Page 24 of One True Mate

I nodded, knowing there really wasn't anything he could ask that I wouldn't do, especially when he kept calling me babe. That was something new, and it made me tingly and giddy every time he did. I didn't think he really even realized he was saying it, but there was something possessive in the way he spoke it that both my wolf and I really liked.

“I'm right here beside you the whole way, but there's a lot of people ready to finally meet you.”

I took another deep breath. He was too far away for his scent to fully envelope me, but I could feel the eyes behind us, and I didn't know if it would be okay to sniff him. I giggled a little at the thought. Kind of a hysterical, pathetic noise popped out in the process. And I laughed a little harder with the strange expression he gave me for it.

“What was that?” he asked and I knew he was trying to lighten the mood.

I nudged him. “Don't tease. I'm nervous.”

“No one who can kick my butt in a race as badly as you just did should ever be nervous about anything.” He grinned and started to walk off.

“Wait, so now you're admitting I kicked your butt fair and square?”

“That is something I will never admit.”

“Kyle Westin, you did so admit it just now. I totally kicked your ass.”

I didn't realize we were already outside until the ohhhh's and ahhhh's and laughter began joining in fully.

“Yeah, admit it, Kyle, you got wrecked by a woman!”

“I ain't ever seen nobody run faster than Kyle. Wonder what they clocked her at?”

“No way Kyle got beat by a girl. He let her win.”

I knew that last one wasn't true, but I kept my mouth shut and my head down as I followed him through the small gathering as we headed toward his siblings. I had only met Chase and Liam a handful of times over the last two years and didn't really know them, but they were welcome familiar faces amongst the crowd.

Sneaking a look around, I realized I really did recognize more people than I imagined. Most of those here worked in headquarters and I even knew a lot of their names. Trying to reconcile them all as wolf shifters was a whole different thing, though. I stopped short, wishing I hadn't let that thought surface.

Wolves? All of them? How could it be? Mom always said to steer clear of the wolves. She meant steer clear of these people before me. I needed to shift and run and get far, far away.

I started to move when I felt a warm hand on my lower back. I shivered and began to calm.

“You got this,” he whispered, guiding me the remainder of the way to my friends.

“So? What's the final results?” he asked, feeling relaxed and confident beside me.

“Okay, y'all hush it up. Everyone quiet down for the results.” Liam spoke up loudly, causing a hush across the crowd.

“First mile,” Lily yelled so all could here, “Kyle and Kelsey were dead even at 65 seconds.”

“Wow!”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Can you believe it?”

“Quiet down!” Liam yelled again.

“Kyle finished the 5 mile stretch in 4 minutes 37 seconds, beating his previous record of 4 minutes and 53 seconds.”

Shouts of praise rang out across parking lot.

“Kelsey finished the 5 mile stretch in 4 minutes 11 seconds!”

Gasps came from everywhere as the crowd grew silent in shock.

“Kelsey was clocked at seventy-one miles per hour in her last mile. Kyle was just ahead of his fastest time at sixty-four miles per hour. We have some new records for the books!”

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