Page 42 of Wanted

“This is Emery Clarke,” I tell them. “She’ll be staying with us for a while.”

Forever! my fucking wolf shouts in my head.

I don’t give them more details than that. As I glance around the room, I notice the raised eyebrows and questioning expressions. Yet, no one rejects or rebuffs my declaration. My pack trusts me with their safety and their lives.

That, I will never take for granted.

Ms. Elsie is the first to move. She approaches us with her usual warm smile. My wolf growls in my chest when I notice her take Emery’s hand.

Both Emery and Ms. Elsie glance at me with curious looks. It’s then I realize then that the growl may not have only been from my wolf.

Apparently, I don’t like seeing other people touch Emery as much as my wolf. Yet, I’ve known Ms. Elsie for the entirety of my life. She’s our pack’s unofficial grandmother. Being jealous of her is just ridiculous.

At least, that’s what I try to tell myself as I watch Ms. Elsie lead Emery out of my embrace toward the long wooden table that has a capacity to seat up to forty people, at once.

“We saved these seats for you two.” I read her lips as Ms. Elsie talks to Emery. “Our alpha is out of town on his honeymoon.” Her face glows as she shares this news with Emery. “We’ve missed Chance while he was away, but so glad that he’s come back with his mate.”

“Is she your mate? Is our beta getting married like our alpha?” Romello, the six-year-old son of one of our members, runs up to me and asks, tugging on my pant leg.

“No,” I reply vehemently without thinking. “Not my mate.” My wolf pouts, but I ignore him.

I don’t notice the room has stopped yet again to stare at me, until I catch gazes with Emery. There’s an emotion in her eyes that causes the muscle in the left-center of my chest to tighten.

Is she hurt?

What caused that look?

Before I can figure out that look, Ms. Elsie approaches me, taking my hand. “I’m sure you’re hungry. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll make both of your plates?”

I go to tell her that’s not necessary. I don’t like anyone serving me. That’s not my role in this pack. I protect them and follow the orders of my alpha. A part of me wants to excuse myself, shift into my wolf, and complete my nightly walk of the perimeter.

No, there are no immediate threats, but it’s a habit I do every night.

Yet, when I take my seat next to Emery, my hand lightly brushes against hers. Her gaze moves to mine. That odd emotion in her eyes remains, but it’s also accompanied by uncertainty.

She’s feeling out of place. I glean all of that from just one look.

Her eyes quickly drop to the table in front of her.

In that instant, I know I can’t leave her. I’m not going anywhere. Not as long as she’s by my side.

I swallow down the doubt that comes with the implications of these strange feelings.

CHAPTER 13

Chance

“This is your home?” Emery asks as she looks over at me from the passenger seat of my truck.

A thought I haven’t let myself have in many, many years overcomes me.

What does her voice sound like?

The urge to know the tone and rhythm of her words comes over me.

I turn away from her because the longer I stare the more absurd my thoughts become.

“Yes, this is my house,” I answer her while looking out at the red-clay-covered home that I built into the side of a hill closer to the outskirts of our pack’s commune.