Page 11 of Plus-Size Mate

“Oh, this,” Winter said, moving the book against her chest. She immediately regretted it as she noticed the way it drew his eyes to her breasts. They seemed to perch right on top of the edge of the book, and even out of the corner of her eye, she could see how voluptuous they looked. “It’s just an old witch’s grimoire that Jack’s asked me to take a look at.”

Eddie crossed his arms. “So he’s got you wrapped up in helping us out then?”

Winter shrugged, biting the inside of her lip. “I guess so.”

She sucked in a deep breath as Eddie leaned in close and whispered, “Hasn’t anyone ever told you werewolves and witches don’t mix?”

There was a dangerous edge to his tone, and yet the way it made Winter’s heart skip a beat wasn’t entirely uncomfortable. In fact, she craved the sensation the moment it was gone from her chest.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you that things are different here in Nightstar?” she countered, taking another step back.

Eddie shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and shrugged. “I guess so.”

Feeling more than a little awkward, Winter sidestepped, locking her sights on the front door just past Eddie. “I should be going. I have a lot of research to do.”

“Maybe I could escort you back to town?”

Winter very nearly accepted the offer. There was something about him, something that made her want to say yes, and yet she stood firm.

“I think I can manage, thanks.”

Chapter 3 - Eddie

What was it about this witch that kept her in his thoughts even after she had left the manor? Why was he so disappointed when she refused his offer to walk her back to town?

It was ridiculous. That a witch could disappoint him was the most absurd thing he had ever experienced. He ought to have been relieved that she had declined his offer. Besides, he had better things to be doing than babysitting some witch that Jack had decided to ask for help.

He had a patrol to do later, for one, and he could think of about a million other things he would rather be doing than spending time with a witch. And yet, he found himself turning his nose up, trying to catch one final trace of her sweet scent.

It lingered in the air, following him even as he headed up the grand wooden staircase towards the bedrooms of the manor.

Yet, as he turned in the direction of the west wing where his own room lay, another scent overwhelmed it. He stopped dead in his tracks, hearing the all too familiar tinkling laughter that came from just around the corner of the hall.

Even before he crept up to peer around the corner, he knew what he would find. He knew all too well what that laughter meant. And the deep voice that followed told him that Will was Carly’s latest target.

“What is so funny?” Will asked, and bile rose in the back of Eddie’s throat as he caught sight of him standing in the doorway of his room, leaning languidly against the door frame. His arms were crossed over his chest, his ankles crossed, too, as he reclined against the wood.

Carly, dressed in a short summer dress though the autumn winds had begun to blow, was leaning in towards him, her hand raised towards his chest, her palm landing just above his crossed arms.

“You, silly,” she said, her voice flirtatiously sweet. “You’re so cute when the others aren’t around.”

Eddie saw the way that Will tensed up. No werewolf liked the idea of being called cute. Eddie almost laughed himself. He bit his lip, determined not to let on that he was there.

“Cute wasn’t exactly what I was going for,” Will admitted, cocking his head.

“Well, either way, it suits you,” Carly said, playing with the buttons on Will’s shirt. The way she drew closer, how she practically rubbed herself up against him like a she-wolf in heat, made Eddie feel sick.

There was a time when she had tried all those tricks on him and, foolishly of him, they had worked.

Trying to find a mate in such a small town was bad enough, but when there were she-wolves like Carly throwing themselves at the latest guy in front of them, it was even harder.

Eddie bit back the urge to scoff all over again.

“What exactly is it you're trying to do here, Carly?” Will asked, but Eddie was already turning away. Whatever her answer might be, he was certain he didn't want to hear it.

Heading back in the opposite direction, he returned down the stairs. Likely, Carly was about to tell Will she had strong feelings for him, that she was intrigued by him. That was her agenda with many of the wolves in the pack. She had flirted her way through a few of them now, claiming to be in search of herfated mate, and yet it seemed she was throwing herself at anyone she could.

And to think, Eddie had blamed Hanson for catching her eye, for the fact that she had lost all interest in him. It was only now, with Hanson mated off to his sister Elena, that he saw the truth.

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