As Erik made his way down the hall, he couldn’t help but smile. She was opening up to him. Trusting him. It was exactly what he’d been hoping for. And it would keep her comfortable enough, he hoped, to stay a while. The undeniable attraction he was feeling for this lovely she-wolf was a little concerning, since he’d never experienced it before, but he was more determined than ever to see where it could lead. After all, what were the chances of him ever meeting another female quite like her?
Chapter Three
Sarah woke up for the second time that day, knowing that she was being watched. Cracking her eyes revealed an enormous man sitting in the chair staring at her, his dark hair and deep tan making him appear somewhat intimidating—that and the scowl on his otherwise handsome face. Not that she was worried about him in the least because she was positive Erik wouldn’t allow anyone in here who meant her harm.
He was one of the brothers from the photograph, she was sure. Abraham, maybe?
Oh, who the hell cared? He was being rude.
“It’s not polite to stare,” she grumbled.
“Who are you?” His voice was a deep, thunderous rumble that told her that this guy didn’t play around…but she did.
“Who are you?” she countered.
“Nobody you need to concern your pretty little head about. Now, where’s my brother, and why is an alpha bitch sleeping on his couch?” He spoke through clenched teeth.
Sarah simply couldn’t resist goading him—he just seemed too uptight!—so she parroted everything he’d said right back to him and watched as his face darkened, a large vein ticking on his forehead.
Luckily, Erik entered the room at that moment with a laundry basket in tow.
“Abraham,” Well, that didn’t sound like a very friendly greeting, “Get away from her. Now.” His voice dropped low with a hint of a growl.
His brother was still glaring at her as if he wanted to throttle her ass. She would have welcomed the brawl with open arms if she were able to stand on her own two feet.
“Sorry, Erik,” she began, “it’s my fault. I was picking at him.” Her gaze moved over Abraham slowly. “I do hope that your other brothers aren’t this uptight.”
Erik snorted, rolling his eyes. “We’re all very different, personality-wise. Abraham’s the most intense sibling.”
“Someone has to be the serious one. Now,” he jabbed his finger in her face, “who the hell is she?”
Sarah absolutely detested having people get in her face. She looked up from her place on the couch and purred, sweet as honey, “She is about to bite off your fucking finger if you don’t get it out of my face, pretty boy.”
He looked startled, and she was glad. Erik just covered his mouth, but appeared to stifle more laughter.
“Your finger hasn’t moved yet.” Sarah snapped her teeth at his finger, just missing the tip when he pulled back.
“She tried to bite me!” he roared, pointing. Again! “Argh!”
This time she did give him a nip. When he turned his murderous gaze back to her, Sarah felt the first twinge of apprehension.
“Stop it!” Erik yelled. “You’re scaring her.”
Both heads swiveled toward Erik, who appeared equally startled. Sarah knew she’d shown no signs of fear. Hell, she prided herself on her poker face and her ability to mask any scent of fear or anger. Most people never knew she was pissed off until she laid them flat.
“What the hell are you talking about?” she demanded. Erik was upset and confused, as was evident by his facial expressions and the mixed fragrance wafting from his side of the room.
Aw, poor guy.
“She’s psychotic, not scared,” Abraham snarled at his brother.
Sarah watched Abraham take in the scene, his eyes narrowed. Sarah, asleep on the sofa, in Erik’s robe, and Erik bringing in a laundry basket filled with her clothes, all neatly folded. And were those her panties on top?
Oh, somebody just kill me now.
“Holy shit!” Abraham spoke in a near whisper, forcing Sarah to pay attention lest she lose track of the conversation. “She’s your mate. You felt her fear.”
“No, I…”
“You had to have,” he accused, “because she hasn’t shown an ounce of fear yet.”
An odd ringing started in Sarah’s ears. Her heart racing, she couldn’t catch her breath. Oh, God. That was why she’d kept picking at Abraham even after he’d gotten mad. Her amusement was there, but it was Erik’s she’d felt as well, egging her on.
The two men were still arguing, over whether or not she could be his mate, but Sarah wasn’t quite as slow as Erik seemed to be. She knew the signs of a bonding, and once she took a second to look back, she could see that they were indeed present.
While the two were deep in their own discussion, Sarah decided now was the perfect time to dip out. She struggled up onto her shaking legs to leave, thinking that if the room would quit tilting it would be great. With an odd sort of detachment, she realized the room wasn’t tilting. She was. Then the darkness came.
* * * *
“What the fuck?” Erik lunged and caught Sarah just before she hit the coffee table then hugged her close.
“What’s wrong with her?” Now, that was a good question.
“I’m not sure. I felt a surge of panic then nothing.” He lifted her gently and settled her back onto the couch. The movement caused the robe to fall open, revealing the nasty swelling and bruising of her knee.
“Christ! What happened to her leg?” Abraham came closer and reached out, only to snatch back his hand when Erik let loose a fierce snarl. “Possessive bastard, aren’t you?”
