her eyes darted to the bar then back to her brother. “Yeah. Xander has it taken care of.”
“All right,” Nate exhaled. “I’m right here if you need me.”
Tess watched as Eden hurried back to the counter to put in their order. Eden patted Xander’s shoulder as she slipped past him.
“Does your pack take into account love?” Tess asked.
“You think they are in love?” Nate frowned.
“Sure. Why not? Look at them. He’s over protective of her. They can’t take their eyes off each other. I imagine they think about each other constantly. And I think she alluded to something last night,” Tess explained.
“It doesn’t matter,” Nate said. He slammed his fist down on the table. The salt and pepper shakers clanked together, rattling against each other before tipping over. A sprinkle of black pepper puffed out onto the table. “Even if they were soul mates, which there hasn’t been a true soul mate pairing in my lifetime, I don’t think anyone on the council would care.”
Tess wriggled her nose as the pepper assaulted her senses. She covered her mouth, sneezing several times before the offensive smell left. She cocked her brow in question as Nate bristled in his seat. Why was he so mad? Did the rules affect him in some way too?
“Sorry,” he sighed, righting the condiments. “All pack members must choose a suitable mate by the first full moon after they turn twenty-five.”
Tess’ brows dipped down into a scowl. “That’s ridiculous.” It was absurd. What rock did these people crawl out of? It was the twenty first century for crying out loud.
“The way our enemies pick us off, it’s important that we continue the blood lines from an early age,” he explained.
“I’m guessing Xander’s birthday is soon?” she inquired.
“Two weeks.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
Tess turned back to watch the pair at the bar. Eden’s eyes lit up as she spoke to the wolf. Her hand reached out, taking Xander’s calloused fingers into hers. The movements were effortless, thoughtless, but it was obvious they both needed the touch.
A warm hand landed on top of hers. Warmth crept up her arm and heat pooled in her belly. Her fingers entwined with Nate’s before she could think better of it.
“Try not to think about it too much. I’m sure they’ll both move on.” He squeezed her hand, allowing it to linger on hers.
The gesture was nice. Too nice. Crap. No. No. No. He is a wolf. You can’t allow anything to happen between the two of you. It would start a war. His parents would kill him, and you. Crap.
She recoiled away from him so hard that she jammed her elbow on the edge of the table. Pain charged up her arm, and she cursed under her breath. I need to get to Ohio.
“Sorry,” Nate cleared his throat. “I forgot. You don’t like to be touched.”
If he only knew. Or did he? Surely he felt something too. Don’t think about it.
“And when’s your birthday?” she blurted. Yeah. Great way to change the subject, Tess.
“About four months,” he mumbled.
She’d be long gone in four months and they both could live their lives... apart. The last time two shifters of different breeds were suspected of falling for each other it had ended badly. Nate’s pack was weary of her because of the fall out. But their information was clearly wrong. The wolves had refused to listen to the truth. Instead, a rift had been created between the two species, both sides refusing to speak or help the other.
I need to keep my distance. I won’t put him in danger for a silly physical attraction.
Chapter Six
“I still think you’re both overreacting,” Eden exclaimed as she handed Nate and Xander pillows.
Nate opened his mouth to protest but Xander beat him to it. “No we’re not. That guy is stalking you, Eden.” Xander turned to Nate, his brow creasing with worry. “I think I might not go tomorrow and stay with Eden instead.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” Eden waved him
“All right,” Nate exhaled. “I’m right here if you need me.”
Tess watched as Eden hurried back to the counter to put in their order. Eden patted Xander’s shoulder as she slipped past him.
“Does your pack take into account love?” Tess asked.
“You think they are in love?” Nate frowned.
“Sure. Why not? Look at them. He’s over protective of her. They can’t take their eyes off each other. I imagine they think about each other constantly. And I think she alluded to something last night,” Tess explained.
“It doesn’t matter,” Nate said. He slammed his fist down on the table. The salt and pepper shakers clanked together, rattling against each other before tipping over. A sprinkle of black pepper puffed out onto the table. “Even if they were soul mates, which there hasn’t been a true soul mate pairing in my lifetime, I don’t think anyone on the council would care.”
Tess wriggled her nose as the pepper assaulted her senses. She covered her mouth, sneezing several times before the offensive smell left. She cocked her brow in question as Nate bristled in his seat. Why was he so mad? Did the rules affect him in some way too?
“Sorry,” he sighed, righting the condiments. “All pack members must choose a suitable mate by the first full moon after they turn twenty-five.”
Tess’ brows dipped down into a scowl. “That’s ridiculous.” It was absurd. What rock did these people crawl out of? It was the twenty first century for crying out loud.
“The way our enemies pick us off, it’s important that we continue the blood lines from an early age,” he explained.
“I’m guessing Xander’s birthday is soon?” she inquired.
“Two weeks.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
Tess turned back to watch the pair at the bar. Eden’s eyes lit up as she spoke to the wolf. Her hand reached out, taking Xander’s calloused fingers into hers. The movements were effortless, thoughtless, but it was obvious they both needed the touch.
A warm hand landed on top of hers. Warmth crept up her arm and heat pooled in her belly. Her fingers entwined with Nate’s before she could think better of it.
“Try not to think about it too much. I’m sure they’ll both move on.” He squeezed her hand, allowing it to linger on hers.
The gesture was nice. Too nice. Crap. No. No. No. He is a wolf. You can’t allow anything to happen between the two of you. It would start a war. His parents would kill him, and you. Crap.
She recoiled away from him so hard that she jammed her elbow on the edge of the table. Pain charged up her arm, and she cursed under her breath. I need to get to Ohio.
“Sorry,” Nate cleared his throat. “I forgot. You don’t like to be touched.”
If he only knew. Or did he? Surely he felt something too. Don’t think about it.
“And when’s your birthday?” she blurted. Yeah. Great way to change the subject, Tess.
“About four months,” he mumbled.
She’d be long gone in four months and they both could live their lives... apart. The last time two shifters of different breeds were suspected of falling for each other it had ended badly. Nate’s pack was weary of her because of the fall out. But their information was clearly wrong. The wolves had refused to listen to the truth. Instead, a rift had been created between the two species, both sides refusing to speak or help the other.
I need to keep my distance. I won’t put him in danger for a silly physical attraction.
Chapter Six
“I still think you’re both overreacting,” Eden exclaimed as she handed Nate and Xander pillows.
Nate opened his mouth to protest but Xander beat him to it. “No we’re not. That guy is stalking you, Eden.” Xander turned to Nate, his brow creasing with worry. “I think I might not go tomorrow and stay with Eden instead.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” Eden waved him
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