by Tamara White
I smile at his words, feeling my heart swell. He is such an awesome friend and is going to make such a wonderful mate to Emily and whoever his true mate is. I don’t think he has a single bad bone in his body.
“Well, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine. Dwayne and Kyle took care of Brady.”
I lean back in my chair, patting my tummy lightly as the two guys in question grin broadly. Kyle starts chuckling while Dwayne full out laughs. “I don’t think he was smart enough to ever fear us until that moment. But at least now he knows that Katie is one of us, or as close to it as it gets.”
Kyle is about to speak when Sebastian’s watch starts beeping insistently. He looks down at it with wide eyes. “Shit, Katie, we have to get to class.”
I check the time on my phone and pale. Shit, we let ourselves get so lost in everything that's it's already been an hour. Crap, nutrition is one class I really can’t be late for.
I quickly stuff the last of the muffin in my mouth and get to my feet. Then I shove my purse in my bag, which I sling over my shoulder. But before I can take a step, Sebastian plucks my bag from my shoulder and throws it over his own with a cocky smirk. I just shake my head, knowing there is no use arguing with him.
I walk past Dwayne and Kyle over to Colby and lean down quickly to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for having the guys look out for me.” Then, before I can say goodbye to the others, I find myself being dragged out by Sebastian, rushing to our next class.
Sebastian and I slide into class moments before the professor walks through the door. I let out a sigh of relief and quickly take my seat. Bas grins at me, his own relief visible as he sits in the chair to my right.
Professor Harkens isn’t a bad teacher, he’s just very hard to deal with. He thinks of himself as being above teaching a college course in nutrition. And whoever thought it was good idea for him to teach a classroom filled with students was out of their damned mind.
The class goes by relatively quickly with Bas and I flirting shamelessly with each other whenever Professor Harkens isn’t looking. He started it by showing me his crude drawing of one stick man doing another. I’m not an artist but I was able to one up his sketch with a pornographic one of my own.
We kept chuckling under our breaths, pushing the sketch back and forth, adding to it as Professor Harkens walked among the class to check over our understanding of terminology. We left little notes all over the page, whispering to each other whenever we could be sure we wouldn’t get caught. Honestly, it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.
Each time one of us draws something, the positions become more and more impossible, although, I have to admit I filed some away for future use.
I find myself relaxing in Sebastian’s presence, which surprises me. Considering the barrage of questions over coffee, I thought things would be tense between us. But it hasn’t, if anything, it feels like we’ve known each other all our lives.
Before I know it, class is over and Professor Harkens is telling us to practice our terminology before our next lesson, saying he’ll be testing us on our knowledge.
Sebastian and I pack up our things in silence, but we both have small smiles on our face as we leave the classroom. I have no more classes today and neither does Bas, so we’re going to chill in my room until Dwayne and Kyle finish up for the day.
"So, what are you taking nutrition for?" he finally breaks the silence as begin making our way up the stairwell. I thought it was strange that he didn't question my avoidance of the elevator, but I guess Colby might have told him I don't like to use it. Or one of the others.
"Ah, well, I want to be a doctor, or a nurse at least. I'm taking a crap ton of classes in the hopes one of those objectives will work out."
He looks at me with respect in his eyes as I fumble with the stairwell door on my floor, feeling abnormally shy. I guess it’s just a little weird going from flirty to serious in such a short time frame. Hell, I should probably feel guilty for being so flirty considering that I’m now mated to two of his fellow pack members. But I just can’t help it. He intrigues me.
The others have all just kind of accepted my power, but he was willing to kick me out of the pack if there was any risk of me hurting his friends. And he actually had the balls to ask the questions no one else had. I respect that. Better that than him being a lovesick fool who is too charmed by my looks to question anything.
"Wow, that's a pretty impressive goal. I want to be a paramedic myself. Mainly because my dad was one before he passed away. He loved helping people, and I want him to be proud, knowing I’ll be doing the same."
