Page 93 of Destined Mate

“That’sexactlywhat it sounded like.” Bodey crossed his arms and stopped beside me. “I heard you clearly in my room.”

Oh, right. Samuel had insinuated he wanted to mate with me. I’d forgotten what the entire conversation was about, and my stomach swirled at Bodey’s reaction.

“I meant she could work for me.” Samuel scratched his head with both hands. “I mean, obviously not as an adviser—all those roles are filled—but…like…assomethingto me. But not mymate. Definitely not that!” He winced. “Not that you aren’t an amazing person or pretty. I mean, you are. You’re one of the nicest and prettiest women I’ve seen.”

Bodey snarled and edged partially in front of me.

“But totally not my type.” Samuel stepped back and hung his head, realizing he was digging himself a grave.

“Oh, really?” I teased and pressed my lips together, trying not to smile. Now that I knew he wasn’t asking me to mate with him, I was fine, but tomorrow, he’d be king. I had to give him as much hell as possible until then. “So…what don’t you like about me?”

Bodey clenched his hands. “There is absolutely nothing less than fantastic about her.”

Samuel pinched the bridge of his nose, huffing. “Look, she’s strong, smart, and gorgeous, but I don’t feelthosetypes of feelings for her.” He lifted his head, homing in on me. “I know it’s odd, but in the short time we’ve known each other, you’ve become a close friend, and that’s all I ever want us to be.”

“I’m just giving you a hard time.” I stepped forward and hugged him. “Though, at first, I did think you were trying to pull the mate-me bullshit.”

When I pulled away, Bodey was quivering.

Okay, I had to defuse the situation, so I moved toward Bodey and said, “Theo keeps telling me that, and I don’t want to mate with someone for protection.” I squeezed Samuel’s arm and said, “I’ll figure a way out.” A lump formed in my throat.

Bodey flinched, his nostrils flaring. “He’s still on that shit?”

I nodded. “But I made it clear there’s no way that’s happening.” I hated that I’d added that last part because I sounded desperate. Even though Bodey had professed his love to me, that didn’t fix anything. He still believed his fated mate was out there.

If Samuel offered me a job, I would take it. That could be my ticket out of Zeke’s pack and the abuse that came along with it. I’d seen how Zeke had looked at me tonight—his hatred was still strong. He’d been nice to me only because of the advisers. Hell, he’d probably forced Theo to ask me to the dinner so the advisers would see he’d been treating me well.

“Nothing about the situation makes sense.” Samuel pursed his lips. “That pack has treated you like shit for so long, yet they don’t want to give you up.”

“It’s about ownership.” I shrugged. “Zeke craves control and power. He doesn’t like threats or losing anything he perceives as his. Even though he hates me, the thought of someone taking a member of his pack away enrages him. He must have guessed that I got a job outside the pack so I could leave.” A sour taste filled my mouth at that truth. Worse, it had taken me seventeen years to understand the real issue. “But Theo is a good guy.” Lumping him in with his dad didn’t feel right. He’d been there for me as much as he could.

Bodey gritted his teeth. “Yes, such agreatguy. He stood there and let his father punish you for stuff that wasn’t even your fault.”

That was both fair and unfair. I straightened my shoulders, upset that Bodey was denigrating one of my few friends from back home. “Zeke is his father and the pack alpha. Though Theo could have made alittledifference, if he’d stood up for me too much, his life would’ve been hell, too.” I could still remember the time he’d tried to take the punishment for me when I was eight. I’d tripped at a pack dinner and spilled my Pepsi all over Zeke’s shirt. Zeke had increased my punishment tenfold for Theo’s interference. “The only reason he wants to mate with me is because he believes that’s the best way to protect me. Even when Theo becomes pack alpha, Zeke will be an adviser and have some sway over the pack. If I’m the alpha’s mate, others will have to tolerate me in public.”

“Yes, that’ssoconsiderate,” Bodey hissed.

The malice in his voice had my head turning in his direction. His entire body was rigid again.

“Uh…” Samuel bent and snatched his clothes from the floor. “I think I’m going to take that shower now. I need to get some sleep for tomorrow.”

Sleep. That sounded good. Being near Bodey after hearing he felt the same way about me as I did him was making it hard to be around him. Besides, I hadn’t slept well since I’d left here. Maybe tonight, I could actually get some rest.

“Dina said she’ll be here at nine in the morning.” Bodey was so stiff that his words sounded slightly muffled. “We need to be ready to leave by then.”

“No problem.” Samuel smiled sadly. “I doubt I’ll get much sleep, but I’ll try.”

A tingle ran down my spine, and I didn’t have to look to know that Bodey was staring at me. His scent swirled around me, and I needed to get away before my brain short-circuited. “Right. Sleep. I should get on that.” I squeezed Samuel’s arm and froze. I had no idea how to proceed with Bodey. Did I just…punch him in the arm, or not touch him at all? If I hugged him, I might rub my body against him like a dog in heat.

The sad thing was, this was the closest I’d ever felt to having animalistic tendencies, and of course, the animal would be adog.

Unsure, I forced a smile and nodded. “Night.”

Bodey’s brows furrowed, but his Botox-stiff expression finally melted away.

Needing to escape, I breezed past Samuel and headed toward my bedroom.

The guys murmured, “Good night,” and Bodey’s footsteps followed me. The bathroom door clicked. Bodey and I were now alone in the hall.

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