relationship, hadn’t pressured her for any sort of commitment. But
she knew it was what he wanted, she just wasn’t entirely sure she knew why.
“Hey, Cassie.” He turned them so they were facing each other
and, tucking a finger under her chin, raised her face so she was forced to
stare up at him. “You can talk to me about anything.”
“It’s just, umm, I was wondering, why me? I mean, you could
have anyone. Why me?”
He didn’t even hesitate, didn’t take time to think. “Because
you make my blood boil, you’re what I think of when I first wake up, you’re who
I go to sleep dreaming of. You make me feel complete. After sleeping with you
that first night, I knew I desired you, but even then I didn’t fully realize
how much I needed you. When you were injured and I had to leave you…” He took a
deep breath. “It was terrifying, and I realized then that I didn’t ever want to
be without you. When I got back to Landon and you were gone, I went a little
crazy, I even yelled at Laney.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Cooper had every right to reprimand me. But he let me
come after you. I’m not letting go of what we could have together, Cassie. The
wolf has always known that you were the one for me. My mate.”
“Y-your what?” she stuttered.
“You’re my mate, Cassie.”
She frowned. “But how? I’m human.” The longing was deep. She
found herself wishing with every fiber of her being that she was his mate.
“Werewolves take human mates.”
“I know that,” she replied. “But not many and none in your
pack.”
He shrugged. “Zachary hated humans, no one would dare bring
one back to live with us when he was Alpha. But that’s all changed now.”
“Isn’t this all a little fast? You barely know me.”
“Cassie, some things a werewolf knows. It took me longer
than I liked to work out you were my mate, because I was being a fool. Because
I didn’t listen to what my wolf was trying to tell me. I have great control
over my wolf, which is why I’ve been able to ignore what he’s been telling me all
along. We’re meant to be together. You may not believe it yet, but I know it.”
There was such a wealth of certainty, of pure belief in his
voice that she found herself melting. She longed for what he was promising. But
she had to look after herself.
“You’re my mate, Cassie. That doesn’t just go away. I won’t
leave you, and I won’t abandon you. I’m not like your father.”
“My father?” She stared at him in confusion. “What has my
father got to do with us?”
“I know he left your mother when you were young. You must
have felt abandoned—”
She snorted, interrupting him with a shake of her head. “I
never knew him. Sure, it kind of hurts that I never had a dad, but lots of
other kids were in the same situation.”
“They why do you have such trouble opening up? Trusting me?”
“Well, it could have something to do with the fact that two
weeks ago I was helping you set up a date with someone else.”
“I’ve explained that. I can’t say any more. You either trust
I’m telling the truth or you don’t.”
He was right. It came down to believing what he said or not.
If not, she should send him on his way. If she did, though… Something settled
in her chest, easing her anxiety. Hope unfolded within her. She knew that
werewolves took mating seriously, far more seriously than humans did marriage.
A mating could only be broken through death.
“I’d like to give this a real relationship a try. Give us a
chance. That is, if you’d still like to have a relationship with me.”
He grasped her face with his hands and took her mouth in a
deep, sweeping kiss. Leaning back, he stared down at her sternly.
“Cassie.” His voice was firm. “Of course I do.”
“I’m not very experienced with relationships. Actually, I’m
not experienced at all. But I’d like to learn. I’d like to try.”
He swept his arms around her. The lips that possessed hers
were hot,
she knew it was what he wanted, she just wasn’t entirely sure she knew why.
“Hey, Cassie.” He turned them so they were facing each other
and, tucking a finger under her chin, raised her face so she was forced to
stare up at him. “You can talk to me about anything.”
“It’s just, umm, I was wondering, why me? I mean, you could
have anyone. Why me?”
He didn’t even hesitate, didn’t take time to think. “Because
you make my blood boil, you’re what I think of when I first wake up, you’re who
I go to sleep dreaming of. You make me feel complete. After sleeping with you
that first night, I knew I desired you, but even then I didn’t fully realize
how much I needed you. When you were injured and I had to leave you…” He took a
deep breath. “It was terrifying, and I realized then that I didn’t ever want to
be without you. When I got back to Landon and you were gone, I went a little
crazy, I even yelled at Laney.”
“What?”
“Yeah. Cooper had every right to reprimand me. But he let me
come after you. I’m not letting go of what we could have together, Cassie. The
wolf has always known that you were the one for me. My mate.”
“Y-your what?” she stuttered.
“You’re my mate, Cassie.”
She frowned. “But how? I’m human.” The longing was deep. She
found herself wishing with every fiber of her being that she was his mate.
“Werewolves take human mates.”
“I know that,” she replied. “But not many and none in your
pack.”
He shrugged. “Zachary hated humans, no one would dare bring
one back to live with us when he was Alpha. But that’s all changed now.”
“Isn’t this all a little fast? You barely know me.”
“Cassie, some things a werewolf knows. It took me longer
than I liked to work out you were my mate, because I was being a fool. Because
I didn’t listen to what my wolf was trying to tell me. I have great control
over my wolf, which is why I’ve been able to ignore what he’s been telling me all
along. We’re meant to be together. You may not believe it yet, but I know it.”
There was such a wealth of certainty, of pure belief in his
voice that she found herself melting. She longed for what he was promising. But
she had to look after herself.
“You’re my mate, Cassie. That doesn’t just go away. I won’t
leave you, and I won’t abandon you. I’m not like your father.”
“My father?” She stared at him in confusion. “What has my
father got to do with us?”
“I know he left your mother when you were young. You must
have felt abandoned—”
She snorted, interrupting him with a shake of her head. “I
never knew him. Sure, it kind of hurts that I never had a dad, but lots of
other kids were in the same situation.”
“They why do you have such trouble opening up? Trusting me?”
“Well, it could have something to do with the fact that two
weeks ago I was helping you set up a date with someone else.”
“I’ve explained that. I can’t say any more. You either trust
I’m telling the truth or you don’t.”
He was right. It came down to believing what he said or not.
If not, she should send him on his way. If she did, though… Something settled
in her chest, easing her anxiety. Hope unfolded within her. She knew that
werewolves took mating seriously, far more seriously than humans did marriage.
A mating could only be broken through death.
“I’d like to give this a real relationship a try. Give us a
chance. That is, if you’d still like to have a relationship with me.”
He grasped her face with his hands and took her mouth in a
deep, sweeping kiss. Leaning back, he stared down at her sternly.
“Cassie.” His voice was firm. “Of course I do.”
“I’m not very experienced with relationships. Actually, I’m
not experienced at all. But I’d like to learn. I’d like to try.”
He swept his arms around her. The lips that possessed hers
were hot,
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