Page 38 of The Alpha's Mates

“Looks like it was a good night hunting,” I commented, smiling at the gray beast.

He detoured over to me and rubbed against my side, sort of like a feline might, before he went over and dropped the rabbits at the twins’ feet. Dark eyes found mine and I saw that it was stillSoren in charge just by the look in them. Then he disappeared back into the brush.

“Where’s he going?” I wondered aloud.

He cocked his head, as though listening. “They also killed a small deer. He’s going back to help Calder finish gutting it so they can bring it to camp.”

I looked over at Atlas, wistfulness radiating off me. “I wish I could do that.”

He looked over at me and smiled. “You’ll be able to, soon.”

The breath caught in my throat because I knew exactly what it took in order to be able to hear their thoughts. Was I ready? Examining my emotions, I realized there wasn’t any real fear. It amazed me how quickly I started to trust these shifters. If it wasn’t enough that I was verbalizing that they were my mates, I left my pack with theirs, came on this trip, and couldn’t seem to go a night without dreaming of them taking me, dominating me, fucking me into oblivion.

The fight against it was definitely over and I really didn’t mind so much. This was everything I ever hoped for. Mates who wanted me. Not just some female, but actually wantedme. Sure, they probably would have taken any female, just as I’d have taken males who would respect me, but this wasn’t just settling for a mate. I knew they weren’t faking the looks and the words. They were happy that I was their female and it was so damn freeing knowing that.

These males were kind and respected, and truly seemed to care. Sure two of them were as surly as wolves with splinters in their paws half the time, but I didn’t care about that so much. I’d learn how to deal with them. Just as they’d have to learn to deal with a stubborn, headstrong female rather than one who submitted easily.

A glance over at Atlas’s profile made me grin. He was the one with the biggest job since all his mates tended to be a little more on the grumpy, unreasonable side.

“What?” His gorgeous brown eyes were resting on me.

“I was just thinking that you have a big task before you.”

His brows shot up. “What’s that?”

“Keeping us all in line.”

His lips twisted into an amused smile. “Tell me about it.”

I snorted out a laugh, then settled in to watch the dance between my stubborn beta sister and her mates. My fight might be over, but her battle was just beginning.

“I can do it,” she huffed at one of the twins, taking the knife back from him so she could skin the rabbit in her hand. “Just because we lived out in the woods doesn’t mean we lived like barbarians.” She glared over at the males who were laughing at her. She was going to end up knocking their heads together soon enough.

They were lighthearted and always cackling about one thing or another. Emma’s scowl deepened as they set about teasing her. Once she pulled the stick out of her ass, I knew she’d cave and end up joining them. She had a great sense of humor that even our upbringing hadn’t been able to quash.

She was scared. I understood it perfectly. She thought that if she gave in and started to care for these males that they’d be taken from her. A tiny ember of the same fear lived deep inside of me, so I recognized it. Only, I couldn’t seem to fight the draw to my three mates enough to keep my distance anymore. Did these feelings creep up on everyone with the Goddess’s blessing this quickly?

Tilting my head, I used my own stick to poke at the fire. “Do betas respond differently to mating pheromones?”

Atlas’s eyes drifted over to the others and he made a non-committal sound. “They can. They don’t have heats, like omegas,so it can take a bit longer to win them over. Her beta mates would never be able to, they don’t have the same pheromones. But her alphas will get her there.”

I frowned, suddenly worried for my friend. “But it’s her choice, right?” That was one thing Emma had always kind of expected. The right to pick whoever she wanted as a mate. I wasn’t sure if she would be happy having that taken out of her hands.

Atlas’s chuckle was deep and sent a fissure of lust zipping down my spine. “It’s her choice as much as it’s any of ours.” He cocked his head, much like I had a moment before, while he studied them. “Do you think she’ll be unhappy? I’m not sure there’s anything we can do to break a mating claim, but Soren can make sure Griff and the others give her plenty of time.”

“No… It’s not that. I’m sure she’ll be fine, once she comes around to the idea.”

“Have you?”

Our eyes locked onto one another. “Come around to the idea of you being my mates?”

His deep nod made a longer lock of hair fall onto his forehead. His hair was growing fast. He was going to need a haircut soon.

“Yes.” I bit my bottom lip. “I’m not sure what I’m ready to do about it, but I know that you’re my mates.”

One side of his lips kicked up in a satisfied half smile. “We’ll give you the time you need. We have eternity.”

I blinked at him in surprise. Not every shifter believed that mates reunited in the afterlife, living together under the Goddess’s glory. I was glad to hear that he did.

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