Bas suddenly stops speaking, looking uncomfortable that he spilled so much about himself. He clears his throat and beckons to my door, reminding me I’m the one with the key.
"What about you? Why do you want to be a doctor or nurse?"
I hesitate in answering as I unlock the door and open it, relieved to find my room empty. I move aside so he can go in first, then follow after him, closing the door behind me. I move over to my bed and throw my bag on it. Then I turn to the window, trying to think of how to explain the plan Seth and I had.
"It's something my mate and I discussed before he passed away. We wanted to open up a place that catered to wolves that had no one else to turn to or rely on. But we also wanted to create a place that would be open to the homeless children and teenagers of the world, a safe place they could go.
“Our idea was that the wolves who had no one would be paired with a human or another wolf so they could learn to rely on others and to trust again. That in turn would also help build a relationship between wolves and humans. That way if our existence is ever revealed to humans, we could show them we’re not all the monsters stories portray us as. But with Seth gone, I don't even know if any of that will happen anymore."
"You are a very surprising woman, Katie," I hear Bas mutter. I whip around to ask what he meant by that, but when I turn, I realize he’s much closer than I expected. My breath hitches at the desire evident in his gaze. His gaze drops to my lips before flicking back up to my eyes.
"What... what are you doing, Bas?"
He lifts a hand to cup my cheek, and I find myself closing my eyes at his gentle touch. "I am so very enamored with you, Katie. I want to learn everything about you, what makes you happy, as well as what makes you sad. And I want to spend the rest of my life by your side, ensuring you find that happiness and chasing the darkness away.”
I open my eyes and stare at him in stunned silence. He barely knows me. How can he come to think that way in such a short amount of time?
"You don't know what you're saying, Sebastian." I pull away from him, my eyes welling with tears as I begin to wonder if this is what happened with Kaden and Alex. Did my power somehow affect them like it is now with Bas? Is it just a matter of time before the same thing happens with Colby, Kyle and Dwayne?
"The only reason you want me, Sebastian, is because of this power I have. It makes you drawn to me like a moth to a flame and I won't take advantage of that."
Bas' eyes widen with disbelief, but I don’t wait for him to respond, instead hurrying to the bathroom. Once inside, I turn on the tap so I can splash some cool water on my face.
When I come back out a few minutes later, I expect Sebastian to have bolted. But instead, he’s standing right beside the bathroom door, using his body to force me back.
"I don't know why on earth you value yourself so little, but believe me when I say I want you. I know you already have two mates, and possibly a third and fourth out there. Hell, maybe even more, I really don't care. I'm not asking you to marry me, just for you to give me the chance to get to know you." His stormy gray eyes show nothing but sincerity, but I still can’t help the doubt that niggles at me.
"I want to take this slow, Katie, but I just can't take that tortured look in your eyes anymore." With that, he grabs me by the hips and pulls me closer. His lips crash against mine, drawing a ragged gasp from me.
I freeze
for a millisecond but then decide to let go of my worries and return his kiss, reaching up to grip his black hair in my hands. We kiss desperately for a minute and then he lifts me up by the hips, setting me back down on top of the vanity. With a molten look in his eyes, he steps between my legs. His hand reaches up to cup my breast through my shirt and I feel extremely frustrated that I still have all my clothes on. But when I go to pull back to pull my shirt off, Bas grabs both of my hands to stop me.
He bites my bottom lip, causing a groan to escape. My body is on fire, yet he still won't touch me any more than he is now. I squirm in frustration, needing to feel his skin against mine.
I tug my hands from his grip and move to lift his shirt and thankfully he lets me. We break apart so I can peel it off him. Then I run my hand over his tanned chest, slowly trailing my fingers down to his pants, but he stops me with a grin, and lifts my hands back up to twine around his neck.
"No pressure, okay?” He looks at me intently. “We have time. I don’t want to rush this."
