Page 24 of His True Mate

“Seriously? Where do you run?”

“Run?”

“Yeah, how often do you let your wolf out?”

I shrugged. “I’ve shifted a few times. There’s a cage we can use. Most of the carnies know about our kind. They’re sort of different too. We just make it work.”

He ran a hand through his hair and cursed.

“Hey, don’t you judge me and my family. I’ve had a good life and it’s not easy to just pack up everything you own and leave everyone you know behind.”

He frowned staring down at my one bag.

“That’s everything you have? In one small bag?”

“It’s enough,” I insisted jutting my chin out in defiance. “I don’t need much.”

He seemed to consider that for a moment and then smiled. “I guess you and I have that in common at least.”

“Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Clay. Your mate.”

My jaw dropped open to protest, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“Do you want to sit down?” he asked, and I sensed he was nervous.

It was cute to think this big rock of a guy was nervous about little ole me.

I hesitated but eventually caved. I hadn’t slept much last night, and I’d been running all day long. I was exhausted.

I dropped my bag at the foot of the bed where I could keep an eye out on it and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Want to tell me why you’re really running away?” he finally asked.

I sighed. “Well, that asshole you punched is my cousin, only we’re a pretty small pack and he’s got it in that pea brain head of his that he wants to take me as a mate. Me! His cousin! Winnie don’t play that way, but somehow, he convinced Dane, that’s our Alpha, that this is a great idea. So, I had to leave. It was probably past time anyway. There’s no future here for me. I was born for a different life. I’ve always known it. I just don’t quite know what it is.”

He nodded solemnly. “Do you have a place to go?”

“Maybe.”

“Do you need a place to stay?”

I shrugged.

He smiled. “You can stay here tonight.”

I frowned wondering what he was playing at. “Now don’t you start getting ideas. I’m not that kind of girl. I don’t even know you.”

“Do you know what true mates are?”

“Of course I do. My parents are true mates.”

He smiled again. “Then you know that no matter what, I could never hurt you.”

His insinuation hit me hard.

Mate! Mine!my wolf insisted.