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Chapter Three

Molly was too stunned to argue. She couldn’t wrap her head around Gavin’s plans for her. It was hard to process anything in this room because she was still hung up on the huge revelation that she would not be cooking for him tonight or any other night.

The relief she felt over that was tremendous, but the odd role reversal shocked her. Her entire life she’d been told she needed to prepare to service her mate. That’s how things were in the valley. Apparently not in the mountains.

This room…

It was impossible to grasp what his expectations were. The thought of wearing a diaper or napping in a crib was impossible to internalize. “Gavin…” she muttered again.

“The mates of Alpha Protectors call their Dominants Daddy.”

She flinched. Daddy ?

“It’s a term of endearment among my people, Baby girl.”

How odd. “You don’t want me to call you Gavin?”

“I won’t forbid it, Little one. But when you’re ready, you’ll call me Daddy with more frequency. It will come naturally.”

That was hard to fathom. Everything about this situation was surreal. She felt like she was out of her body, watching this unfolding of details.

“I can feel your stress level, Little one,” he said against her ear. “I’m going to touch you with my mark to help center you. It will be powerful, but it will help you understand how strong our bond will be.”

She watched as he lifted one arm from around her waist and held his marked wrist in front of her. “Touch it, Molly.”

She held her breath as she lifted one shaky hand out. She had no idea what to expect. Nervous energy filled the room like a living being. It was palpable.

It was so odd leaning into him like this. No one had ever been this close to her, and she felt the sizzle of power. She didn’t understand it, but what she did know was that she never wanted him to let her go. And she badly wanted to touch his mark. She was drawn to do so.

Everything around her faded as she set her fingertips on his mark. Her breath hitched. An electric current flowed between them. That was the only way she could think to describe the sensation.

But there was more. Something awakened inside her. Something she couldn’t identify. A need. It was so odd. A tightness in her stomach. She started panting.

She wanted to turn in his arms and flatten her front to his. She wanted to press her mark against his. She was drawn to do so as if by a higher power. And that’s exactly what was happening. Fate was nudging her.

She started trembling and couldn’t remove her fingers from his mark.

Finally he pried her loose and brought those fingers to his lips, kissing them.

Molly turned in his embrace, wrapped her arms around his neck, and honestly would have crawled up him like a monkey if the dress hadn’t been in the way.

She didn’t have to get quite so extreme, though, because he tucked his forearm under her butt and stood, taking her with him. He was so large that her feet were nowhere near the floor. If he dropped her, she would probably break a bone.

She held on to his neck, partly to ensure she wouldn’t fall but mostly because she wanted to touch his skin. She could feel his pulse. It seemed to be in sync with her own. Was that a thing? And why did she know it?

Gavin carried her out of the strange room.

She wanted to look around and familiarize herself with his home, but she couldn’t break her gaze from his. There was a magnetic pull between them. Her mother never mentioned anything like this. Then again, apparently her mother never knew this would happen.

Molly was freaking out inside. Her heart felt like it would beat out of her chest. Fear and curiosity were at war. Neither was winning.

The sound of a door opening and closing was all she registered before she realized they were outside. The cool evening breeze hit her face and whipped her hair around.

Gavin set her butt on some kind of ledge, but he kept his arms around her. “Take a deep breath, Baby girl.”

She nodded.

He chuckled. “Molly… You have to breathe.”

Was she not breathing? She inhaled deeply.

“That’s my girl. Maybe the cool mountain air will help.”

She scrunched up her face and shook her head.

He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s not helping, is it?”

She gripped his neck. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s the bond, Little one. It’s intense. It will increase with every passing moment.”

Molly took another deep breath. “I want…” She had no idea how to finish that statement.

He set his forehead against hers. “I know, Little one. I do too. There are a lot of things I need to explain to you. Can you focus enough to listen to Daddy?”

She nodded. “I think so.” She twisted her head around to look over her shoulder. He had settled her on the wooden railing that extended around a deck. It was a long way down to the ground.

“I won’t let you fall, Baby girl. Never.”

She shivered. She trusted him, but she was still nervous.

He must have sensed that because he scooped her off the barrier and moved to sit on a porch swing, keeping her on his lap. He held her hands with one of his large ones.

She looked down at their connection against her thighs. His hand was so big that it swallowed hers entirely. “When you touch me…”

“Yeah. I know. But I’m not going to stop touching you. I can’t imagine when I’ll stop touching you for any reason.”

She couldn’t imagine it either, if she was honest. His touch scared the bejesus out of her, but at the same time, she never wanted it to end.

He gave her hands a squeeze. “There are a lot of customs we live by up in the mountains that are nothing like the ones you’re aware of in the valley.”

“Like the fact that you’re going to cook? Surely you were kidding.”

He chuckled.

She loved that sound so much, and she liked the way her entire body shook on his lap as he laughed.

“I’m not kidding. Not only will I cook, but I will also take pleasure in feeding you.”

She frowned. “Feeding me?”

“Yep. Sometimes I will feed you from my plate or your own. Other times I will give you a bottle.”

She gasped. “A bottle?”

“You already had one while you were still sleeping. I didn’t want you to wake up starving.”

“I sucked from a bottle?” This was hard to believe. How could she have slept through something like that?

“The potion I gave you really knocked you out, Baby girl. You slept for hours.” He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He did that a lot, as if he couldn’t stop himself.

She liked it.

“The biggest thing no one could have explained to you is how strong the bond is between Alpha Protectors and their mates. It’s intense. You’re already aware. This sensation is going to continue to grow. It’s nature’s way of pressuring us to consummate our mating.”

She shuddered. “Consummate. You mean have sex.”

“Yes. I will never rush you, Molly. We will have sex when you’re ready.

