Page 7 of Broken Mate

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said. He looked at Anais, and couldn’t move his gaze off her. She was a beacon of pure, beautiful light. “The alpha asked me to open the lodge for you since the cleaning crew has finished.”

“Thank you,” Ruby said.

“May I sit?”

“Of course,” Ruby said, gesturing to one of the empty seats.

He pulled out a chair and scooted as close to Anais as possible. “Did you have a long trip?”

“Um, we’re from New Mexico,” she said. His wolf rolled over at the soft cadence of her voice, and his gaze focused on her plump lips. Wondering what they’d look like wrapped around his cock.

Stop that! She’s not ready for me to pounce on her like a sex-starved teenager.

But man, did he want to.

“I’ve never been there.”

“You’re not missing much,” Ruby muttered. “It’s dry, dusty, and hot all the damn time. I’m actually glad my brother lost his damn mind so I could get away from that hellhole.”

Ledger looked at the crutches. “What happened to you is unforgivable.”

“I know. I think my sister loved me once, back when we were children.” Anais bowed her head and closed her eyes. “Doesn’t make leaving any less painful. I feel like a coward for running away.”

He laid his hand over hers. “Self-preservation is never wrong. Sometimes we’re forced to make hard decisions to protect ourselves.”

Slowly, she pulled her hand away and laid it down on her lap. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

He wished she would, but he wasn’t going to push. There was so much to learn about one another and they had a lifetime. First things first. She needed to heal, not just her physical body but her mental one as well.

“Have you both finished eating?” he asked. Half of Anais’s plate still had untouched food.

“Yes,” Ruby said.

He leaned closer to Anais. “You should eat more to keep up your strength.”

“I’m not that hungry. I haven’t eaten much since…” she trailed off then shrugged.

He knew what she was going to say.Since being poisoned.

“It was really good but my eyes were bigger than my stomach.”

He didn’t buy it. “Want to box it up?”

Anais shook her head. Ledger didnotlike how little she ate. His wolf didn’t like it either. One of his jobs as her mate was to make sure she was fed, but he wouldn’t push her too much for now.

“Then why don’t I take you to the pack lodge so you can get settled?”

Ruby nodded and rose, and saw Esmerelda, the diner’s owner, coming their way. He turned in his chair to smile at her, holding out his arms. She swatted his hands away.

“Don’t you be trying to seduce me, Ledger Klayman,” she warned, wagging a finger under his nose.

He chuckled. “Esmerelda, this is Ruby and Anais. They’re new to the pack.”

“Oh, we haven’t talked to Alpha Jericho about that,” Ruby said with a shake of her head.

“No need,” he said. “The decision was already made. You’re family to the Sheridan Pack.”

There was a noticeable relaxing of Ruby’s shoulders, as if a weight had slid off them. Anais had a trembling smile.

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