The Alpha's Reluctant Mate (5 page)

“She'll get over it,” Tera assured me.

I was beginning to think I'd probably offended my dog quite often in the past without being aware of it. Apparently they were very sensitive animals.

 

* * *

 

Shopping with Tera was a fabulous experience. She had a good eye for what would look good on me and made more daring choices than I would ever have made for myself.

I felt fabulous in the clothes Tera chose; she picked bold, rich colors that complemented my new look well.

We bought everything in sizes fourteen and twelve. Tera wouldn't let me buy anything smaller than a twelve because she was sure that would be my perfect size.

It didn't sound anywhere near perfect to me, but Tera kept telling me that my opinion of my perfect size didn't have anything to do with the one that God had assigned to me.

I was rapidly depleting my savings account but I didn't really care; surely the werewolf pack would help place me in another job.

After hitting at least six clothing stores, Tera announced it was time for lunch and took me to a nearby steakhouse. I was more than ready.

“You'll find you do a lot better and can go a little bit longer between meals if you stick with rare red meat,” she advised.

I remembered how good the steak tasted the night before and ordered accordingly.

While we waited for our food, several different men stopped by the table to chat; all of them left their business cards and one even invited us to join him for lunch. Tera declined with a rueful smile.

“What's up with all the male slobbering?” I asked incredulously, never having dealt with so much male attention in my life.

“Pheromones,” Tera said simply.

I licked my lips as the waiter set the two eighteen-ounce rib-eyes in front of me with a dubious expression.

He sat the fully loaded baked potato down next to them on a different plate. “Will there be anything else, madam?” he asked with a quirk of his brow.

“This looks fantastic, thanks.” Smiling up at him, I picked up my knife and fork to dig in. “How come the pheromone thingies don't seem to work on the waiter?”

Tera grinned. “Easy, he's gay.”

I grinned back at her and then gave my full attention to my steak.

It looked so easy for Tera to take dainty bites of her meal. Her plate was covered with one of the eighteen-ounce rib-eyes and a big baked potato, but she was able to enjoy her meal at a leisurely pace, even though by the time she finished, her plate was as clean as mine.

My meal was consumed in a matter of minutes, much to the shock and disgust of our waiter. Thankfully he didn't comment when he picked up my empty plates, although I was sure he had plenty to say once he was back in the kitchen.

“Another reason we keep new wolves out of the public eye,” Tera said with a wink.

“Are you sure I'll be able to eat like a normal person again?” I asked with a blush as I acknowledged at least to myself that the knife and fork had been a real concession for me.

“I'm sure. Once you've fully changed, the terrible hunger will abate; like I said, you'll still eat more than you used to, but your hunger will just feel normal and you'll have better control.”

“I certainly hope so.” I was embarrassed now that the meal was over, but that hunger was such a driving force, I seemed to lose all but a very small measure of my control.

“It will get better, but just prior to the change it might worsen just a bit; that's why this may be your last meal out in public until after the full moon.”

“Worse? Isn't that just peachy keen?”

“Let's go hit the makeup counters at the mall; you'll need new makeup and accessories to go with all these new clothes,” she grinned as she paid the bill and we were off to the mall.

 

* * *

 

As we walked toward the makeup counter at Macy's, I had to dodge several women with perfume atomizers. The odors were way too strong for my sensitive nose.

“Will I like perfume again?” I asked Tera curiously.

“Nope, it all pretty much stinks when you have a good nose.”

I smiled and went straight to the Esteé Lauder counter. Looking through all the selections of eye colors and different cosmetics available, I almost missed the subtle change in Tera's body language.

“I need a potty break, I'll be right back,” she said softly as she headed toward the entrance back inside the main mall, which was the opposite direction from the store's restroom.

I watched as she approached a tall man standing just inside the entrance, next to men's shoes. He turned and for just a moment or two our eyes met across the crowded store.

He was easily one of the most handsome men I'd ever seen, tall with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. Dark hair long enough to brush the edge of his collar framed a strong jaw and chiseled features; the only hint of softness I saw in that face was the fullness of his lips. The eyes that met and held mine were a piercing ice blue that seemed to see straight into my soul.

It was as if every nerve ending in my body went on high alert, my body suddenly quivering to life as we exchanged that small glance. Unexpectedly, I was hypersensitive to everything: the places my clothes slid against my body as I moved, the feel of the store's air conditioning as cool air blew across my heated skin. One look from him and I was aware of myself in a way that I never had been before that moment. I wanted nothing more than to go to him. I felt his pull from across the store and he wasn't even looking at me any longer.

I didn't like it at all.

He didn't glance back in my direction; he and Tera seemed to be locked into a serious conversation. Tera didn't agree with him about something because she started vehemently shaking her head.

When he responded to her headshake, her shoulders slumped and she bowed her head with a small nod of defeat.

I was outraged on Tera's behalf; the big man was being mean to my new friend and I wouldn't have it. I moved and was between them before I even made a conscious decision. “Who are you? Why are you upsetting Tera?”

“Everything is fine, Xandie,” Tera said softly but I could tell by the set of her mouth that she was upset.

“Who is this man?” I asked without preamble.

She started to brush my question off, but after a close look at my face I think she knew that she wouldn't be able to dismiss me easily this time.

“This is Connor,” she said simply. The man said nothing but continued to stare down at me intently. I pointedly ignored his gaze.

Was I supposed to know who that was? “Who's Connor?”

Tera took a deep breath. “Connor is our pack leader; the leader of this entire territory.”

“Like an elected official?”

“I'm your alpha,” he said succinctly.

Somehow he made it seem way more personal than just being the pack leader. “I don't have an alpha,” I said, glaring up at him fiercely.

