Page 24 of Wolf Traded
“She’s stronger than that.” I almost whisper the words hoping that they are true. I don’t know what the future holds for us but a world without Jara in it is too painful to imagine. Shit. Maybe I am weak for this woman. But, no matter what I feel I can’t let it show.
“I hope you’re right, Archer. For all our sakes.” Angela says as she walks away into the quiet forest leaving me with nothing but poisonous thoughts.
I scrub a hand over my face before following the path back to my home where my gorgeous little mate is probably lying in my bed hating my guts right now. I would rather her hate me then deal with the consequences of me showing weakness.
I trudge up the stairs to my room and stop just outside the door. Hesitating. Why am I hesitating when that room and everything in it are mine? Jara is my mate now but would it show I was soft if I slept in the same bed with her? Deciding that we both need a night away from each other to cool off, I stomp to one of the guest rooms and close the door locking it behind me before flopping down on the soft bed and staring at the ceiling.
This should be a night of celebration. Instead, I’m in my guest room with my mate down the hall in my bed. I haven’t been inside my room much but it already smells like her. It mixes with my scent and I just want to stand in there for hours breathing in our scents mingling together. That’s the way it should smell. The thoughts cause my cock to harden in my sweats and I groan as flashes of our mating push through my mind.
I should be in there with her, fucking her and marking her all over so no one will ever forget she’s mine. Ignoring my throbbing cock I turn on my side closing my eyes attempting to find peace in sleep but it won’t come. Tomorrow is a big day for the pack. They will meet their alpha female for the first time.
I just hope they don’t embarrass me when all is said and done. Some pack members are resistant to change and may not like the idea of her, but if they voice those thoughts I will not be lenient.
She is an extension of me now and will be treated with the respect she deserves or there will be consequences they are not willing to pay.
13
JARA
Nerves flutter in my chest as I pace the bedroom. I knew everyone in my old pack even if they did hate me. I’m starting over completely now though and the thought makes my palms sweaty.Remember your training, Jara. The mental pep talk does nothing to still my nerves as I continue to wear a hole in the soft rug beneath my pacing feet.
There’s a knock on the door just before Angela opens it. Just like yesterday she is caring a tray and clothes for the day. “What did the rug do to deserve this abuse?” She chuckles setting the items down on the small table.
I shoot her a bored look and she sighs. “Look, Archer is…” she trails off seeming lost in how to finish that sentence.
“A cold and merciless asshole?” I supply and she cracks up in loud laughter.
“Yes, that is true.” She finally says after several long minutes of cackling. “But, he’s a good man, he learned the way of the alpha from his father who was even colder and harder than Archer.”
“That seems very hard to believe. Archer is cold as ice.” As I say it I remember the soft tender ways he touched me during the mating and wonder if that is completely true not for the first time.
“I don’t think you believe those words?” She stares at me and I have the weirdest feeling that Angela sees way too much. Her gaze almost feels like it can penetrate my mind and see all of me. It’s slightly terrifying.
“Maybe not, but he is all over the place. One minute he’s sweet and kind telling me I have honored him with a precious gift the next he’s pushing me away and warning me of his expectations.” I sigh shaking my head sadly.
“Look, I know it’s hard to be with someone like Archer but try to stick it out with him. He needs someone like you to show him the way. Don’t write him off just yet.”
“He’s my mate, Angela. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make this work. I’m not like the others.” Her eyes widen at my words. “I’m not dumb, Angela. I’ve heard the rumors even as far as my old pack.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear, Jara. Only one girl actually died. The rest ran. And he never actually mated any of them. They were chosen by him but never actually made it to the ceremony.”
“That’s why he wouldn’t push back the private ceremony.” Things make a lot more sense now but I just wish Archer would have said something.
“I don’t think he will ever admit to that but yes, I am sure that is a big part of it.” Angela shrugs then her smile brightens. “I brought breakfast and a dress for you to meet the pack today. Archer mentioned you need suitable shoes for the dress so I got some of those too. Just until we can get your things from your old pack.”
“I don’t think there is any hope of that. The females of the pack probably already burned it all in celebration that I wouldn’t be their alpha female.” I grimace.
“Okay then, we will have to do some online shopping. I’ll let Archer know we need his card.”
“Wait, what? You buy things from humans?” It’s such a strange concept when my pack is completely self sufficient.
“Archer and his father always have a back up plan and a way to take care of the pack. He owns several corporations that only employ shifters and some members of the pack run them so he can be here and run the pack. We often buy clothes and other luxuries from the human internet and have them shipped to the corporations so we can stay anonymous here in our territory.”
“That’s incredible.” I shake my head. Archer is much smarter than I ever gave him credit for. I always wondered why Grayson never did something similar. It was one of the things I wanted to change when I became his mate.
“I don’t know about incredible but it serves to keep us comfortable and is a back up plan in case something goes terribly wrong in the pack lands.” She shrugs motioning again to the food. Steak and scrambled eggs. One of my favorite breakfasts.
I sit at the table and my mind wanders as I eat. So many alphas are stuck in the old brutal ways of the shifters they don’t see the possibilities with human technology. I’m glad the pack I am in now does. It’s extremely hard to depend only on your pack and if weather causes crops to fail or deer to move on outside our territory then we always ran the risk of starving. With Archer’s way the pack will never have to worry about that possibility. He’s incredibly wise in some ways and completely dense in others.
