Page 11 of My Pucking Mates (Pucking Werewolves #4)

M y heart and wolf have been a raging mess since I threw myself at Eris, and he didn’t push me away.

That was a good sign, right?

Did I do the wrong thing?

He hugged me back, didn’t he?

Did I push him too far?

It’s hard not to worry when they kicked me out—okay, they didn’t actually kick me out; they politely asked me—to let them finish discussing something between themselves before we could all talk together.

But then when I hear the door to Eris’ room open, and I think we can finally talk, they practically sprint out of the house without even looking at me.

So, here I sit, stewing and insecure about what’s going on.

Growing up in the strange and hidden way I did, I wasn’t sure I’d ever find my mate.

Because of that, I didn’t have the silly little daydreams most females do.

They fantasize about what the moment their mate notices them will be like.

They dream of how he’ll claim her. They manifest all the qualities their future mate will possess.

After what my mother went through…I wasn’t sure I wanted a mate. I was born in secret and smuggled out of our realm in hiding so that I was given the chance to even live because of my mother’s fated mate.

Even seeing members of the pack find their mates didn’t assuage my lack of interest. It was better I stay to myself. Stay happy. Stay safe.

Who would have thought that my mates would have been here with my brother almost the whole time.

Have they been waiting for me? Looking for me?

The worry in my mind can’t seem to be quieted, so I decide I might as well go for a run. Maybe if I let my wolf loose for a bit, some of this anxiousness can dissipate.

Stretching first, then rising from my seat on the couch, I make my way to the main door of the townhouse. I reach to hit the button to the elevator, only to realize I can already hear the whirring of the motor moving it…up, towards me.

My initial reaction is to dart away, pretend to be uninterested and collected, but who am I kidding? That’s not me right now.

My feet are locked in place when the elevator doors slowly slide open, revealing my twin mates.

Dolos is smiling wide with sparkling eyes, while one look at Eris nearly knocks me off my feet.

He’s not frowning, and his eyes are warmer than I’ve ever seen them.

They both look like an awkward mixture of excited and nervous, but I’ll take this over the tormented, defeated, and sorrowful looks from before.

My jaw must have been hanging open because Dolos takes a step towards me and lovingly lifts my jaw back into a more natural place. I shake myself from my stupor as he chuckles.

“Runa,” Eris breathes my name.

It’s going to take me a lifetime to get used to the fact that he’s finally speaking to me. He looks like he’s struggling to get the rest of his words out, so Dolos butts in, “Can we take you on a date?”

The question is so unexpected that I rear back slightly, almost giggling before I catch the guarded expression on Eris’ face.

They’re serious, and he thinks I’ll decline.

“This isn’t some kind of trick, is it? You’re actually”—I look at each of them—“asking me out on a date?”

Dolos nods theatrically, which makes me smile, but my eyes move over to Eris, who looks to be searching for his words.

After what feels like a century, he speaks cautiously with a hopeful look in his eyes, “We’ve learned much from our Luna,” he begins, thinking far too hard about his words as he says them.

“Watching the way she and Roman courted each other before completing their mate bond was eye-opening. We thought we didn’t want a mate… ” Eris trails off.

My heart drops into my stomach.

“But we decided now that we have one, she should feel just as loved and cherished as our Luna. If we’re going to try to do this…” Dolos continues.

My heart retakes its place in my chest where it belongs.

“We want to do it right,” Eris says with a gentle finality. “It’s gonna be all or nothing with us, Precious.”

“Precious?” I whisper out loud, more to myself.

“Mmhmm,” Eris grunts to confirm.

I’m standing here processing everything they said while they wait for an answer.

As much as I want to scream “yes” and jump into their arms, I still feel the need to leave a small protective layer around my heart.

There’s no reason for them to go from zero contact for weeks to taking me on a date in a complete one-eighty so unexpectedly…

There’s got to be something they still haven’t told me.

Their energies shift from optimistic to something more like worry.

“On one condition.” The words leave me far more confidently than I expected. I thank the Goddess for loaning me some courage and calmly cross my arms over my chest with a calm and accepting expression on my face. “First, I want to know everything.”