Page 6 of Claimed By the Hunter

Her mouth turned down. “No, I want you. I don’t feel comfortable around anyone else.”

Hunter sighed. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to because I’ve found my mate. I’m sure you’ve heard that.”

The woman shrugged. “Yes, but what does that matter?”

Hunter wanted to curse. “Tamara, you know why. I can’t be around another female, especially right now, while we build a foundation.”

“I think that’s a cop-out.”

Fuck. Hunter sat back in his chair. “You know better than that. Wolves only have one person they can mate with. I’m lucky to have found mine. You know what would happen if I hadn’t found her or if she hadn’t accepted me.”

“I think if we look into it and talk to Malani, she’d help us.”

Hunter’s brows snapped together. “Help us what?”

“Be together.”

Dammit. The thought of this woman being his mate made him ill, especially at the moment. “You’re not my mate, Tamara.”

“Not right now, but there has to be a way.”

“Let me put it this way. I’m in love with Nicole. I will never leave her as long as we’re alive.”

Hunter saw several different emotions cross the young woman’s face before she blanked it out. What surprised him was he couldn’t get a read on her feelings, and it was hard to block another wolf.

She didn’t say anything at first. “Fine.”

“Do you still want me to call a plumber?”

She shook her head. He hated the fact she wouldn’t look at him. He wanted to help her but couldn’t help like he used to.

“No. I’ll take care of it. I’ll have to learn how to do everything myself.”

“That’s not true. You have the pack, Tamara. You’ll never be alone.”

She walked to the door and opened it. “You have no idea what it’s like to be alone because you have a family. You say I have the pack, but most of them don’t like me.”

“That’s not true. You’ve pushed so many people away for some reason.”

“It’s not your problem, Sheriff. Have a good day.”

“Tamara,” he yelled, but she continued to walk away.

Goddammit. He didn’t want to hurt the woman’s feelings because he knew she did have a rough time growing up. Her dad died when she was young, and her mother didn’t deal with it very well, which affected Tamara. He’d heard from several people that her mom was incredibly bitter and hateful, and she got worse every year. There had never been any evidence that she was abusive toward her daughter, but having to live in that environment had to have done some damage. He needed to talk to his alpha brother and ask for advice on handling the situation.

One of his deputies, Rafe, walked in and shut the door behind him.

“What’s up?” Hunter asked.

Rafe sat down on the chair in front of his desk. “That wolf, Tamara. Something’s wrong with her, man.”

Hunter nodded. “I know. She needs friends. She’s pushed everyone out of her life, and now she’s alone.”

“Everyone except you,” Rafe said.

Hunter sighed. “Yeah. I told her I have a mate, but she seems to think it shouldn’t matter.”

“That’s fucked up right there. She’s a shifter and grew up here. She knows how things work.”

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