“She’s hurt and in trouble. Damn it, I’ve been so caught up in helping her and making her comfortable that I never noticed the bonding.” The connection that formed between two destined mates was the most amazing thing to their kind, and he’d been too distracted with everything happening that he’d failed to see what was happening between them. Then again, judging by her reaction, she hadn’t been all that aware herself. Kneeling beside the couch, he placed the back of his hand to her forehead. Her brow was damp. “Get a cool rag.”
“What do I look like…?”
“The bastard that’s getting a fucking cold rag, that’s what you look like.”
Abraham put his hands up and beat a hasty retreat.
Erik looked down at the woman before him. The bonding was a sure sign of a soul mate. Once they made love, the bond would be complete, and he’d be able to sense her feelings even from a distance. It was why werewolf bonds were so special, and the reason they remained joined for life. Only the death of a mate could sever the connection. When werewolves finally mated, their souls merged, bringing them closer than the mind could fathom. They became two halves of a whole, completing each other in the most intrinsic and intimate fashion possible. They became one.
The thought of the other alphas trying to force a mating on her now filled him with even more fury. No doubt, they only wanted her for her alpha status to use as a way to ensure strong offspring, and knowing that he could have lost his chance before he’d even met her had his insides at a near boil.
Could this beautiful rebel really be his intended mate? Would she even want to stay with him? She’d mentioned her longing for a quiet life with a mate and cubs. Perhaps he could convince her—given time—that she could trust in him to bring her the future she craved.
He’d sure as hell do his best, but first, he had to get her to wake up.
“Sarah? Sarah, wake up. Everything’s all right, I promise.” Nothing. “Come on, it’s just me, Erik.” Damn, he thought it was just the panic that had caused her to faint, but what if there was more to it?
She shifted and whimpered, no doubt hurting herself as she tried to get up.
Abraham hurried back into the room from the kitchen holding a damp rag and leaned over the back of the couch to place the cold cloth on her forehead. As both men watched, her eyes fluttered open.
* * * *
“I’m sorry. I’ll confess that I’m just as shocked as you are.” Erik did look a little unsettled. Perhaps, he really did feel as off-kilter as she did.
“I don’t doubt that.” Sarah heaved a defeated sigh. “At least, you’re a nice guy.”
“Sarah, I won’t try to trap you by any means. You know where I stand on that.” He sounded offended, could have been slightly pissed. She focused on him. Yup, it was both.
“Listen, don’t get pissy with me. I’ve spent my whole life running from men who want to shackle me down, and now, I’ve landed my broke-down-ass in the same house as my soul mate.” She ran her fingers through her hair, removing the cloth and looking into his eyes. “It’s a lot to deal with, not to mention the fact I can’t defend myself right now.”
“You know I won’t let anyone get to you, right?” Erik picked up her hand and held it between his much larger ones. “Hear me out. All I’m asking for is a chance. I promise you’ll have every freedom that you could crave, no packs and only the occasional family visit.”
“Well, there is one thing in your favor,” she offered, “You asked instead of demanding.”
“So you’ll think about giving this a shot?”
Sarah took a moment to run through everything that she knew about this man. It wasn’t much, but even a little could go a long way. He was kind, yet stern when needed. He’d helped her when he could have turned her away. He, like her, wanted nothing to do with pack life.
Huh. All-in-all, he was perfect for her. It didn’t hurt that he was amazingly good-looking, either. The fact that she could sense his emotions, however vague the feelings may be, was a sure sign of a bonding. How she’d missed that before, she’d never know, but now, she had a choice to make. Did she stay and see what could develop between her and Erik, or did she get herself patched up and haul tail?
There was no immediate threat to her freedom since a mating wasn’t set in stone until the deed was done, so-to-speak, so perhaps she would give this whole thing a shot. If he turned out to be an ogre, she could always bail, though for some reason, Sarah just couldn’t picture Erik that way.
Ugh, she was so confused! Why did this have to happen now?
Right now, however, he awaited her reply.
“I’ll think about it,” she answered softly.
“If you two are done with this shit, can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?” Abraham towered over the back of the couch, arms crossed over his chest.
“Later.” Erik grabbed some of her clothes from the laundry basket before carefully picking her up in his arms and heading for the hallway. “I’ve got to get her to the clinic.”
Sarah watched over Erik’s shoulder as Abraham’s face suddenly transformed. Interest sparked in his eyes, and his features softened a bit before he caught her looking.
Hmm. So maybe the Neanderthal had a weak spot.
“I’m not really comfortable with being out in the open and not able to fight if I need to,” she confessed.
“I’ll be there, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“But…”
“I’ll be there, too,” Abraham rumbled, following them.
“That would be good.” Erik entered a guest room and set Sarah down in a fancy, cushioned, high-back chair. “I’ll be just down the hall. Can you manage this?”
Sarah couldn’t help it and blushed clear to her roots. She absolutely hated asking for help with something so simple, but in the end, she knew it was necessary. “If you could help me get my pants to my knees, then I can manage from there. It hurts to bend that leg at all.”
“Absolutely.” He turned. “Abraham, meet me in the living room.” He shut the door behind his brother then returned his attention to his robe-clad mate. “I promise not to look, just let me get these up to your knees, and then we’ll stand you up.”
