Page 37 of Their Mate
Jamie, quick and agile, his Scottish accent filled with humor and a rugged charm that unsettled me. He was unpredictable, mischievous, and unequivocally dangerous. Yet he’d already drawn from me a sound that leant dangerously close to laughter, a feat I’d forgotten was even possible.
And now, Aidan. Wounded, yet strong, quiet, and thoughtful. He’d faced some kind of loss, the specifics of which I didn’t know, yet somehow he still radiated kindness and resilience. His gentle sincerity had struck me hard, slipping past defenses I’d thought impenetrable.
My hands balled into fists, frustration churning within me. I couldn’t feel these things. I couldn’t crave them. Love, affection, comfort, they were all weaknesses. They made you vulnerable, took away your edge. Wolves had taught me that brutally once already. I couldn’t afford to learn it again.
Yet here I was, bound by something more powerful than rational choice. Fate had marked me—them—with an undeniable, impossible bond. And the worst part was it didn’t feel wrong. Instead, it felt right. It felt like home, in a way I’d never known before. That terrified me more than anything.
I glanced over my shoulder toward the men and then bent down to pick up my coat, slipping it over my shoulders, heart tightening painfully as I watched them talking in quiet, hushed tones. Despite everything, despite my attempts at defiance, they’d claimed me, body and soul.
But I wasn’t ready to surrender. Not yet. I wasn’t ready to let go of who I’d fought so hard to become. I wasn’t ready to let them into the broken, guarded parts of me. The parts that still mourned my brother, that still woke screaming from nightmares of blood and fangs. The parts of me that had been carved hollow by loss and loneliness, waiting for something—or someone—to fill the emptiness.
Could these wolves truly be the answer to that?
My fingers drifted absently to the tender skin of my wrists. The echo of their touch lingered, comforting even in its intensity. I hated how easily they’d dismantled my defenses, how quickly I’d softened under their attention.
How hard I’d come with their cocks filling each of my virgin holes…
I blushed hard, the memory of each one of them having their way with me despite all I did to try to fight them.
My pussy clenched.
Yet beneath the arousal, defiance, and frustration, beneath the fear and anger, there was a tiny ember of hope flickering stubbornly within my chest. Maybe fate knew exactly what it was doing, bringing these stubborn wolves into my life, wolves who refused to fear me, refused to leave me alone in the darkness I’d wrapped around myself.
Perhaps, just maybe, with them I didn’t have to be alone anymore.
I squared my shoulders, forcing my turmoil back down into the quiet place inside where I hid my vulnerability. I couldn’t afford distraction, not now, not when the Elder Lycan loomed as a terrifying threat to us all.
Still, deep within, a quiet, treacherous voice whispered, soft and insistent, that this bond, these wolves—these men—were exactly what I’d always needed.
No matter how fiercely I denied it, my heart already knew the truth.
I just wasn’t willing to accept it.
CHAPTER 14
Sera
“It’s time for us to get a move on,” Logan murmured. “Let’s wrap your leg, Aidan.”
Using the remnants of my shirt, Logan wrapped the fabric around Aidan’s injury. Then Logan’s fingers curled lightly but firmly around my arm, guiding me gently forward, the casual dominance of the gesture irritating me almost as much as it reassured me.
Jamie took position just ahead, casting amused glances back at me every few steps, a teasing light in his eyes that grated on my frayed nerves. Edward flanked me on the other side, his expression unreadable, jaw tight with that perpetual military-like discipline. Aidan limped slightly behind, stoic and silent, his presence somehow both soothing and unsettling at the same time. The men moved instinctively into a protective formation around me, leaving no doubt that they considered me theirs.
My heart pounded wildly, a storm of conflicting emotions raging inside me. This was madness. Just yesterday, I’d have foughttooth and nail to kill these wolves. Now I walked among them, tied to them by something far stronger than choice or logic.
As we turned a corner, Logan broke the silence, his voice hushed, yet still commanding, “We regroup back at the pub. We’ll get supplies, clothes for Sera, and then move out immediately to search for Declan.”
I pulled my coat closed, fully aware of my nakedness beneath it.
Edward nodded curtly. “Good call. We need to inform the other pack—Magnus, Tobias, Callum, Thorne, Killian. Zara too. They have to be warned about this Elder Lycan, just in case this goes sideways.”
The names of Zara’s pack were familiar from my intel. I’d tracked them all, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, strategies. Hearing their names now, knowing I’d soon meet them face to face as an ally rather than a hunter, sent another wave of uncomfortable tension crawling up my spine.
Jamie glanced back at me, his mouth quirking into that irritatingly charming grin. “Don’t worry, lass. Magnus and the others, they’ll welcome you with open arms. Especially when they hear you knocked Logan flat on his arse a few times.”
Logan scowled, though amusement flickered briefly across his eyes. “She got lucky.”
Jamie chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Alpha.”
