Page 77 of The Wolf King's Mate

“Bold assumption. There is only one male wolf I genuinely like, and he’s not part of your pack.” I held up one finger. We both knew I was talking about my brother.

“Just trust me.”

“I don’t.”

“But you’re starting to.”

Maybe a little, but I would never admit it to him.

“I tried to buy you a crown, but Clay said you’d rather have the money,” he said. “You told me you wanted one of those when you were high, too.

“Clay is right.”

He chuckled. “Even without a guard or a crown, no one will dare touch you with my scent on your skin. The whole city is afraid of me. You can do whatever you want and be whatever you want.” After a pause, he added, “Other than a sex worker. I don’t have anything against them, obviously, I just?—”

“You almost killed Silas for sleeping with me, Enzo. I don’t need a summary of your possessiveness.”

He grunted.

“Can I have my own room? Or rent an apartment away from the Lodge?” I asked.

“Other than that, too.”

“So I agree to seal the bond with you, live with you, and spend heat with you every month. In exchange, I get to be slightly more free than I was before?”

“Yes.”

“Sounds like a decent deal to me. Friends it is.” Despite my words, I looked out the window, not sure I could make eye contact with him.

It was a good deal. It really was.

It was just highly unexpected after the way he’d been doting on me since I got injured. And that threw me for a loop. A big one.

“Good.” He pulled into the parking lot of a cute little diner and got out. I tried to open my door, but he grabbed it before I could, and lifted me out.

“If we’re just friends, I should be allowed to walk when I want to,” I pointed out.

“We’re just friends, but our wolves are mates. My wolf’s going to take care of you whenever he can.”

I considered arguing, but decided against it.

What he offered was still more than I ever would’ve let myself hope for.

fourteen

ASPEN

After breakfast(it was nearly lunch time, so it was really brunch), Enzo stopped at a drug store and spent half an hour sniffing conditioner bottles. He didn’t like any of them, so he told me to deal with my straw-like hair. And promised to order me something unscented.

Back at the cabin, I curled up on the couch to read my book, and he sat down with one of his own. He fussed with my boot every twenty minutes, making sure it was properly lifted, but he focused on the story otherwise.

When I peeked at the cover, I realized it was about spies.

My lips curved upward just the tiniest bit.

Maybe I liked being the king’sfriendand knowing he liked spy books.

He told me to stay on the couch while he handled dinner, so I remained where I was while he started cooking for us.

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