The Packless Wolf

Chapter 15

A week had passed, the rogues started to stay in the pack house and Reiki tried to avoid Jasper, but to her frustration he just seemed to be everywhere she was. Sometimes, she would see him and other times she thought the wind brought in a faint smell of the waterfall. The tale tail scent of rogue, dead flesh had started to dissipate until she couldn’t smell it anymore. Each time she felt the bond pulling her closer and each time she fought it. She could feel Conri just at the surface, ready to break free. The frequent runs and training did nothing to satisfy him.

Today Reiki was supposed to work at the coffee shop. Once her dad stepped down, she would then own it, whether she was alpha or not. She started down the stairs but stopped on the landing to the second floor. Two familiar scents intertwined when they hit her nose. A growl sounded in her mind. Conri’s anger compelled her to follow them. She was just about to turn a corner when she heard a familiar voice.

“I have a mate,” Jasper’s familiar voice said.

“I don’t see one,” one of the unmated females, Rachel, said.

She is trying to steal our mate, Conri growled, his anger radiating through Reiki. She continued around the corner.

“I have noticed that too,” Jasper replied, “but, I still have one.”

“I also see no mark.”

The two were now in Reiki’s sight. Rachel advanced a step while Jasper took a step back. While Jasper’s avoidance calmed her anger a little, and while she felt she may not have had any right to, she could not help the commanding aura that pushed outwards from Conri.

“Rachel! What are you doing,” She growled. “You know the mate bond is sacred.”

“Reiki,” a horrified Rachel said. Her face was white as she turned around. She recovered enough to stumble over her next words. “He has no mate mark.”

“Really, how can you tell,” Reiki asked, tilting her head to the side, “the collar of his shirt is covering it up.” Fighting Conri’s urge to attack Rachel, Reiki walked over to Jasper. Rachel coward to the side. Jasper did not move, or flinch as Reiki pulled the collar shirt over, revealing the mate mark-her mate mark. “Now go,” she commanded as her lips pulled and she bared her teeth.

Rachel bowed, unable to fight the compulsion, and then quickly escaped down the hallway.

Reiki leaned on the wall, taking quick deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, but Rachel’s aroused scent mixed with Jasper’s, angered Conri, angered her, even more. She knew he hadn't done anything, she heard him deny Rachel's advances, but she still couldn’t stop the glare directed at Jasper. He stood there, not afraid but not challenging her either, his face and poster relaxed. A minute passed and with it, Rachel’s scent. No longer tainted, Jasper's scent was a calming waterfall that washed over her. She was unsure what compelled her, either the bond, that high emotions, or maybe the territorial claim due to another female trying to steal her mate. Reiki grabbed Jasper's shirt and pulled him towards her. Jasper started but recovered quickly as their lips met. Reiki decided it was probably the mate bond and she wanted more.

Reiki moved her hand up to the back of Jasper's head. She grabbed his hair, deepening the kiss. She pressed her hips closer to him, then pushed off the wall. She felt like a ravenous beast deprived of substance and hungry. Maybe she was. She had been denying the mate bonds' call and now the kiss had opened the gates wide. They did not break the kiss as she led him down the hall. She wasn’t sure which room was his, but she didn’t need to voice that, she knew Jasper would steer her to his room when needed. She could feel his hunger and need for her pulling her closer to him, she wanted to fill that desire, his need for her. His canines started to elongate and brushed against her lips. Desire filled her and excitement started to grow. One pressed onto her back, the other reaching to the side, his finger wrapping around the doorknob, turning it, Reiki moved her hands to his face, leading him into the open-

“What is going on,” the alpha, her dad, bellowed.