Then his lips are on mine once more and I lose train of all rational thought. I should be thinking about how I am cheating on my mates right now. I shouldn't be in someone else’s arms but I just can't seem to find it in myself to care. I find myself just as drawn to Bas as he is to me and I just want to feel a moment of something other than doubt, anger or worry.
I end the kiss and start to nip along Sebastian's neck. He groans before pulling away, eyes filled with desire, but he still doesn't do anything. He starts taking deep breaths, trying to get control of himself and I frown, unsure what he's doing. Why stop now?
"We can't take this any further, Katie. At least not until you've talked to Kaden and Alex. You need to figure things out with them before we do anything more. I have no problem sharing you, but you need to tell them if that's what you want. And if you don't want me, then I'll go back to being your guard and friend and we can just pretend this never happened."
"You could do that?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.
He steps closer, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. "If I had to, yes. If it was the only way to make you happy, then I would do it in a heartbeat.”
"This is probably the craziest thing I've ever done, other than mating with Kaden and Alex, of course." A surprised bark of laughter comes from Sebastian and I find myself grinning. “I’m not saying this wasn’t good or anything; it was wonderful. It’s just that it’s so unlike me."
He smiles warmly and brushes my braids away from my neck so he can look at my claiming marks. "It's a little unusual of me too if I'm being completely honest. I’m usually the type to watch the girl from afar and learn more about her before I make a move. But the moment you strode up to me as if you were the Alpha, it did things to me. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you, even after word spread that Kaden and Alex had both claimed you." Then he shocks me by pressing his lips gently to the marks on my neck and running his tongue over them, which makes tingles light up my body.
"Are you sure you're not just influenced by some kind of magic that makes you drawn to my Alpha abilities? How do you know it’s me you’re really interested in, and not just my power?"
He stops kissing my neck and grabs my chin, not hard enough to hurt, but with enough pressure I am forced to look into his gray eyes. "If I have to spend a lifetime proving to you I want to know you, the real you and not just whatever your wolf side of you brings to the table, then I will."
Then he kisses me gently before letting a sad sigh escape his lips. "Kyle and Dwayne will be here any second. I'll leave you for a moment so you can gather your thoughts. Feel free to come out whenever you're ready."
He bends down to grab his shirt off the floor and pulls it back on with a wink. Then he leaves me alone in my small bathroom, still sitting on the vanity. A knock suddenly sounds out in my room and I jump down, moving quickly to close the bathroom door.
I walk back to the sink and stare at my flushed face, noticing a small trail of marks Sebastian made along my skin. Why does seeing those little hickeys send a thrill of excitement through me?
And now, as I look at the claiming marks from Kaden and Alex, I find myself wanting to talk them, to tell them about what happened between Sebastian and me. To reassure them I'm not angry anymore. After my appointment, though. I need to check on the baby first, to ensure everything is okay with him or her. Then I’ll tell them everything.
After a few minutes hiding away in the bathroom, I straighten my back, knowing I have nothing to be ashamed of. So what if I kissed Sebastian? I mean, it's not like I'm married or anything. Then again, am I any better than Frannie for letting him kiss me with such abandon?
Fuck it. You only live once.
I stride out of the bathroom with my head held high, but stumble when I see Kyle and Dwayne sitting on the floor beside my bed, with their backs against the wall under the window. What had me stopping wasn’t the sight of them, but their matching knowing grins.
Bas, who’s sitting on my bed, rolls his eyes and holds out a hand for me. "Come here, Katie."
I walk over to my bed and sit down delicately beside him, keeping a few inches between us. But he doesn't let me stay there for long, instead pulling me into his lap and burying his nose in the crook of my neck.
Kyle smirks up at me from his spot on the floor. "Well, this is a new development."
I fidget, feeling really uncomfortable. Are they upset? Angry?
Dwayne punches Kyle in the shoulder. "Dude, back off. Can't you see you're upsetting her?”
