Page 40 of Destined Mate

I wanted my first kiss to be with someone I was interested in and who treated me well, and no one had ever done that until Bodey.

However, I couldn’t ignore the fear curling within me. If we got physical, returning to my pack would be even harder, and I was already petrified that leaving him would be more difficult than I realized. Though he’d vowed to always be there for me, it wouldn’t be the same. I already feared the limited coming days.

Whether I wanted to admit it or not, there was something special about him. I couldn’t describe how or why, but it was like I’d known him all my life. He was so familiar, so comforting, and he made me feel safe in a way I’d never felt before.

With no other options, I followed along and kept my hand in his, enjoying the rough callouses and warm grip. My hand tingled from his touch, and I tried to memorize how this felt and how he smelled because Theo and Zeke were determined to take me away from here. There was no telling how much time I had left.

Bodey led me to a barstool and helped me up. I sat there as he made sandwiches, and we spent our time in amicable silence.

* * *

Over the next three days,we followed a similar routine. Janet and Michael came over to make breakfast, and the advisers and their parents joined us.

It was strange seeing all these strong men getting along without anyone feeling threatened, but that was exactly what these four families had accomplished. They weren’t just allies but friends.

Each morning, when Bodey left, he made me promise I would text him if something happened. He didn’t have to specify what because we both knew. Each day, I agreed, knowing Bodey was worried about me vanishing.

Theo would call shortly after they left—as if he’d waited until his dad had left to meet with the other advisers, knowing I would be alone. I tried talking with him about our future together, that there wasn’t one, but each time, he brushed me off, saying that once I returned home, I’d need to give him a chance to prove how things could be.

But the thing was that IknewI would never have those feelings for Theo, not with how I felt about Bodey. With each passing day, I grew more enamored with him. Not only with the way he took care of me but with the way he treated his friends and family. The thought of leaving was worse than the pain I’d suffered when my ribs were cracked.

My ribs were healing, but they still ached. In a few days, I would be pretty much back to normal, which meant my time here was coming to an end. I’d probably be back with my pack by Monday.

Growing restless, I paced around the house. I’d been resting and mending, but walking the stairs and sitting on the deck weren’t cutting it any longer.

I needed to get outside and breathe fresh air.

Not wanting to worry Bodey, I texted him, informing him of my intent. He responded immediately, asking me to be careful and notify him if I felt the slightest bit uncomfortable.

My cheeks ached, and I realized I was smiling. Yeah, this wasn’t good, but I feared the damage was already done where he was concerned.

I wouldn’t leave the front door unlocked in case Theo paid a visit, so I headed out the back door, which opened to a deck. If someone tried to come in this way, there was a better chance of Bodey’s pack noticing.

I cut through his backyard, the Kentucky bluegrass lush under my feet despite the cooler weather. As I walked between Bodey’s house and his parents’, Samuel strolled out their front door.

“Hey, you.” He smiled. “Fancy meeting you out here.”

Unable to help myself, I chuckled and took in his jeans and casual olive sweatshirt. I arched my brow. “I suspect Bodey told you I was taking a stroll?”

“Me and the entire pack.” He chuckled, then yawned. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind some company. I just finished my schoolwork for the day and need to move as well.”

“Sure.” I’d spent a lot of time alone while Bodey was gone, preparing for the coronation. Though Samuel stayed home in the evenings with us, he was usually on the deck with a book in his hands.

The two of us walked to the neighborhood road, and I glanced back, taking in Bodey’s modern white colonial house, the place that increasingly felt like home.

As the cool late February breeze kissed my skin, I tilted my face toward the sky. Large, puffy white clouds dotted the gorgeous blue, and the sun was halfway descended. Bodey would be home in an hour or two.

“Why aren’t you helping to plan your coronation?” With his future role as king, I’d expected him to be heavily involved.

“Well, I haven’t graduated yet.” His cheeks flushed. “And there’s speculation that the Southwest queen is scouting the area, trying to locate me, so it’s best if I stay home and focus on finishing school before I’m crowned.”

I glanced forward, watching the road. “That sucks that you’re having to homeschool.” I’d been homeschooled my entire life, but neither of my siblings nor anyone else in our pack had. Though I would’ve fit in better with humans since I couldn’t connect with my wolf, Zeke had forbidden me from attending public school. I was certain it was because he didn’t want the other packs under his leadership to learn his own pack had such a weak wolf.

“Nah, it’s no different.” He tapped his head. “And they’re keeping me informed. When I become king next week, I’ll be heavily involved in leading our territory, and things will settle down after seventeen years of unrest.”

“That must be nerve-racking.” I couldn’t imagine suddenly having so much power. He could do pretty much anything he wanted, while I couldn’t hold down a job at a coffee shop.

He frowned. “Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it.”

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