“So, you understand?”I ask, seeing a glimmer of hope.
“I do, but she’s not a wolf, son.That really mucks up theworks.”
“That’s easily fixed.”
“Easy enough.But at the expense of the purity of the line.”
I shake my head, breathing a sigh of resignation.“I don’twant anyone else.”
“Just promise me you’ll exhaust all your options before youmake anypermanentchanges.”
“In other words, don’t turn the human girl.”
He pats my shoulder and shakes his head.
“I don’t envy your position, son.”
“Are you sorry you passed on the responsibility to me?”
“Hell no!You’re a great leader, and the pack loves you.I’msure whatever decision you make will be best for us all.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“No problem.I’ll talk to the others and try to buy you sometime.Now, let me see if I can calm your mother down.”
When he walks out, Charlie and Brick re-enter the room.They’ve been by my side through thick and thin, and I can’t imagine betterfriends.
“What’s the plan, boss?”Charlie asks.
“I don’t know yet.But I know I have to do something quickly.”
“The full moon’s comin’ up.Plan on taking another sightseeingtrip?”
“I didn’t plan the first one.Who knows what he’ll do.”
The night of the full moon is the only time I can’t controlthe change.Restraining my wolf at that time is hard, but I’ve always managedbefore now.Last month, he completely took over, and there was nothing I coulddo.He knows she’s his mate.His primal instinct is to be with her, so hesought her out.I need to move fast.
***Casey***
Jan playfully pokes me in the side and jerks her head towardthe entrance.I look up and find two chocolate eyes staring at me from behind ahuge bunch of red roses.He moves in my direction as Charlie and Brick choose abooth at the far end of the room.The man has the most beautiful smile I haveever seen… and eyes… and hair… and lips… and—good God—arms.I try not to noticehow he fills out his black T-shirt, the way the material clings to him, showingoff his muscular arms and defined chest.Itrynot to notice howperfectly his jeans fit, hanging off his hips.I tried.I really did.Well… maybenot so hard.He is undoubtedly the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in mylife.I catch a glimpse of his abs as his shirt inches up when he runs his fingersthrough his hair.Did it just get hotter in here?Yes, this ultra-slow nightjust became extremely interesting.
The closer he gets, the bigger the knots in my stomach become.My knees wobble just a little, and I hold on to the bar to keep me upright.Hismanly-man smell sends my body tingling.I try my best to look unaffected as hesits on the bar stool in front of me.He’s so relaxed and sure of himself.Notin a cocky way, but in a confident, sexy, panty-wetting way.
“Miss Bryan.”
“Sheriff McKenzie.What can I get you?”
“Dinner.”
Fuck!Please, don’t do this.“In case you didn’tnotice, this is a bar.We do drinks, not dinner.”
“Have dinner with me.Tomorrow.”
Oh, no… “Like a date?”
“Notlikeone… A date.”
His smile is gone, and his stare becomes intense.For thefirst time in my life, a man is making me nervous.The thing is, I don’t date.Idon’t do relationships, and he wants to take things slow.That sounds veryrelationship-y to me.