“You do and I will be obeyed by you in all things,” Connor said, pinning me in place with his piercing blue eyes.

“Good luck with that,” I said blithely before breaking my eyes from his gaze. “What did he say that upset you so much?”

“He wants me to bring you to the compound tonight. I told him I didn't think you were ready.” She shrugged. “He said it wasn't my decision.”

I backed up a step and glared at them both. “That's terribly arrogant. What if I don't want to go?”

Connor stepped up to me until he was close enough for his body heat to wrap around me, and he tilted my face up to his with one long finger. “I'm afraid it's not your decision to make either, little wolf. Tera will bring you to the compound tonight.”

“No. I'm not going,” I said adamantly.

“You do not want to fight me on this, Alexandria, you'll lose. We can either do this the easy way and you can obey me or we can do it the hard way and you will still obey, but sitting will be decidedly more difficult for you.”

I gasped in outrage and tried to ignore the flood in my panties and the way my clit suddenly stood at attention because of his words. “How dare you threaten me!”

“You will find I'll dare a lot when it comes to you, little wolf,” he said with an impudent grin as he leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose before exiting the store. I stared after him with my mouth agape.

I looked at Tera. “He… I… he…” For once I was at a complete loss.

She patted my shoulder in commiseration. “Connor can have that effect on people. Probably you more than others.”

“Why me more than others?” I asked with a frown.

Tera blinked. “Ummm… well… you're a new wolf and he's the strongest wolf in our pack, in this area, maybe the entire country. I know I've never met a wolf with more power. He's the lead alpha male. Don't get me wrong, I like Connor and he's a good leader. I just don't always agree with him.”

I growled in frustration. Life was a lot easier before this whole werewolf thing started.

“Let's go home. I really don't feel much like shopping anymore.”

She nodded in agreement. “Me either, but before we go to the compound tonight, there are a few things I need to tell you.”

Something told me I wasn't going to like what she had to say.

 

* * *

 

The first clue of exactly what she had to tell me was when she suggested I just leave all my new clothes in the car.

I didn't argue with her as we made our way back up to my apartment, but the minute we walked in the door, I rounded on her.

“Spill the beans; I can't stand the wait anymore.”

Tera curled up in the chair and a half, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin on top of them, and watched me until I was settled comfortably on the couch.

“You are Connor's mate,” she said baldly.

I blinked. “What? We've never even met, how is that even possible?”

She smiled. “You've met, you just don't remember because when he hit on you, you apparently didn't notice.”

“Didn't notice? Surely I would have noticed something like that.”

“Hmmm, I'll ask Epenie about the likelihood you would have noticed.”

I made a face. “Don't bother, I can already tell you what she'll say.”

A wide grin lit Tera's face. “That you don't notice men hitting on you all the time?”

“She thinks men hit on me all the time. I think she's delusional.”

She snickered. “Anyway, Connor knew you were his mate so he marked you to keep other men away.”

“Ewwwww… he
peed
on me?”

Tera laughed so hard, I thought she would fall off the chair. “Don't be ridiculous! He just bumped against you and marked you with his scent. We can scent other people that belong to us with our pheromones. It helps keeps them safe from other predators.”

I shuddered, not even wanting to think about what those other predators might be and then my spine stiffened in outrage. “I don't like the thought of some man I don't know marking me to let everyone know I'm his. This isn't the dark ages and I don't belong to anyone but me. Besides, it didn't protect me.”

Suddenly looking very sad, Tera shook her head. “No, in fact it did just the opposite.”

“What do you mean?”

“Connor marked you in order to give himself time to woo you gently. He wouldn't have just come up to you and announced you were his mate. It would have seemed natural by the time he got around to bringing that up, but things went wrong.”

“What went wrong?”

“We have a bit of a wolf rebellion in our ranks. A lone wolf that joined our pack a few months back never really got into the whole pack mentality. To Sid it was all about power. He challenged Connor for leadership and failed. Unfortunately, Connor felt sorry for him and didn't kill him, which was a mistake. Now he's brought a few of our least savory pack members to his side to form his own pack. He's planning a coup to take over our pack. They aren't following any of the laws of our kind; taking over this region means getting rid of Connor and any wolves loyal to him.”

“That's awful, but what does any of this have to do with me?” I asked, unsure if I really wanted the answer.

“One of the most debilitating things to a wolf is the loss of a mate. We mate for life. Sid thought that if he killed you, it would weaken Connor enough to make him vulnerable, but he obviously got too cocky and didn't make sure you were dead. He got in too big a hurry to send Connor the news.”

“He told Connor I was dead?”

“Yes, he sent a hunk of bloody meat to the compound. Connor went into a rage and tore the place apart. It took ten of us to subdue him so that the doctor could sedate him and by the time he woke up, we'd gotten word that you were at the hospital.”

“A hunk of meat?”

“Yes, part of your hip, I think. There was a note attached that simply read, ‘Fresh Mate.' It was horrible,” Tera said with a shudder.

“How did you find out I was at the hospital so quickly?” I was trying hard not to think about a hunk of me being sent anywhere. It had been amazing that I'd healed so completely; that in itself should have been a big clue, but I'd done a good job convincing myself the hospital had just been mistaken about the extent of my injuries.

“We have wolves in place at all the hospitals so that anyone who heals suspiciously fast is taken off the radar quickly before the situation can become a threat. Sid knows that soon you'll be a full-fledged wolf and much harder to kill.”

I blanched. “That's why you spent the night.”

She nodded. “I would still have been your mentor, but as it stands right now I'm kind of your bodyguard as well. Sid will do anything to get to Connor. So you and your loved ones are in danger until the threat is neutralized. I tried to tell Connor you weren't ready to hear all of this, but he insists that you be brought to the compound where he can make sure you're safe.”