Page 42 of Wolf Forgotten

"The pack meeting to decide my fate?" I moved out of the way so he could enter. "Just how worried do I need to be?"

"I like to think that we decide our own fate." He walked past me, and his scent hit me. "They've never turned someone away from the pack."

Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply, and a strangled whimper came from some place buried deep inside. Jesus, was this what it was going to be like now? If I was going to whimper every time I smelled one of them, my wolf and I were going to have it out.

"You okay?" He put his hand on my arm and my body leaned into it, wanting his hands all over me. "Woah, your eyes just flickered."

"What?" I hadn't even realized I'd opened them. I stepped away from him, putting a box between us. "Why don't you unpack my suitcase? Most of the clothes are on hangers."

"I'm sorry you had to just up and move in here. It must be a lot to take in." He lifted the suitcase onto the bed, his forearm muscles and veins flexing. "We've never had this kind of situation happen before."

I placed a few books in the nightstand, including my dad's address and phone book. He was old school keeping track of contacts, which was to my benefit. I'd only made it through about half, and without my phone or the Wi-Fi password, I wouldn't be getting much more done.

"Why would my birth parents abandon me?" I threw my stuffed dog I'd had since I was a baby on the bed. "Am I even a wolf from around here?"

Eli hung up a large chunk of my clothes and then picked up Ruff Ruff from the bed. "Are you sure your adoptive parents didn't know about you?"

"I can't be positive, why?" I opened the box that had my panties and bras. Eli's eyes locked onto the handful I pulled out as I transferred them to the top drawer of the dresser.

"This is a handmade wolf. Pretty old too, how long have you had it?" He inspected it, and I dropped a handful of bras on the end of the bed and snatched it away from him.

"Forever." I hugged it to me and then examined it more closely. "I thought it was a husky or malamute." There was no tag with who made it, and my parents had always called it Ruff Ruff.

"Even if it was a dog, it's an interesting choice to give a baby as a plush." He turned back to my bag and his eyes landed on my bras, a blush creeping up his neck.

I grabbed them with a laugh and shoved them in the drawer. "So this mate thing... is it normal to have two?"

"It's not normal to even have one." He finished unloading my suitcase, zipped it closed, and placed it in the closet. "Fated mates are only in books."

"Basically, what you're saying is I'm a freak. I know I look different too." I sighed and punched the bottom of the box I had just turned upside down to break the tape. All it did was make a dent.

Eli slid his nail down the tape and cut it open. I took his hand, meaning to examine it since he'd just shifted a single claw, but a flash of heat spread up my arm and straight to my chest. Our eyes locked, and he wrapped his hand around mine and pulled me against him.

"You aren't a freak." His eyes were dilated, and his voice was gravelly. "You're perfect."

"You're just saying that because you're my-" Before I could finish, he leaned in and his lips brushed over mine. They were soft and tasted like coconut, lavender, and something sweet.

I'd never been so intoxicated by a kiss, and I melted into him, our arms trapped between us and pressing between my breasts. His tongue swiped my lips, and I opened for him, letting him explore my mouth.

A gasp left me as I fell backward onto the bed, his weight and scent pressing me into the soft blankets. My mind screamed at me to stop because I had just had sex with another man that morning, but my body was telling me other things.

Arching up off the bed, I pressed my breasts against his muscular chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. We fit together like two puzzle pieces, and I was certain that he was something more than just some random guy. He was my mate.

A throat cleared and Eli pulled back, me chasing after his lips and then plopping back on the bed when he sat up all the way and turned his attention to the door.

"Pack meeting is in fifteen." Cole pinched his bottom lip, his eyes not leaving mine. "We should go together."

An awkward silence filled the room as I sat up and adjusted my shirt, which had ridden up almost to my bra line. I wanted to bury my face in my pillows as unease rolled through my stomach.

What were we? Was I cheating on him by making out with Eli? Was sleeping with Cole cheating on Eli? I gave in and fell onto my pillow, burying my face in the cold pillowcase.

"I think you broke her." Cole's voice came closer and the bed dipped, a hand landing on my lower back. "Look at me, Ivy."

Groaning, I rolled over and stared up into Cole's brown eyes. They twinkled with mischief, and I shivered as his hand settled on my stomach. "What?"

"What do you want?" It was asked with so much sincerity that it shocked me into complete silence as I looked between the two of them. "You're the one with the pussy. You have all the power."

So much for sincerity. I batted his hand away, and he threw his head back and laughed, and Eli joined him. Was there some kind of joke I was missing?

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