Page 6 of Wedding for My Werewolf (Fairhaven Falls #7)

CHAPTER 6

“ W hat are your conditions?” Eric asked calmly, his face impassive, but those golden eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her shiver.

Robin pulled her list out of her pocket, hands trembling slightly. She’d spent the last hour writing and rewriting these terms. At one point they had taken up a whole page, but she’d finally cut it down to the three most important things.

“First, no unnecessary touching.” She kept her eyes fixed on the paper. “If we need contact for show, we discuss it beforehand.”

He made an odd growling sound but he didn’t speak and she kept going.

“Second, no questions about my past or why I’m here,” she said firmly. “What you see is what you get.”

The paper crinkled in her grip. “And we need an end date. Three months should be enough time for both our situations to… resolve.”

She gave him a quick glance, but his shoulders had relaxed, his golden eyes dancing with amusement.

“Those are your conditions?” he asked, his voice warm.

“Yes.”

He nodded and leaned back against his desk, big arms crossed. “Fair enough, but I have some conditions too.”

Her throat tightened. Of course he did. There was always a catch.

“If we do this, we need to be convincing,” he said. “The Pack will know if we’re faking it. That means spending time together in public, attending some Pack functions. And you’ll need to let me scent mark you.”

She frowned at him.

“Scent mark?”

“Nothing inappropriate. Just… physical contact. My scent will ward off others and make it clear you’re under my protection. It’s important,” he added gently.

She wrapped her arms around herself, considering his condition. She’d realized that some contact between them would be necessary, but this sounded more… intimate than she’d expected. But she needed his protection and she could admit to herself that the thought of him touching her was not… unpleasant.

“Okay.” The word came out barely above a whisper.

“We should probably begin immediately. The Pack’s already curious about you.”

They were? Her cheeks heated as she remembered Flora’s comments. Did everyone in town already think there was something between them?

“I’ll come by in the morning to move you to my cabin,” he added.

“Wait, what?” Her voice threatened to break. “What about my job?”

“You don’t need to work there anymore.”

Her spine stiffened. “I’m keeping my job. I’m making that one of my conditions.”

“I can provide?—”

“This isn’t about money.” Not entirely. It was about not being dependent on anyone. “I like working. And Garrick’s been nothing but kind to me.”

His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking beneath his skin, and he seemed to loom even larger in the small office.

“It’s not appropriate for my mate to work in another male’s house.”

“Fake mate,” she corrected. “And I won’t quit just because it doesn’t fit some werewolf protocol. The job gives me purpose, independence.” She swallowed hard. “I need that.”

The silence stretched between them. She braced herself for an argument, but his expression softened.

“You’re right.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. “Keep the job. We’ll make it work.”

The knot in her chest loosened. She hadn’t expected him to yield so easily. His willingness to bend, to consider her needs alongside his own, eased some of her doubts about their arrangement.

“Thank you,” she said. “For understanding.”

“However,” he continued. “You’ll still need to move in with me.”

“You want me to live with you?”

“The job is one thing, but a werewolf would never let his mate live apart from him, especially not with another male,” he said firmly. “Even Garrick would find it suspicious.”

The walls of his office seemed to close in around her. “But my job?—”

“I told you I wouldn’t try to stop you from working. I just want you to spend your nights with me. My cabin is safe—it’s isolated, surrounded by forest, and I’d know if anyone approached.”

The thought of living with him sent a jolt of something that wasn’t entirely panic through her system. “This wasn’t part of the deal.”

“It’s necessary for the ruse.” His eyes softened. “I have a guest room, little bird. You’ll have your own space. But if we’re going to convince people—especially my Pack—this has to look real.”

She twisted her hands together, thinking of Rick’s predatory smile. Living in Eric’s cabin did sound safer than remaining in town.

“When?” she whispered.

“First thing tomorrow. I’ll help move your belongings.”

Less than twelve hours to prepare herself for living with a werewolf. A big male werewolf who made her pulse race and awakened feelings she didn’t understand. The universe had a twisted sense of humor.

“All right. But remember our terms. No?—”

“No unnecessary contact. No personal questions. A time limit.” He repeated her conditions with that infuriating hint of amusement. “I remember.”

She drew a steadying breath. “And not tomorrow morning.”

“I can be there at dawn?—”

“Evening.” She lifted her chin. “Garrick was nice enough to give me this job and I won’t let him down. I’ll pack tonight and be ready when I finish tomorrow.”

Golden eyes studied her face. The intensity of his gaze made her want to look away, but she held firm and he nodded.

“All right, I understand the need to fulfill your responsibilities. Evening then. I’ll come by around five.”

The thought of his isolated cabin, tucked away in the forest, eased some of her anxiety. No prying eyes. No bounty hunter lurking in the shadows. Just trees and distance between her and anyone hunting her. Her relief was immediately followed by guilt. He was giving her his protection, and she was hiding the truth about why she needed it.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I know this isn’t… ideal.”

“It’s practical.” He shrugged, but something flickered across his features—too quick to read. “For both of us.”

She extended her hand, determined to keep things professional. “So we have a deal?”

His big hand enveloped hers. The contact sent a jolt through her body, like touching a live wire. His skin burned hot against her palm, and her breath caught in her throat. His golden eyes darkened, pupils dilating, and his grip tightened for a fraction of a second.

She yanked her hand back, fingers tingling where they’d touched. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she fought to keep her expression neutral. The room suddenly felt too small, too warm.

“I’ll see you tomorrow evening then.” Her voice came out steadier than she expected.

He nodded, his face unreadable. But something in his stance had changed – a predatory stillness that made her pulse quicken.

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to suppress the warmth blooming there. This is business , she told herself. A mutual arrangement for protection and convenience. Nothing more.

But as she turned to leave, her skin still humming from his touch, she knew she was lying to herself.

She hurried back towards Garrick’s mansion, keeping to the shadows as she watched for any sign of Rick. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly prickled and she cast a nervous glance over her shoulder. Two golden eyes glowed in the darkness beneath a tree.

Eric.

He must have realized that she would have turned down an offer to escort her back, but he was still following her. Watching over her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and she could have sworn the shadow beneath the tree nodded.

When she got back to the mansion, she packed everything she owned into her small backpack. She left out a change of clothes, then carefully tucked the bag back in her closet and went downstairs.

Garrick was in the study, his massive wings folded neatly behind him as he pored over a stack of papers. He looked up at her entrance and smiled.

“You look better.”

“Thank you.” She twisted her hands together nervously. “I need to tell you something. Eric has asked me to be his m-mate.”

Dark eyes studied her face before he nodded.

“I see.”

“I want to keep working for you. I know this is a live-in position,” she added quickly. “But Eric wants me to live with him so I was wondering if maybe I could still?—”

“Work for me?” Garrick’s stony face softened. “Of course you can. I thought it would be more convenient to have someone here, but you’re doing such an excellent job that I don’t think it’s necessary.”

She sighed with relief.

“Thank you.”

“And congratulations. On your mating.”

She knew she was blushing, but she managed to stammer out another thanks. He nodded, but she couldn’t help thinking that he didn’t believe her story at all. Pretending to be mates was going to be even harder than she’d anticipated.