms and slowly moved down until my hands were clutched in hers. “You’re one of us now.”

“Until they realize that I’ve betrayed them.” I tugged my hands but she gripped them tighter.

“You didn’t betray them.”

“I did. I allowed their Alpha to chase a woman that wasn’t his. One he believed to be his fated mate when I knew the truth. He’s out there alone. He could have been hurt, he could have died, and I could have prevented his absence.”

Her eyes expressed guilt. “He’s not hurt, nor did he die, so all is well. They also don’t have to know the truth.”

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