Page 1 of Claimed By the Feral Wolves

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Faye

The ballroom isfull of breakfast smells: hashbrowns and bacon, toast and jam, and thick black coffee. Alphas laugh loudly and omegas flirt boldly, and I’m in the center of it all, firmly seated on Cayson’s lap. I’m trying desperately to look like a woman in love, even though none of it’s real. Not the way Cayson and Ezra are gazing at me, nor the bond we’re faking to everyone around us.

But we have to play our roles. Especially in front of Kurt and the ultimas.Even now, I can feel Kurt’s eyes burning into me from across the table, but I don’t look at him. If I do, any happiness and humor I have will slip away.

Just another couple of weeks, and The Selection will be over. Cayson and Ezra can reject the bond with Kurt, which will ruin Kurt’s claim on me, and I’ll be free of everyone, and back at my cabin. I just have to keep pretending to work on my bond with my “mates.”

“Is that comfortable for you, Jelly Bean?” Cayson asks, fluttering his eyelashes in a way that has me fighting laughter.

“Not really,” I whisper to him, trying to be quiet enough that everyone else won’t hear.

If we’re going to keep up this ruse that Cayson and Ezra are my mates, people can’t hear me complaining about Cayson showing me extra attention. I should be like all the other ladies with their chosen mates, just dripping with honeyed words and kisses, while falling all over myself for them.

The thing is, Iamuncomfortable.

The discomfort isn’t from Cayson’s lap, which is actually quite nice. I’m practically drowning in his scent, which mingles with the breakfast smells and makes my mouth water. And for such a big, muscular man, he certainly provides a nice seat. Even still, I can’t seem to relax. I just… don’t know how to be a mate. I’ve never even had a boyfriend. Everything we’re doing feels strange and foreign to me. Like someone just told me that I’m a duck, and I’m trying really hard to be one, but I’m just not.

“Is there something I can do to make you more comfortable, Jelly Bean?” he asks, combing his fingers through his dirty blond hair as he flashes me a wicked smile.

This time I do laugh. “No, I’m fine.”

I study his profile—the way his strong jaw runs into his neck—and when I catch him looking back at me, his eyebrows raised, I clear my throat and turn away. As much as I’m supposed to be pretending to be his mate, I can’t let him know I find him kind of cute. He’d make this whole experience so much worse if he knew I wasactuallyhaving trouble resisting him. I mean, the teasing and playfulness would be absurd with his ego that big.

“Bite,” Cayson says, holding his spoon out, and his eyes sparkle as he looks at me.

A blush covers my cheeks as he holds the spoon a little closer. I eye the yogurt with berries and granola, and reluctantly open my mouth, feeling like everyone is watching the exchange as Itake the spoon into my mouth.This has to be too much, even for mates, right?

“Is that good?” Cayson asks, bouncing me a little on his leg. “Do you want another bite?”

Beneath me, I feel him harden, and I try to pretend not to notice the way he watches my mouth while I eat. Cayson is many things, not the least of which is a horny bastard. I shouldn’t even feel flattered by his reaction to me, knowing he’d probably react like this to any woman in his lap.

“Make sure to give her some walnuts,” Ezra says, scooping some from his plate into the parfait with his spoon. “They’ll make her brain big and strong.”

And Ezra, for all his seriousness, is enjoying this far too much, at least based upon the fact that his brilliant blue eyes are filled with absolute mirth. I guess the only blessing is that all this silliness should make it clear to everyone that we’re the perfect mates, just like we’re supposed to be.

If only I wasn’tdyingfrom embarrassment.

“Guys,” I whisper, cheeks flaming, “stop.”

“Stop what?” Cayson asks, leaning closer.

“You know what,” I tell him, feeling out of breath as his dark eyes slip down to my chest.

“It’s funny how girls are always telling Cayson to stop,” Ezra jokes, smirking.

“Actually,” Cayson says, drawing out the word. “They’re usually telling me toneverstop, while with you, they wonder when you’re going to get started.”

Ezra’s gaze swings back to me. “He talks a big talk, but that’s the only thing that’s big about him.”

I laugh.

Cayson rotates his hips under me, making me gasp. “Faye is absolutely aware of just how much I’m packing.”

“Man, a slight breeze could get you going,” Ezra drawls out, but there’s a little irritation in his voice.

“It’s not a breeze causing this,” Cayson says, rotating his hips again.

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