Page 40 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

“Yes, I’m going to be filing formal disciplinary action with Kane.”

“Shit. I’ll send someone down.”

I didn’t say another word as I hung up and slid the phone into my pocket. “Go directly outside those doors in the hallway and wait for your escort. If you disobeyanycommand whileunder a disciplinary order, your lives are forfeit. Do you understand?” I barked, letting my alpha dominance out to cow them.

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison and bolted for the door, no doubt relieved to be out of my sight.

I spun back to Leigh, who’d set the kettlebell down and grabbed a rag to wipe her forehead.

“Stop, don’t do that yet,” I said, feeling my wolf push forward and my eyes start to glow.

“O-kay. I’m going to need a little more information about why you’re sniffing me while I’m gross and sweaty and in need of a shower.”

“Come here,” I demanded. Then, struggling to keep my wolf in check, I added, “It’s important.”

“You’re actingreallystrangely,” she muttered, but did as I asked, stepping into my open arms.

“What do you smell?” I asked her, holding her gently even as I wanted to pin her down and tear those tight little exercise shorts off with my teeth.

“Umm, you? Gym mats. Sweat.”

“No, more specifically, what do I smell like to you?”

“Well, pine trees, mostly.” She leaned forward on her tiptoes, sniffing right behind my ear. “You’ve always got this manly musky thing going on, but is that…” She sniffed again, then pressed her nose to my skin and inhaled, dragging me in just as deeply as I’d been taking pulls of her scent. “Something’s sweet, which I’ve never noticed before. Like… ylang-ylang.”

I grinned stupidly, triumph surging through my veins like a tidal wave ready to suck me under.

“You smell like coffee and cream, with a hit of vanilla underneath.”

“Okay, yes, you smell nice, but Gael, why were you dragging those guys out of here, and why are you acting like a caveman?” Frustration leaked into her tone, but I hesitated to tell her. Notbecause I didn’t want to shout it from the rooftops, because I fucking did.

But because our past had been rocky, and a little part of me was scared she wouldn’t believe it if she heard it from me.

“Give me two minutes, and I promise I’ll tell you everything?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I don’t see why it’s a big secret if— Ah!” She threw her arms around my neck in surprise as I scooped her up. “Seriously, dude, I canwalk.”

“Who said anything about walking?” I smirked and sprinted through the doors, past Karl and Sven being dressed down by a purple-faced Cristian in full butler fury. I sprinted up the stairs, not slowing until I reached the second floor. The first door on the left was a small office that Reed had commandeered to keep his restaurant empire running while we were abroad.

I practically skidded to a stop, and he adjusted the collar of his button-up at the sight of us, quickly pushing to his feet. “Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” His worried gaze passed over Leigh and then me in rapid succession.

“Everything’s fine. Tell me the mate signs again.”

He slowly sank back into his chair, probably because my eyes were glowing like a fiend and I was still clutching Leigh to my chest even though I’d stopped running.

“Should I be worried that you’ve got short-term memory loss? Brielle is a doctor, if you need an exam.”

“Reed,” I growled, his name a threat.

“Fine, you lunatic. For thethird and final time,first is the physical pull, wolf connection, mate scent, mate marks, claiming, and finally the mental bond, in rare cases.”

“Describe the mate scent.”

“A ‘please’ wouldn’t kill you.”

“Please,” Leigh whispered, her fingers wound into a tight little ball against my bare chest. She was starting to get it.

Reed’s eyes softened at her request. “Every wolf has aunique scent, but for your mate, it’s different. Richer, deeper. There are notes that no other being can detect. It’s part of what draws you to them. They smell tantalizing in a way that no other person ever will. Like… pheromones, only personalized to your exact desires.”

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