Page 23 of The Wolf Prince's Mate

We must’ve still smelled like each other.

Considering my clean panties were damp with whatever amount of Clay’s release was still leaking out of me, it wasn’t a surprise.

Hunter might not give a shit, but I was confident his wolf was going to flip out.

My abdomen was tense when we reached Hunter’s third-floor office. I’d never been inside, but I’d spoken with him outside once. It was as awkward as the rest of our interactions. His wolf was smoking something really good if he thought Hunter and I could actually end up together.

Clay knocked on the door twice, then opened it right up and stepped inside.

I stayed in the hall.

He waved me in behind him, and I peeked past him to see Hunter.

He was sitting in his desk chair, stone-faced. There was something on his nose, though. Or in his nose. It looked like…

Noseplugs?

“I warned him,” Clay said, waving me in again. “Get in here and close the door. There are too many people snooping.”

I reluctantly stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.

Clay plopped down in one of the two chairs in front of Hunter’s ginormous wooden desk.

Hunter’s office was at least five times as big as Clay’s. He had a dozen computer screens set up around the room, too. His chair was the only one, so it seemed safe to assume he was the only person who ever worked in there.

I sat down on the edge of the chair next to Clay’s. Clay had already sprawled out, but I wouldn’t let myself get comfortable. There was a solid chance I’d need to make a run for it.

“Heat came on faster than you expected,” Hunter stated, looking at Clay.

It wasn’thisheat.

And it annoyed the hell out of me that Hunter wouldn’t just talk to me like I was a person.

“Yeah. We barely made it to the house. I managed to get out and put space between us, but she stopped answering texts twenty-four hours in. I got her to answer a video call, and she looked like she was going to pass out. Her eyes were unfocused, and she was laying her head on the toilet. I wasn’t going to let her hurt any longer.”

“On the toilet?” A small crease formed between Hunter’s eyebrows.

“She’d been puking for a while. It’s harder on her body than she’s ever admitted to you.”

Hunter’s gaze finally jerked toward me. “Aspen said it got easier every month.”

I didn’t respond.

Two could play the ignoring game.

“Obviously, she lied to Aspen. I don’t even want to know what kind of shape she’s in when heat usually ends,” Clay said bluntly.

I could vividly recall the way I always had to crawl to the basket of snacks I brought with me to Hunter’s mansion.

The way I felt like I was legitimately dying.

It took a few hours just to get myself onto my feet and into the shower every time. I’d always thanked my lucky stars that Hunter didn’t know exactly how long heat lasted. Because if he did, he would’ve undoubtedly come down to check on me.

Hunter’s jaw clenched. “You said it was fine.”

Itwasfine.

I had always refused to accept that it was anything else. Because if it wasn’t fine, I was going to break, and there would be no putting myself back together.

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