at the thought of letting her go, she deserved a mate who could protect her for the rest of their lives, wolf and man, not one who would be crippled within a few years. He would set her free from the lynxes, and then let her go. It was the right thing to do.
That afternoon, he drove them to Jason and Cades’ home. Reika had been quiet for most of the morning, only speaking when he spoke to her first. As he watched her look around while they walked up the front porch of their home, he could sense her wariness. She was looking for the lynxes.
“A handful of our best fighters are patrolling the grounds, sweetheart, so you’re safe here.” Bo held his hand out to her. He waited for her to take it, watching as she took one last look around and then relaxed, but only fractionally.
“I’ve upset your entire pack. It’s not right.”
He felt the warm weight of her hand. “Of course it’s right. Not only are you a wolf and our kind, but you’re—” he faltered. He wasn’t going to put the word mate out there. She was freaked out enough as it was. Thinking quickly, he opened the front door and pulled her inside. “You’re allowed to choose who you mate with and what you will and won’t do with your life.”
Her lips parted slightly, and her head cocked to the side. He wanted so badly to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Feel her lush body pressed against him. Watch her fall apart in ecstasy.
She doesn’t need your baggage , his mocking inner voice said.
Shut up , his wolf growled in warning.
Reika followed him into the kitchen, where Jason and Cades stood at the counter. Michael, Jason’s brother and pack second, was seated at the kitchen table, along with Linus, fourth and Logan, fifth ranked. Bo’s wolf bristled at Logan, who was the only unmated male around. Bo struggled with his desire to push Reika behind him, to shield her from Logan’s eyes. A possessive wolf was the last thing she needed, when the lynxes had nothing but possession on their minds.
Cades and Jason came over, and Jason introduced her and the others at the table. Bo sat Reika down between himself and Cades as the two joined the group. He kept his hand on the back of Reika’s chair, laying silent claim to her.
While they discussed the situation with the lynx males, Bo’s mind drifted constantly to Reika. Her sweet, natural scent was like a beacon for him. He found himself unconsciously leaning towards her, wanting to stroke her soft skin, kiss her full lips. It was going to be hard to keep away from her. Reminding himself that the last thing she needed was his sorry ass panting after her, he curled his fingers into the wood of the chair back and focused on the conversation.
Jason’s dad, Peter, walked into the kitchen, head down, reading a large, leather-covered volume of pack law. “Right.” He put the book down on the table, the yellowed pages filled with writing in the old language. “A blood-debt can only be called by one powerful enough to break it.”
“Blood-debt?” Cades asked.
Peter lifted his head. “Yes. They sealed the promise with blood, didn’t they, Reika? Yours and the three males?”
She shivered and nodded, embarrassment flushing her cheeks. Fuck it. Bo put his arm around her and drew her against him. She stiffened only slightly, and then relaxed. She rubbed the tip of the ring finger on her right hand. He wondered if they had taken the blood from there. The thought of someone cutting her, drawing her blood when she was a child, made his hackles rise. The sorts of people who marked children and promised them to rapists to become brood mares weren’t the sorts of shifters he wanted to get to know. The sooner they were out of Reika’s life, the better.
“One powerful enough to break it. What does that mean?” Jason asked. “It’s not a physical bond. They’re not mated.”
Peter looked at Reika for a long
That afternoon, he drove them to Jason and Cades’ home. Reika had been quiet for most of the morning, only speaking when he spoke to her first. As he watched her look around while they walked up the front porch of their home, he could sense her wariness. She was looking for the lynxes.
“A handful of our best fighters are patrolling the grounds, sweetheart, so you’re safe here.” Bo held his hand out to her. He waited for her to take it, watching as she took one last look around and then relaxed, but only fractionally.
“I’ve upset your entire pack. It’s not right.”
He felt the warm weight of her hand. “Of course it’s right. Not only are you a wolf and our kind, but you’re—” he faltered. He wasn’t going to put the word mate out there. She was freaked out enough as it was. Thinking quickly, he opened the front door and pulled her inside. “You’re allowed to choose who you mate with and what you will and won’t do with your life.”
Her lips parted slightly, and her head cocked to the side. He wanted so badly to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Feel her lush body pressed against him. Watch her fall apart in ecstasy.
She doesn’t need your baggage , his mocking inner voice said.
Shut up , his wolf growled in warning.
Reika followed him into the kitchen, where Jason and Cades stood at the counter. Michael, Jason’s brother and pack second, was seated at the kitchen table, along with Linus, fourth and Logan, fifth ranked. Bo’s wolf bristled at Logan, who was the only unmated male around. Bo struggled with his desire to push Reika behind him, to shield her from Logan’s eyes. A possessive wolf was the last thing she needed, when the lynxes had nothing but possession on their minds.
Cades and Jason came over, and Jason introduced her and the others at the table. Bo sat Reika down between himself and Cades as the two joined the group. He kept his hand on the back of Reika’s chair, laying silent claim to her.
While they discussed the situation with the lynx males, Bo’s mind drifted constantly to Reika. Her sweet, natural scent was like a beacon for him. He found himself unconsciously leaning towards her, wanting to stroke her soft skin, kiss her full lips. It was going to be hard to keep away from her. Reminding himself that the last thing she needed was his sorry ass panting after her, he curled his fingers into the wood of the chair back and focused on the conversation.
Jason’s dad, Peter, walked into the kitchen, head down, reading a large, leather-covered volume of pack law. “Right.” He put the book down on the table, the yellowed pages filled with writing in the old language. “A blood-debt can only be called by one powerful enough to break it.”
“Blood-debt?” Cades asked.
Peter lifted his head. “Yes. They sealed the promise with blood, didn’t they, Reika? Yours and the three males?”
She shivered and nodded, embarrassment flushing her cheeks. Fuck it. Bo put his arm around her and drew her against him. She stiffened only slightly, and then relaxed. She rubbed the tip of the ring finger on her right hand. He wondered if they had taken the blood from there. The thought of someone cutting her, drawing her blood when she was a child, made his hackles rise. The sorts of people who marked children and promised them to rapists to become brood mares weren’t the sorts of shifters he wanted to get to know. The sooner they were out of Reika’s life, the better.
“One powerful enough to break it. What does that mean?” Jason asked. “It’s not a physical bond. They’re not mated.”
Peter looked at Reika for a long
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