Page 40 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
His brows drew close, his frown fierce. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But I didn’t know.”
Chapter 46
Luc
Caly’s heartrate exploded and I started to turn towards her, ready to shield her. Beast snarled in my chest, reacting to her elevated pulse. I took a deep breath, filtering layers of scent through my sensitive nostrils. We couldn’t sense any threat. My parents were the only people nearby. I could sense small wildlife in the undergrowth. Birds in the trees. Smoke from a chimney about half a mile away.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But I didn’t know.”
Her voice was unsteady as I searched her expression. Her mouth was soft, hopeful, and her eyes sparked with… wonder? Joy? “You didn’t know what, exactly?”
“Your dad is human.”
Caly said it as if that was something wonderful. “Yes, my dad’s human. It’s never been a secret.”
“And your parents are mates? Not just married in human fashion?”
“Of course.” I didn’t know where this was coming from. But it was obviously important to Caly. Her eyes were shining and she was smiling at me like I’d given her something precious. Then it hit me. Shifters are very private. We don’t minglemuch outside our own society and Shifters tended to mate with other Shifters. But mating with humans was possible and wasn’t forbidden.
She didn’t know. My gut twisted. She didn’t fucking know.
No wonder she reacted so poorly when I Declared my Intent. I swallowed down the vicious sound that threatened to erupt. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to frighten her. But I was going to make sure that she never doubted me again. She was mine. Mine to mate. Mine to protect. Mine to love.
MINE.
“Tonight sweetheart, we are going to have a conversation about Shifter mating rules. Because when I say you are my mate, there is no doubt in my mind.” And after that conversation I was going to take her to bed and fuck the doubt right out of her. Multiple times. Right now, though? I didn’t give her a chance to react. To overthink. The hand that was still holding hers pulled her close against my body so she could feel how my dick throbbed for her. Only her. My other hand came up to the back of her neck before my lips crashed into hers.
Her lips opened on a gasp and I plundered her mouth. She tasted of summer and sunshine. My kiss was a promise of more to come. Of what I was going to do to her as soon as we could get another private moment together. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to show her now, to show her how devoted I was to her, andalwayswould be, now was not the time or the place. I broke the kiss gently, leaving featherlight kisses on her cheeks, her eyelids. When her eyes fluttered open they were adorably dazed.
“My folks will love you.”Just as I do.
Then I watched in admiration as she steeled her spine. She seemed to think that this would be some sort of test tobe endured. I regretted that she was feeling this way, that she hadn’t known. But it wouldn’t be for long. My folks were going to be abso-fucking-lutely ecstatic that I’d found my mate.
She let me walk her to the front door where my dad had been waiting since we pulled up. Now he had an enormous grin on his face. My hand was at the small of her back. I kept my touch light when all I really wanted to do was put her over my shoulder and take her back to her apartment. To fuck her until she agreed to my Declaration. I know that the choice had to be hers, but I was going to make sure she chose me. I needed her like I need air to breathe.
IF SHE RUNS, WE WILL CATCH HER.
Too fucking right, Beast.
“Caly,” I said as we walked up the stairs toward him. “This is my dad, Simon. Dad, this is Caly. She’s my Intended.” From inside the house there was a scream and a crash of something dropping on the ground. Apparently, mum heard too.
Chapter 47
Calypso
“This is Caly. She’s my Intended.”
Fuck! He told his parents! But before I had time to panic, Luc’s dad grabbed me up in a hug, lifting me off the ground and swirling me around. I laughed. I couldn’t help it. His enthusiasm was infectious.
“Put her down, Simon. I need a turn with Luc’s gorgeous girl too.” Simon spun me round one more time, depositing me in front of his wife. Marguerite Bowden. The former fucking President of the Council. Her Shifter eyes, one blue and one brown, twinkled at me as she leaned in close and wrapped her arms around me. She gave me a quick hug, then pulled back to look me over. Her eyes were kind. And her smile reached her eyes.
I allowed myself to breathe. Perhaps Luc really was right and his parents were as happy as they seemed. And his dad was human. I felt as though I was having an out-of-body experience. This couldn’t be happening to me. Being introduced to the former President and the world’s most influential mage as a potential mate to their son.
“When did he ask you?”
