Page 40 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Three

“I know she’s my mate, but she doesn’t know yet and she comes from a family not typically bound to the pack.”

“Complicated. I like it.”

He growls.

Do I need to be worried about his edginess on the new moon?

I would put a billion dollars on a bet that Bran is actually just down the hall listening in to be sure nothing happens to me.

It does make me a little bolder.

“Go on,” I say.

The Alpha sighs. “I’m going to need her to submit to me. Sooner rather than later. My wolf will not wait much longer.”

“I still don’t know how I factor into this.”

He meets my gaze, scrubbing a hand over the blond stubble on his jaw. “You know her.”

“I do?”

“She’ll listen to you.”

“Who—”

Oh god.

Ohhhh god.

“No,” I say.

“Yes.”

“Sam?”

He doesn’t deny it.

“Sam is your fated mate?” My voice has turned shrill. “But she’s promised to the Mulligan witches. They’ll expect her to Pledge to them and—”

“Over my fucking dead body.” This time when he growls, it rumbles deep in his chest, almost animalistic.

“Okay. Okay.” I hold up my hands. This is the oddest shit I’ve ever witnessed. He says he doesn’t like Sam, but the absolute torture on his face right now at the mere thought she’d Pledge somewhere else…

Oh, Sam. Oh, I can’t wait to tell her! Oh, but she is really, really going to hate this. Because she does hate the Alpha. Her dad was the pack’s handyman until Cal fired him for reasons unknown.

Sam’s family is big, tons of kids, and their mom doesn’t work. They don’t have a lot of money. Her dad had a hard time finding a new job. He’d been the handyman for the Pack House for nearly two decades.

I once heard Sam say if she could castrate the Alpha, she would.

“So you want me to talk my best friend into pledging to your house and becoming your mate? The Alpha’s Mate?”

“Yes,” Cal says. “Exactly that.”

I laugh, bring my hand to my mouth. I laugh again.

“Jessie.” His voice rumbles.

“Oh, I am very sorry for you, sir. Because you are going to have your hands full with Sam.”