She knew her face must resemble a cherry tomato because she could feel the heat from her blush. “Thank you.”
“It’s not a problem,” he replied as he slipped her panties up her calves.
“Maybe not to you, but it means a lot to me that you’re doing this.” He smiled up at her, and she noticed the pink in his cheeks. “Are you blushing?”
“Probably,” he admitted, returning his attention to her pants and, gently, working them up her legs. “These are loose enough to roll up, I think.”
“It’ll work.” She had her teeth clenched so tight that she feared she’d crack her jaw. Good lord, just the fabric brushing over her knee sent pain shooting through her leg. By the time he’d finished, she was panting. “Give me a sec.”
“Take your time. I’m in no hurry.” Erik placed a thick sock over her foot explaining, “These should keep your feet warm since shoes probably aren’t a good idea.” He eased the other sock onto her injured leg.
“Damn. I hope this small-town doc can fix this so I can heal.” She stood on her good leg to pull up her pants. “I don’t suppose that you have a pair of crutches anywhere so that I don’t have to be carried around like an invalid?”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” She sighed. “I’m sorry you have to cart my ass around.”
“It’s not like you weigh much. Like I said before, you’re underweight.” He placed his finger on her lips when she moved to reply. “I, however, have no problem pampering you and cooking for you. We’ll have you up to a healthy weight soon.”
“You don’t have to…”
“Let me. Just allow me to spoil you for a while. You’re free to decline anything you don’t like and to request anything that you want.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, his pale silvery-blue eyes locked on hers. “Here’s your first chance. I’m asking you, will you let me take care of you?”
Sarah found herself resting her cheek in his warm palm and looking into his earnest gaze. She was rocked by the honesty she found there. He really did want to take care of her. And after taking care of herself for so long, who better to let loose and give up some control to than her destined mate?
“I’ll give it a try.”
He smiled, and she felt compelled to add, “But don’t be surprised if I don’t accept things very graciously. It’s been just me, myself, and I for so long now that I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to be around people, outside of bars and fight clubs.”
He was about to reply when Abraham yelled, “Erik! Mom’s on the phone.”
“Okay.” He turned to Sarah. “Just give me a minute, and we’ll head out.” With a few quick strides, he was at the bedside table retrieving the handset. “Hello, mom.” He turned his back, and Sarah quickly pulled on her bra and shirt. When he faced her again, she watched a small smile shape his full lips. One could learn a lot about a man by paying attention to how he treated his mother.
“I was about to head in to town, actually, so I’ll get back to you on that.” He paused while listening. “I’ve got someone staying with me for a while so please call me before you stop by.”
His mother? Coming here? Talk about not making a good first impression. Why, yes ma’am, I’m the homeless girl that your son took in. Yup, that would go over about as well as a brick strapped to a paper airplane.
“I’ll let you know, mom, but my guest is a private person.”
Uh, oh.
“All right, I’ll call you later.” He smiled, “I love you, too. Bye.”
Aw. Okay, that was pretty sweet.
“I’m sorry about that. My mom was planning to visit, and I completely forgot.” He moved back to her and gently lifted her. “Let’s get you checked out.”
“You don’t have to put your mom off because of me. As much as I don’t want to be seen as the stray that was taken in, I’d never come between family.”
>
“A stray?” His brows lifted.
“Yeah, you know, first you find a homeless animal, take it home, feed it and then it just sticks around.”
His brows disappeared into his hair. “Is that what you think she’ll see?”
Sarah nodded, and he laughed so hard he had to lean against the wall for support.
Laughed? What the hell was he finding so amusing?
“My mom, like I already told you, will no doubt jump at the opportunity to fix you up with one of us.”
“Well, it looks like you drew the short straw on that one,” she joked.
“That’s not how I see it at all.” They were almost to the door when Abraham rose from the recliner, opened it and stepped aside. “Thanks,” Erik told him.
“We’ll take my Land Rover,” Abraham said as they headed outside. “She should be more comfortable in the backseat than in your truck.”
He had already pulled it up to the walkway and, now, opened the back door to allow Erik to set her inside. Luckily, the rain had stopped, and they weren’t getting soaked trying to get her situated.
“Thank you.” She scooted in, glad her smaller frame allowed the door to close without her shifting her legs.
“I’ll drive and drop you at the door.” Abraham climbed into the driver’s side even as he spoke.
“All right, I’ll call when we’re ready to be picked up.” Erik jumped in the front seat then turned to Sarah, “Are you comfortable?”
“As much as I can be.”
“It’s about a ten minute drive in.” Abraham pulled the car out onto the road. “I’ll go inside with you, too.”
“That’s not necessary,” Erik put in.
“I insist.” His tone left no room for argument, but with them both being alphas, that was exactly what would happen.
“That’s probably not a bad idea.” Sarah shifted in her seat so that she could face forward a little. “I really don’t do well with extreme pain.”
“But you fight for a living!” Erik couldn’t have sounded more surprised if he’d tried. “How in the hell can pain bother you when you fought all the time?”
To Tame His Mate Page 3