Page 49 of Protected Promise

“I know that. But they haven’t bonded, they just met yesterday.”

“Well…”

Damon’s head whipped around to me. “Kaitlyn!”

Karis and Jenna started laughing.

“You go girl,” Jenna said as she reached across the table so I could high five her.

“When you jump, you jump. Good for you, Kaitlyn,” Karis said.

Damon looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel in his temple. Landon must have sensed it as his arm wrapped around me as he pulled me closer to his side and away from Damon.

“They’re true mates, Damon. Who among us didn’t wish they’d jumped instead of prolonging the happiness that comes only from a true bond?” Kyle reminded him.

“Did you fight your mating call?” Landon asked curiously.

Kelsey laughed. “Landon, I didn’t even know what the hell was happening.”

“They waited two years to seal their bond,” Chase added. “It was ridiculous, and he was a huge jackass during that time.”

“You were just a punk kid. What did you know about it?” Kyle challenged.

“I knew enough to not make that mistake myself,” Chase grinned proudly as he squeezed Jenna’s thigh.

“You mean after you figured out who your mate truly was?”

Chase scowled and grumbled something under his breath.

“I have an identical twin sister and poor Chase was all kinds of confused.”

“How was I supposed to know?”

“Don’t forget the insistence that dogs couldn’t possibly mate cats. Boy did they prove everyone around here wrong on that one,” Damon added, finally starting to relax a little. “I know I would have taken Karis right away, but I didn’t, because it wasn’t right. We needed time to get to know each other.”

“Not to mention I wouldn’t have allowed it. There was too much at stake. I had a Pack to consider,” she reminded him.

“Damon will someday be Alpha of the Alaskan wolves through Karis’s blood line as there are no living male heirs.”

“Why does an Alpha have to be male?” Landon surprised me by asking.

They all sat back as they pondered that question.

“I suppose because that’s how it’s always been,” Kyle said.

“Males are stronger and better protectors,” Chase added.

Kelsey sat up a little taller in her seat as she glared at him. “Excuse me.”

“Oh shit. Can we just change the subject right now, please?” Chase begged.

I laughed. “Kelsey’s a badass Alpha she-wolf in her own right.”

“So see, it can be a thing,” Landon insisted.

“Many Packs are not quite so open to such things,” Kyle settled for.

“Alpha she-wolves are still being hunted and killed because men are scared of us,” Kelsey explained. “It’s sexist and inhumane, but it still happens even today.”