I don’t care how long it takes. I want you to be comfortable.

But I will warn you that it will be hard to ignore.

We will both be restless until we cross that line.

After I’ve been inside you, your body will begin the process of preparing for your first shift. ”

“That’s the same in the valley,” she pointed out.

“Yes. The logistics are the same. The strong unwavering urge is not.”

That made sense.

“No one will bother us for several weeks unless there’s a particular concern among the Alphas. It’s customary to give newly mated couples time alone. And trust me, we’ll be grateful for every moment of that time.”

For some odd reason, she understood. If he were to set her down and walk away right now, she would feel the loss deeply.

A noise somewhere in the mountains made her sit up taller and look around.

“What’s wrong, Little one?”

“Nothing. I just heard a noise. It’s so loud out here. Not like in the valley.”

He was frowning when she turned her gaze back to his. “Loud?”

“Yes. The sounds of nature I mean. I never heard them in town.”

He slowly nodded. “What kinds of sounds?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Rustling. Small animals probably. Tree limbs when something steps on them. Birds. Breathing.”

His eyes went wide. “Breathing?”

She shrugged. “I guess you’re the one breathing.” Why was he looking at her so strangely?

He searched her face as if he was looking for something.

Feeling self-conscious, her cheeks heated. She wanted to change the subject. “Where does everyone else live? How far apart are your homes?”

“They’re scattered around the mountain. It’s about a half mile to my brother’s house.”

“You have a brother.”

“Yes. Felix. He’s twelve years older than me, and he claimed his mate three months ago.”

“Oh. Do I know her?”

“I don’t think so. She was from another part of the valley. Her name is Khloe.”

Molly shakes her head. “I guess not.”

“You’ll meet her soon, though, Little one. You’ll meet several Alpha mates when you’re ready. There have been a number of matings in the last few years.”

“Do all of them…”

“Have nurseries?” he supplied.

She bit her lip and nodded.

“Yes, Little one. All of them are coddled just like you will be.”

“And they don’t think it’s weird?”

“I’m sure all of them did at first. It’s jarring and unexpected. But I can assure you they’re all happy.”

Molly had a million questions, but she couldn’t find the words.

She was on information overload. This day had gone nothing like she’d expected.

First and foremost, she had assumed the two of them would have consummated their bond by now.

Her mother had made it sound like that would have been the first thing they did as soon as they’d reached the house.

Instead Gavin wasn’t pressuring her to do so at all.

Part of her was relieved. The thought of taking his manhood into her body had worried her for months. It would hurt. At least the first time. Her mother had confirmed so.

Another part of her was oddly concerned with the fact that Gavin seemed in no hurry to take her to his bed. Was he not attracted to her?

The blood drained from her face. That would be awful. She thought he was the handsomest man she’d ever seen in her life. If he didn’t feel the same…

“Molly… What’s on your mind? Tell me.”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

He slid his hand to the back of her neck. “I know you’ll have a billion questions in the coming days, and I want you to ask them. All of them. I won’t have secrets from you, Little one. Any concern you have, bring it to me.”

“Okay.”

He lifted a brow. “Start with whatever thought made your face turn white just now.”

She licked her lips. She was never going to be able to hide anything from him. That was obvious. “Do you, uh…” She took a deep breath. “Do you feel the same things I feel?”

His brow furrowed. “You mean the bond, Little one?”

“Yes.”

“I suspect what I feel is even more intense than what you’re experiencing because I was at least aware it would happen.

I’m less in shock than you.” He cupped her face and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Molly…” His voice was reverent, endearing.

“You are my world. From the moment I stepped into that ceremonial room, nothing else will ever matter to me as much as you do.”

Her breath hitched.

He smiled. “Baby girl, I mean that. You’re the prettiest Little I’ve ever set eyes on. Your dark silky hair is mesmerizing. Your eyes are so blue I’m lost in them. Your skin is soft and creamy. I want to bury my nose in your neck and inhale your scent forever.”

He had said all of that while they’d still been in the ceremonial room, but it was reaffirming to hear it again. It calmed her nerves.

“Ask me your next question, Baby girl,” he encouraged.

“My mother said…”

He rubbed her back. “I bet your mother gave you a lot of advice. I’m glad she didn’t send you off to your mate with no information.

I’m sure she told you everything she knew about matings among shifters in the valley.

The problem is she couldn’t share what she didn’t know.

I don’t want you to think she withheld information.

It sounds like she did a good job of preparing you, but there was only so much she could say. ”

Molly nodded.

“Go on, Little one. Talk to me.”

“She said I would be expected to, uh, consummate our relationship as soon as possible.” She pursed her lips.

“Ah. Well, here’s the thing. When shifters in the valley mate, they already know each other.

They choose their mates. They spend time courting.

Hopefully they’re very much in love and eager to consummate as soon as their ceremony is over.

But our mating is different. We’ve never met each other.

It wouldn’t be fair for me to strip you out of your clothes and pressure you to accept me into your body so quickly. ”

“Oh.” He was so kind. It endeared her to him more by the minute.

“Don’t confuse the fact that I haven’t tossed you onto my bed with some sort of reluctance to do so, Little one.

I’m anxious to fully claim you in every way.

But I’m not an asshole. I want you to crave that connection with every ounce of your being before we take that step.

It doesn’t concern me at all. Neither of us will be able to hold out for long.

The more time we spend together, the longer we breathe the same air, touch each other, look at each other, scent each other…

No one can ignore that pull for very long. ”

She nodded. “I feel that,” she admitted. “Thank you for explaining.” She shivered.

“Are you chilly?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?”

“Let’s go back inside. We can eat dinner and get to know each other better.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.” Nothing about this day was as she’d expected, but everything about it was better than she could have anticipated.