Yvette Hines: The Club

Halting his movements, he said, “Yes. He’s currently in the process of turning everything over to me. We have an elder pack in Oklahoma that needs his assistance and experience.”

“You’re not leaving, are you?” Her heart seemed to sink in her chest at the thought, even though she tried to tell herself it didn’t matter. After tonight, Trae would be out of her life anyway.

Giving her a devilish smile, he said, “I’m not going anywhere.”

His words seemed loaded, as if he was talking about more than a move to another state.

“My dad is stepping down at the end of the week, the day after my induction ceremony.”

“Well, congratulations. I wish you much success, Trae.” She started to rise from the couch.

“That’s not all, sweet rabbit.”

He was starting up with the nickname again. Every time he said it, the word was laced with such sensual undertones it made her blood heat up and her panties wet.

Pushing aside her reaction, she plopped back down on the cushion and asked, “What does any of this have to do with me?”

“A were can’t be Alpha without a mate by his side to help him lead the pack and ensure its growth.”

A sense of foreboding filled the pit of her stomach and she began to tremble. “And…w—what…?” She swallowed. “What does this have to do with me?”

“I never expected to find you at The Club, and on the last night I’d planned to be there.” Piercing hazel eyes met hers, then slowly moved down her body and returned. “But there you were. I told you, darling rabbit—you’re my mate.”

Oh, God, he was serious .

Yes, I am . His eyes darkened, became more intense.

Licking her lips, she rested a shaky hand on the side of her face. “So, now what? You tell your wolfen family you found me? We date and see what happens…right?”

“Wrong.” Trae assumed a casual stance, slipping his hands into the pockets of his slacks as if he had all the time in the world to be there. “As my mate, you have to be there. At the induction. Our final bond is part of the ceremony.”

“Our bond?” Why did that seem ominous? Springing up from the couch, she said, “I hope that doesn’t mean I have to have sex with you in front of your furry clan.”

“Pack.” He chuckled, the sound deep and robust. “The last mark is not conducted during the sexual act. Its purpose is to signify to the other pack members we are one, and it triggers the altering of your genetic make-up.”

“Which means…?” She prayed he was not about to say what she thought he was going to say.

“You’ll shift and take your wolf form during the following full moon.”

Shit, he had said it.

It was her turn to pace. “Ohmygod, this can’t be happening.” Her movements were erratic. One second she was walking in front of the couch, then she was behind the couch, then before her living room window, then back walking the carpet by the couch. “You’re telling me I’m going to be a wolf, running on four legs and hunting the mountains for my meals?”

“Not quite. We go on several runs a month, but we only hunt for special occasions, like the induction ceremony. I’ll be required to make a kill. However, as you witnessed yesterday at breakfast, we are perfectly capable of eating regular food, at the table, with civilised manners.”

He was right, of course—he and Diego had ordered and eaten mammoth amounts of pancakes and sausages, while she and Kelsey had eaten normal portions.

Could she do this? Become a wolf and leave everything she’d ever known behind? Looking around her apartment, there wasn’t much significance to her life. There were no pictures of family or siblings littering the tables and walls. Her phone never rang, unless it was Kelsey, which wasn’t an issue now, with her best friend out of the country.

All her life, she’d been an outsider. A loner. There had never been any family reunions or Christmases gathered around a fireplace en masse. She’d always yearned to be a part of something, to be a part of a family unit. It was possible for her to finally have a chance at that. Her stomach ached, her chest felt tight and her eyes burned…to have someone care about her, consider her. Running her hand over her head, she allowed herself to imagine her life as more than half an existence. It was such a far-fetched vision she couldn’t. She couldn’t see what she’d never experienced. Something that had only been a fiction she’d seen on television shows and in films.

But, she wanted to believe. With everything in her, she wanted to believe it was possible for her .

So many questions began to run through her mind. Would the change hurt?Would I besick afterwards?

Then reality invaded. She couldn’t do this. Her job—she’d worked hard for her position at the magazine.

“I can’t do this!”

“You have no choice.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Trae knew he was exaggerating a bit. Since he had only marked Olivia once, she was still free to go. Even with the mate connection, if she never saw him again, the mind link would fade with time. It was only the bond of the second mark that would keep her from ever leaving him—that link was so strong that if either died, the other would soon follow.

She stopped striding along the carpet and gazed at him with her soft, brown eyes. “What do you mean, I have no choice?”

“We’re mated, beautiful rabbit. You’re mine and I will not let you go.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Can’t you just choose someone else?” Her arms waved around beside her. “There’s got to be some available Wulfene pack bitch that’s more than willing to mate with you.”

He couldn’t help but smile at her choice of words. “Even if there were, I cannot risk the vitality of my children.”

The skin between her eyebrows tightened, concern shadowing her gaze. “How would their strength be in jeopardy?”

Seeing the worry on her face at the mention of children struck him in the centre of his chest. It was possible that he had discovered the avenue to convince her to be with him. Children, a family? With all the questions and concerns that had been volleying in her mind, he knew she hadn’t been worried about parents or siblings. Just Kelsey, whom he knew by her thoughts was gone, and her job.

Allowing her to hear the sincerity in his words, he explained, “In my pack, every male and female is raised to understand the significance of finding their one true mate—the strength of the offspring. Often, a pair joins together through love or responsibility when they are not mates. Any children produced by them are healthy. However, they will never excel in strength, agility or wisdom, like the children of mated matches.”

Lowering her head, she stared at her hands as they rubbed involuntarily together while she remained silent.

“As the Alpha, Olivia, I must produce an heir who will be able to take my place when it is time. Say you’ll do this with me,” he implored.

“I like my job at the magazine. I’m finally doing what I love.” Her gaze rose. “I don’t want to leave my job.”

He could hear the apprehension in her voice and the anxiety filling her brown eyes pulled at his heart.

“You won’t have to. Everyone in my pack works with and around humans. Even headquarters is in Asheville, we just choose to live deeper in the Blue Ridge Mountains— more privacy.”

He could feel some of the panic leave her mind. She was beginning to analyse the possibilities. It was time to seize the opportunity, before other doubts began to creep up.

“Say you’ll be with me, my rabbit.” He held a hand out to her. He needed her to come to him willingly. “Join with me. I can’t make you take this next step. As much as I would like to, our laws and nature forbid it.” As much as it was a risk to confess this to her, he had to tell her the truth. “There’s no glamour or subterfuge, just me. Right here.” Taking a deep breath he let out the rest of the words. “If you come to me now, there will be no turning back, Olivia, ever. You must understand this.”