Kyle stares at me, and the smile quickly falls from his face. He scrambles to his knees before the bed. "Katie, you know I'm just messing right? There's nothing wrong with you being with whomever you want. Hell, you could be involved with the whole pack and no one would bat an eye."
I blanch at that. There are thirty-one pack members. No, just no.
"Not that you have to, I mean. I'm just..." He trails off at the glare Bas is giving him and I bury my head in his chest, fighting off laughter.
Once I'm sure a laugh won't slip free, I turn back to Kyle. "Is it normal for women in wolf society to hook up with entire packs?"
Kyle glances to Dwayne as if waiting for him to take over, but he remains silent. Then his gaze swings back to Sebastian, who also keeps his mouth shut. "Well, it depends,” he finally says. “There aren't many female wolves out there. Depending on the size of the pack, the female may choose to offer herself to the whole pack in the hopes birthing more females to keep our species going. Then there are females who just like to keep their options open, so they work their way through the pack until they figure out who they want to be with."
"Well, no offense to those women, but I have no intention of working my way through your pack. I'm already struggling to deal with the interest I've already got, thanks."
Kyle nods in understanding. “Yeah, I don't blame you. I used to think it would be cool to be in one of those packs where a woman is with us all, but then when I really think about it, I doubt I'd be high on said female’s list of men anyway."
I frown, not liking how he worded that.
"Kyle, you know even with the men I have now, there won't be favorites. I'm not like that. I would never treat Kaden, Alex or Sebastian differently just because of rank or whatever else."
"We know that," Sebastian whispers. He presses a kiss to my shoulder just as my door opens, revealing Colby and Emily. I really need to learn to start locking doors.
I debate whether I should move from Sebastian's lap, but decide to just snuggle in deeper. Maybe if Emily sees me in another man’s arms, she won't be as hostile towards Colby. Her mating instincts must be riding her pretty hard for her to be this jealous.
Emily's lips thin as she notices me but she quickly plasters a smile on her face when the others greet her.
On the other hand, Colby looks both confused and frustrated. I guess this thing with Emily is really messing with him. How can she not see what her actions are doing to her mate
?
Silence descends on the room, and I fidget for a moment before getting to my feet. "Well, it's been a long ass day and I for one could use an early dinner. Anyone want to join me?"
Sebastian, Kyle and Dwayne immediately get to their feet, seeming eager, both for food and to escape this awkward situation. Colby looks like he wants to say yes, but looks to Emily to respond.
After a moment, she relents. "Yeah, we can come too."
Colby lets out a relieved breath and we all begin to file out of my room. Now that Emily has agreed, it's like the atmosphere has shifted from tense and uncertain to a more relaxed vibe. I just really wish I could find a way to ask Colby if he's okay without Emily seeing me. I don't want to make things any worse for him, but I really don't like the dejected look he has in his eyes. He looks like a puppy who's been kicked one too many times.
Once we step outside, the others begin walking across the quad, but Bas pulls me back to whisper in my ear. "We'll distract her for a few minutes so you can talk to our boy. Colby doesn't look like he's doing too good."
I nod, even as Colby looks back, obviously having heard. I guess Bas only whispered so Emily wouldn't hear. I give Sebastian a quick kiss on the cheek to convey my thanks. Now, we just have to figure out a way to separate Emily and Colby so I can get a word in.
Thankfully, just down the road is a little strip with places to eat, get coffee and buy the basic necessities. It’s also where the pharmacy I got that test from is.
We decided to walk since it’s relatively close, and while it might be a bit far for Emily’s human legs, she didn’t object.
I watch on in amusement as Kyle and Dwayne squeeze in on either side of Emily, and start asking her random questions about her family. Meanwhile, Colby slowly falls back, allowing Sebastian to move ahead of him. The three of them effectively distract Emily so she doesn’t notice Colby hanging back to talk to me. We slow our stride until we’re far enough back that Emily won’t overhear us.
