The Broken Wolf

(6) Dominic

My mate fell asleep midway through the drive home her head bent awkwardly her hands in her lap almost as if she’d been afraid to move them.

“She’s a quiet one.” Haze mumbles glancing back at her and then at me through the rearview. “You think she’s plotting something?”

The words she’d repeated back from her father echo in my head. She may be quiet, polite even but there’s no doubt in my mind she is her father’s spawn. His blood flows squarely through her veins. Her words a sharp reminder that her beliefs mirror his.

“That looks uncomfortable.” Jasper says eyes narrowing on her hunched form.

“Since when do we care about how comfortable our enemies are?” Haze quips eyes bright.

My brow furrows and involuntarily I reach over pulling her down to lay on her side so the top of her head grazes my thigh. Her lashes flutter and I freeze until her chest returns to its slow steady rhythm.

“Eyes on the road.” I bark at Haze who stares at me as dumbfounded as I feel. Jasper for his part keeps a cool expression.

“What the plan then,” he asks voice smooth an even.

“Take her to the house.” My finger twitches as I eye the strand curled against her cheek. “Let the pack do the rest.”

“They’ll eat her up alive.”

“That’s the point.”

“Will you be alright?”

“You’ve been spending too much time with Kara.” I admonish ripping my eyes away from the girl sleeping against me. “My wolf is unsettled, its instinct. That’s all. Once I’ve had to adjust to her presence everything will run according to plan.”

Jasper nods but says nothing else.

#

The guys drop us off at my house the porch light is on no doubt thanks to Kara. They say their farewells and make their way on foot to their posts for the night. With the pickup having been this morning I wouldn’t it put it past Alpha Harrow to try and get scouts through our borders.

She sleeps through it all. Her scent fills the car soft and inviting like the warmth of a hearth after a day out in the snow.

Tempting. Too tempting.

I don’t wake her as I slip out of the car up to the cottage.

Discipline is not something I struggle with, having grown up wild it was the one thing that kept me from going moon-mad. The wolf and I are one.

But then why is he anxious growling, raving to go back to the car. To bring her in from the cold to lay her in our bed and keep her.

Perhaps this was moon madness.

I start the fire in the chimney stack and restack books on the coffee table, anything to keep my hands busy. My mind away from the little mate sleeping soundly just outside.

Twenty minutes pass before I hear the tell-tale creak of the car door opening and closing and soft footfalls approaching the porch. I rub a hand down my face through my hair, stare at the door like that might make her move faster.

With a frustrated growl I sit my ass down on the couch and pull up one of the books I just stacked. I can’t even read the cover I’m so distracted.

Her short gasp fills my senses as she stands in the doorway looking around in muted wonder. She rubs at her arms studying the various decorations and furniture laid in the room. Its not anything I chose, Kara did most of the decorating back when this cottage was first built. She liked that s**t, combing through human magazines and finding items to fill the empty spaces.

“You’ll let the heat out.” I say in more of a growl than I intend and she flinches. Dropping her hand she scurries into the living room shutting the front door firmly behind her. Her tan skin has turned rosier because of the cold out. We’re going into our colder months. And I left her alone in the far.

Fuck.

“So this is your home?” She asks tone light and curious. Her honey-colored eyes freeze at my hands widening before she bites her bottom lip to hold back a smile. “Is that a romance book?”

I look down and—f**k! Just what has Kara been putting in my house? The man on the cover is shirtless holding some sort whip in one hand the waist of a faceless woman in the other.

“Its okay, truly. I know lots of people who enjoy raunchy romances.” She smiles and this time doesn’t try to contain it. The tiny thing nearly blinds me. “I’ve enjoyed some myself a time or two.”

A rumble low and curious comes from my chest as I wonder just what books she’s read.

Clearing my throat I stand. “Come, I’ll show you where you sleep.”

I have every intention of taking her to one of the two guest bedrooms and washing my hands of today. But my feet don’t seem to be listening and soon I’m in the master bedroom the dark curtains are pulled closed but I can see the familiar frame of my bed.

I’ll have to talk to Kara about getting her clothes.

A mates duty is to provide.

I rub the back of my neck and turn on the light. She takes in the wide expanse of the room. Everything from the hardwood floor to the soft rug.

“Is this…your room?” She asks cautiously.

“Its yours now.” I don’t add the ‘temporarily’ clause I do in my head. But my wolf won’t allow me to leave her in one of the other rooms preferring his mate in his den. Even if this is a sham. As long as she bears that mark on her neck she is mine to protect.

I need to put as must distance between us as I can.

I step back out the doorway and through the house to do just that.