And There Were Wolves

forty two | I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you

"That doesn't make any sense," I argued, even though I'd been telling myself to leave. "Why would you need to scare her away? You could just ask her and tell her about your plan of using me—"

"I didn't use you," he cut me. His eyes were burning with anger and something else that I couldn't quite comprehend. "I am not using you. I don't know how else I'm supposed to convince you about this." He let out a rough huff. "I've told Alana to leave after the wedding, but she came up with a million excuses and the bottom line was that she didn't want to leave. But I wanted to try talking to you and hopefully convince you to come here, so when Dmitry offered to help kick Alana out, I let him do that. And before you accuse me of taking you here so I could use you, think again. Why would I want to use you? For what? You're my mate."

"Are you seriously wanting me to believe that you really want me to come here simply because I'm your mate?" I couldn't hide the tone of incredulity in my voice. He was simply stating the impossible.

"Yes," he answered. "And also because I want to get to know you better." He sighed and then pointed at the dining table. "Could we sit? Or maybe we could sit in the living room. It's more comfortable there."

"No," I replied almost immediately. "Here is fine." There was no way I wanted to sit in the place where he and Alana had been making out. She had been in the dungeon for three days and, although I had never looked at the dungeon before, who knew what type of germs she might carry?

'Or you are just jealous,' said my conscience, whom I couldn't lie to.

We sat at the dining table. He was sitting opposite me. He leaned back against the chair, his arms were folded in front of his white shirt. "Look, I know for some wolves, when they find their mates, they could easily bond and that love comes naturally between them. I've heard a thousand stories about that, but I don't believe it. Well, I didn't until I met you." His gaze held mine, and I suddenly was very conscious of the simple blouse and jeans that I was wearing. Compared to him, who always looked like he was ready to walk into a boardroom meeting or out of a magazine, I looked messy. "When we met, there was that instant connection. How else would you explain what happened in that loo?"

I had to admit that he was making sense now, but it was still difficult for me to fully believe him and disregard the evidence..

"But chemistry and sexual desire alone wouldn't be enough. I knew that mates or not, people need to bond over time, they need to get to know each other just like normal humans would so that's what I intend to do with you and with me being all the way here all the time, I was convinced that it would be easier to get to know you and bond if you're also here." He leaned forward on the table. His hand reached for mine, but I pulled mine away before he could touch me and he let out another exasperated sigh. "Look, I know what happened to my sister. She chose to leave her Destined Mate to be with her current husband. Our parents hate her husband and his family for that but it was love for Tiffany and Cedric. I know that you're human, just like Cedric is, so it could be overwhelming to you to understand all of these, and believe me, if there is a way for me to be just another human being and save you all these, I would. But that's not my destiny."

I pondered over his words and recollected how Tiffany was amazed when Ryker discovered his mate but chose not to tell his family. "Then tell me, why didn't you tell your family about me?"

"Because I know what they will do. I know what they will expect me to do," he said through gritted teeth. "They will want me to make it official, for me to marry you and mark you." He shook his head as if it was a bad thing, as if marrying me was a bad thing, and I couldn't help but feel a bit hurt.

I somehow managed to hide it when I asked him, "Don't you want your birthright? The family's businesses and fortune? Cromwell's money?"

He looked appalled, as if he couldn't even believe that I needed to ask that. "Not at the expense of your discomfort," he grumbled. "And contrary to what you chose to believe, I don't care about my family businesses or fortune anymore. I know people are talking behind my back about it, but I don't care. If my parents think that my nephew could do better than me," he shrugged his shoulders, "then it's their right to give the businesses to Draven."