Page 50 of Wolf Heart

My stomach clenches and my wolf growls in my chest. "How can you say that?"

Not like I truly believed in it either until I nearly shifted because of Michael. Though I don't want to be mated to him now. Not when he dropped me like a hot potato and didn't even give me a chance.

"How can you believe it?" Dex snorts. "I've fucked lots of women and none of them have held my wolf's interest for longer than a night or two."

Do Aspen and Raven feel the same way? I squirm and spare a glance to Aspen. "But you were demanding I belong to you."

"Sex. That's all. We're cursed never to fall in love or have a woman love us."

Dex nods and my heart sinks a little.

"What if you find one who is your forever mate?" I ask, my throat dry.

"If I haven't found her by now, I doubt she exists." Dex flicks a fallen leaf across his fingers. "Maybe all of us are cursed like Raven and his pack. We just haven't turned feral yet."

"Don't say that." I shudder. "The lost ones are horrible. And everyone has a fated mate out in the world. Why do you reject that?" As much as I want to be a wolf, locked in a mindless state like that until I died a second time, no fucking way.

"Because it's a nice idea, but people make mistakes. They fuck up over and over and over again," Dex says, his eyes darkening.

"Ouch. That's harsh," I say, wondering what has happened in his past to leave him so bitter.

"And if our fated mates are now lost ones?" Dex crumbles the dried leaf he's been playing with.

The lost one's eyes dull and empty haunt me. I'd never seen so many before leaving the pack. Their teeth and claws grasping for the living.

"I've had to hunt them down and kill them. Too many were caught alone with their wolf brothers and sisters. They didn't know how to shift back when we were fighting to keep the witches from our lands."

"If we didn't kill them, they would have killed our wounded. Devoured them from the inside out," Aspen added.

I gulp and avert my eyes, thinking about how I would want someone to kill me quickly if I became infected.

Dex turns his gaze to me. "Unless you're a wolf, you can't turn feral."

"A-And what if your fated mate isn't a wolf?" I ask, not believing I'm even talking about this with them. Michael had been my fated mate. My wolf thinks there's no one else.

"And what if you're fated mate died years ago? Or what if you have more than one?" Dex glances past me to Aspen before returning my gaze.

Aspen gives me a small smile. "Dex has a point, Juniper. Who knows what you'll do in the future? You could have your own future just like me and Dex."

"Yeah." Dex grunts and stands, Aspen following his lead. "Don't sell yourself short just for a guy."

I bristle. "I'm not." They don't know what it's like to be me. To never shift and be so close to your wolf until someone snatches the chance away.

They both flank me and I inhale the smell of pine and dirt and the sweetest, most delicious smell of man and wolf. Their musky scent and close proximity makes me weak in the knees. I want them. I want them to grab me and kiss me and touch me. I want it so bad I feel drunk.

I stand on wobbly knees.

"We can make you feel good, Juniper." Aspen's voice is a deep rumble that has my breasts feel hot and heavy.

Dex cups my chin and brings my face up so I meet his gaze. "You can have it all," he says in a deep voice that feels like a caress.

He lowers his mouth to mine. His tongue slips into my mouth and I whimper, my toes curling.

"I-I can't," I manage to say, the words straining past my desire, my need.

"I don't think our girl is ready for multiples yet," Aspen says in a teasing tone behind me. He kisses my shoulder. "I'll go see if I can scrounge up some rabbits for us to cook."

The words asking him not to go, to stay with me lodge in my chest.

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