Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Mate.
My mate.
Mine.
He didn’t like those words. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore them. He was not a mated wolf. There was never going to be anything between him and Astrid.
He went downstairs and looked in the kitchen. The guys would be arriving to work soon. After a full moon, he always gave them a little extra time so they never saw him wandering home naked.
He was hungry, there were leftover burritos in the fridge, and he took one. There was no menu, no sign, no nothing about what she was going to cook for breakfast.
He needed to get out of there to clear his head before he did something he would regret. Finishing the burrito, he left the house and made his way into the barn. He had already checked over everything, and there was no work to be done. It was a place where few people disturbed him, and he needed to get his head on straight.
He should have known Blake would come looking for him.
“I thought I would find you here,” Blake said, arriving an hour later.
“And you found me, and you can leave.”
Blake paused, and Lord had a feeling he was staring at him. He looked up and sure enough, Blake was staring right at him.
“What? I’m fine. You can go,” Lord said.
“Okay, there’s something weird about you, and there’s something weird about Astrid. When I left you two yesterday, everything was fine, but something’s up. What is it?”
“Nothing, but we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“I know, but something is going on and I think you need to talk about it,” Blake said.
“I’ve got nothing to talk about.”
“You came to the house last night, didn’t you?” Blake asked.
Why had he decided to make friends with a human? Blake was a good guy, but he was a gossip and liked to talk, while Lord liked none of those things.
“Leave, Blake.”
“You and Astrid finally had sex.” Blake clapped his hands together, and Lord couldn’t help but let out a growl. He was a master at controlling his wolf, but in that moment, he was having a great deal of difficulty.
Blake looked shocked.
“Astrid asked after you,” Blake said, clearly ignoring the warning.
“She needs to learn to leave me alone,” Lord said.
“Oh, shit, are you going to do that? Seriously, you and her have been dancing around each other ever since she came to work for you, and don’t even get me started on all your sudden trips to the library. I’m not a wolf, but I know there is something at play here, and it’s more than just attraction. She’s your mate, isn’t she?”
“Blake, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’ve been living in No Wolves Road for quite some time, and I know the difference between basic attraction and the need to fuck, and the fact your claws came out the moment I mentioned her name. I know it’s not happened often, but there are a couple of wolves who are mated to humans. It can happen.”
“Astrid and I will never happen. She shouldn’t have come out last night. All she was, was a convenience. Any woman would have done.”
He heard the whimper.
He’d been so consumed with putting Blake straight that he’d not heard Astrid approach, or even sensed her.
But he heard that whimper, and it was like a kick in the gut.
Chapter Six
A convenience.
Last night had meant nothing to him.
Astrid felt like such a fool. Waking up in her bed, alone with her thoughts, thinking last night was different, when it was anything but. She should have known better. Dreams didn’t come true for her.
After making her way back to the house, she hoped Lord and Blake didn’t hear her. The breakfast was already prepared, and she had to start preparing dinner, but staying here in his house just didn’t sit right with her.
She had to get away. She had to do something. And the only thing she could think of was to go back to her parents.
Astrid put a quick call through to the diner and arranged for a meal to be delivered. She didn’t pack a bag, as one wasn’t needed.
With breakfast already spread out and ready for them, Astrid didn’t look back as she grabbed a jacket, quickly made her way outside, and headed straight for the main driveway. She didn’t want anyone to stop her, and thankfully, no one did, and she was able to make her escape.
All the way to her parents’ house, she tried not to think about last night. With every step she took that put a greater distance between her and Lord, her stomach seemed to twist and knot. She was not going to turn back, and she ignored the fight within her.
Lord had used her. She had been willing, and that made her fool—waking up and thinking things were going to be different.