Page 10 of The Alpha's Bargain
He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing it softly. His beard tickled my hand. “My sweet Caleigh. In the next six months, I willshowyou.”
“Showmewhat?”
“How beautiful our life will betogether.”
My hand jolted. “You mean for sixmonths.”
He smiled. “Yes, ofcourse.”
Everything he said seemed to be in code, one I couldn’t understand, but would damn well figure out. It wasn’t like I didn’t have time. I’d always loved a good puzzle, even as a kid. This only sparked myinterest.
Pulling up to Luca’s home, it was like all the other times I’d been here. Nothing had changed appearance-wise, yet inside, something had. This was going to be my home for the next six months, and I needed to treat it as such, meaning standing my ground on manythings.
Wolves were very territorial, especially female wolves. Having a new wolf come in was going to be an adjustment. I’d seen it many times in my pack when one of the males would take on a female. My mother, the alpha female of the pack, would have to stand her ground and not allow the newbie to come in and think she would take her place in thehierarchy.
That had happened several times. I’d seen my mother in several fights because of it, ones I couldn’t participate in because it would show my mother had a weakness and that was something shedidn’thave.
My plan wasn’t to start fighting with all the females, but I needed to show my place, and if a situation came up, I’d need to be prepared to handle it. This could go either good or bad. That was up to the future. One thing I knew for certain was I would have my head held high, shoulders back and to attention when I walked into the home this time. I wouldn’t allow myself to feel small or weak in any way, no matter what was thrownatme.
Luca had said his pack would accept me, but that didn’t mean they all would. Especially the already pronounced alpha female, Natalie, who Sage had told me was a royalbitch.
My eyes were wide open. I knew I’d have to be onmygame.
Fighting was nothing new. My brothers had taught me everything I knew and then some. Watching them in battle, I’d picked up my own unique techniques. Whereas they’d fought to the death several times—each one I had hated more than the next—I had not. Being the daughter of the alpha female, most people left me alone. In Luca’s pack, I didn’t think I’d fair as lucky, even if I didn’t want to have tofight.
It didn’t mean Iwouldn’t.
“Caleigh, tell me what’s on your mind,” Luca said in his deep voice, reaching over after throwing the truck in park and unlatching my seatbelt. “Something isbotheringyou.”
“This whole situation is bothering me, Luca. How am I supposed to pretend I’m your mate for six months? You know I won’t be able to let comments or other wolves slide if they give me trouble. Are you okay with me possibly fighting with your pack to secure my position only to leave in six months and have them all wondering what the hell isgoingon?”
He turned, placed his hand under my chin, and directed me to give him my eyes, which I did. “You do what you have to. This is your pack. You are my mate. Everything else, we take instride.”
“You know Natalie is going to be aproblem.”
Luca gave a reassuring smile. “I have no doubt you can hold your own with her. Just live this with me. Live these six months as my mate one hundred percent. You and me. Can you do thatforme?”
“Live it real?Howreal?”
A sexy smirk played on his lips, making my thighs quiver. “Every step real. Every touch. Every action. Every thought. Every kiss. Every moment for six months, absolutely no holding back …anything.”
My breath caught in my throat as all the thoughts of our relationship being real swirled in my head like a tornado. Wolves were very physical and emotional beings. Touches would be often. Kisses even more so. All of those would reel into the emotional, putting my heart on the line for something thatwouldn’tlast.
It was rare for wolves to mate without having the scent that attracted each other. The chances of us having that were slim to none. That would mean in six months’ time, my heart would shatter and bend. Like everything else in my life, though, I’d pick the pieces up and move on. I had to remember this was for my family—the reasoning forallthis.
Once I found my true mate, he would heal all the wounds I knew would form. The time between would be the hardest,though.
“Yes, I candothat.”
Luca pulled me to him and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “That’s my beautiful girl. Let’s go meetyourpack.”
I shook my head, for once feeling nervous about entering this house. It only lasted a moment, because showing the pack fear would never be anoption.
Sucking in a breath, I opened the truck door. Luca, being super-fast, came to my side and helped me down. The front of my body brushed against his toned one, and I inhaled his scent, one I’d memorized many years ago, but this was different. This time, Lucawasmine.
The front door swung open and Jonas, Luca’s brother and beta, stood there, eyes alert and posturestiff.
“Jonas, get some of the guys to get Caleigh’s things from the back of my truck. Take them to my room then meet me in my office in fifteen,” Luca said as we walked up to the house, his arm slung over my shoulders as he pulled me tightly againsthisbody.
