Page 39 of Hawke

Chapter Thirteen

Hawke

“Ismellher,” I heard my wolf say. “She wants us. I can taste her.”

He licked his maw. I could see him so clearly in my mind now. He wasn’t covered in mange, his hair was growing thicker, and his muscle mass was growing by the minute. There was a pull, no doubt about it, and damn, I was kicking myself for being so damned stubborn.

She had to be my mate.

“No shit, Sherlock,”my wolf snorted.

I took a deep breath of her; it was a comforting, familiar smell. Her summer scent was now tinted with a citrus that I had smelled far too often before, but it was amplified tenfold.

“Our mate likes what you have said.”My wolf purred. “Say more seductive shit.”

I ran my large hands up and down her body, feeling her, touching her smooth skin beneath her robe. How I missed her the past week, not having my hands on her. It was so hard to stay away, to watch her talking and laughing at her job to keep customers happy day in and day out.

I just wanted her to myself, and now I was going to get that chance. But I would have to do it slowly.

“Fuck that, take her now,” my wolf howled.

“We should get you to bed.” I cupped her jaw and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “We have a long ride tomorrow.” I stepped away, pulling back the covers on her bed, but she stood there dazed.

“Why don’t you act like your hairline and back the hell up?” Delilah pointed her finger at me.

Do what?

“I-I am not going back with you!” Delilah tightened her fists and put them on her hips. “I have a job here. I’m going to work tomorrow!”

I growled, stepping toward her while feeling the top of my head. I wasn’t going bald. As I reached to pull her to me, she slapped my hand.

I grunted, barely feeling a thing.

“I don’t mean to be so violent, but you aren’t giving me much choice.” She rolled her eyes and went to her suitcase, pulling out her nightclothes. “You have done nothing to prove you are going to stay. We could head back and start this nonsense all over again. Your words mean nothing.” She spat in anger.

“Fix this, fix this!” my wolf urged.

“Dede, now wait.” I tried to touch her again, but she backed away.

She must feel the bond, this connection we have. My mate dissolved at my touch, and she was more pliable to work with, but since she wouldn’t touch me, she wouldn’t see reason.

“She’s smart,” my wolf purred. “Perfect for us. I like her sass. If only you’d pulled your head out of your ass sooner.”

“You have a family back home, Delilah,” I said. “Everyone was really upset that you left. Anaki and Bear in particular.” I remembered their crestfallen faces. They were devastated. But I knew why Delilah hadn’t told them. They would have told me. The bonds of the brotherhood bound them to do so.

“They did?” she whispered, holding her nightclothes to her chest. “I didn’t mean to hurt them.”

“Yeah, you didn’t just hurt me.” I ran my fingers through my hair, as I felt for a bald spot. “You were trying to get away from me and, in turn, you left your family.”

“They see me as family?” Delilah perked up.

My little mate really had no one, and I seemed to forget that far too much. She was as alone as the rest of us.

“Of course they did, Sunshine. You are the joy of that bar. Even the band was playing somber music when I went in and yelled at everyone to tell me where you were.”

She held back a smile, bowing her head.

Fuck, I was an idiot. Delilah saw everyone at that bar as family. Where the hell did she come from to take in a bunch of rowdy idiots and consider them family?

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