Page 9 of Wedding for My Werewolf (Fairhaven Falls #7)

CHAPTER 9

E ric paced back and forth across the living room, but for once he was the restless one. His wolf was remarkably content, pleased by Robin’s scent mingling with his in their shared space. He looked over at the closed door to the bedroom, automatically noting that she was still sleeping peacefully. The thought of dragging her into Pack politics made his shoulders tense.

His mother’s reaction played through his mind again. If she’d been that hostile, the Pack would be worse. Wolves weren’t known for accepting change easily, especially when it came to humans. The last human who’d tried to integrate with the pack had left town within a month. Maybe it was too soon to introduce her.

He pulled his sheriff’s jacket from the hook and shrugged it on. As he adjusted his collar, he could detect her scent lingering on his skin from the night before. His wolf rumbled with satisfaction, but he pushed the feeling aside. This was about protection, nothing more.

“Morning.”

He was so lost in his thoughts that her voice startled him. She stood in the doorway, hair tousled from sleep, wearing an oversized sweater that made her look even smaller and more adorable than usual.

“Sleep well?” He kept his tone neutral, remaining by the door even though his wolf urged him to move closer.

“Better than I expected.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Pack meeting.”

“Oh. Didn’t you say I should go with you?”

He went into the kitchen and poured the coffee he’d made earlier into a mug, handing it to her when she followed him.

“You don’t have to do this. I can make excuses?—”

“No.” She squared her small shoulders. “I agreed to this. I won’t hide.”

Pride and guilt warred in his chest. Here she was, showing more courage than he’d anticipated, while he plotted ways to shield her from his own pack.

“All right. Just—stay close to me and remember—you don’t owe them any explanations.”

Her eyes widened, but she nodded.

“I-I’ll go and get dressed.”

She returned a short time later, her cheeks flushed and looking far too tempting for his peace of mind. He managed to restrain the urge to touch her, other than putting a hand on her back to help her into his truck, but even that brief contact made his skin tingle. She buckled her seatbelt with shaky hands, and the smell of her anxiety made his stomach clench.

“Relax. You’re not alone,” he said, keeping his voice calm.

She didn’t answer, but the tension in her shoulders eased slightly. They rode in silence deeper into the forest, into pack territory.

“What will we be doing?” she asked quietly.

“Just mingling. It’s only a social function.” Except every Pack function involved jockeying for position, not to mention endless gossip.

The road widened, small houses appearing on either side, and he brought the truck to a halt in the big clearing at the end of the road. The Pack hall loomed ahead, a sturdy log structure that had housed Pack meetings for generations. The alpha usually lived there, although his mother had made his father move out. The scents of the Pack swirled around him, the familiar mix of fur and skin and pack mates.

“That’s the Pack hall. Most of the Pack members live out here, but we have a few stragglers scattered in town.”

“Like you?”

“Like me.” He hesitated, then reached over and covered her hands, twisting nervously in her lap. “I should scent mark you again. Strengthen my scent.”

Her breath caught, and when she looked up at him her pupils had dilated—but she didn’t smell afraid. Not entirely.

“Okay,” she whispered.

He lifted her hand, inhaling the fresh scent of soap. She shivered when he pressed a soft kiss against the inside of her wrist. His wolf stirred, eager to take more, but he fought back the impulse. This wasn’t about him or his wants. This was about her safety.

He pressed his face against her neck and breathed in her sweet, tempting scent, but it was mixed with fear and uncertainty. A low growl rumbled through his chest, and her hand clenched his shirt.

“They won’t hurt you,” he promised.

Her ragged breathing made his wolf growl again. He pulled back, searching her face, but she looked away.

“I’m fine.”

“We need them to believe you trust me.” He flicked his eyes to the right. “We’re being watched. I should kiss you.”

Her eyes flew to his as she wet her lips nervously.

“I… All right.”

His wolf growled its approval but he forced it back, very slowly lowering his head. His lips brushed hers, feather-soft, and her eyes fluttered closed.

“Robin,” he whispered, and her eyes opened. He waited for her permission before kissing her again, just as gentle.

She leaned closer, her lips parting. His tongue touched hers, tasting her, and a rush of desire made him deepen the kiss. She tasted of coffee and sweetness, and his hands tightened around her. He wanted more, but before he could lose control, she pulled back.

“They’ll believe us,” she whispered, her cheeks flushed.

He knew she was right—her fear had diminished to a reasonable level and it was now mingled with arousal. It took all of his considerable self-control not to turn around and take her back to his cabin to explore that tantalizing promise.

“Yes.” He could hear the strain in his voice, his wolf raging beneath his skin. “Stay close.”

He forced himself to release her and climbed out of the truck. By the time he’d reached her door, she’d already opened it and jumped down. He offered her his hand, and the moment their palms touched, he could tell the difference. Her hand no longer trembled, her grip was firm, her scent steadier.

“Remember,” he said quietly. “You don’t need to prove anything to them.”

She glanced up at him, amber eyes bright with determination despite the tension in her shoulders.

“I know.” Her smile, small but genuine, caught him off guard. “I trust you.”

His wolf preened at her trust, but guilt gnawed at his conscience. Here she was, placing her safety in his hands, and he still didn’t know what had driven her to hide in Fairhaven Falls. But that was an issue for later. Right now he had a pack to face.

Heads turned as they approached the hall. Some of the younger males stepped forward, hackles raised, but a warning look from him was enough to send them scurrying back. As soon as they stepped inside, conversation came to a halt and dozens of eyes snapped to them. The familiar scent of Pack mixed with an undercurrent of tension.

Lila detached herself from a group of wolves and slinked towards them, her predatory smile setting his teeth on edge.

“So what do we have here? Your little human mate?”

His wolf wanted to bare its teeth, to drive away this threat to his—to Robin.

“Yes,” she said quietly, putting a hand on his arm. “I’m Robin.”

Lila blinked at the calm response, then circled closer.

“I’m Lila.” She said it as if she were expecting Robin to react, but she only gave her a polite smile. Lila’s fangs appeared. “And where exactly did Eric find you? We’re all dying to know your… background.”

“All you need to know,” he growled, “is that Robin is my mate.”

The possessiveness in his tone wasn’t entirely feigned, and that realization unsettled him almost as much as Lila’s attitude. His arm slid around Robin’s waist, drawing her closer. The way she fit against him felt too natural, too right. She didn’t blink an eye, leaning into him and putting her hand on his chest in a casually possessive gesture.

Lila’s eyes narrowed, but he stared at her until she dipped her head in submission. He might not have chosen to become Alpha but it wasn’t because he lacked power.

A few muffled conversations began, but tension crackled in the air until Aidan cut through the crowd. His easy grin and relaxed posture helped break through the suffocating atmosphere Lila had created.

“About time someone put Lila in her place,” Aidan murmured, clapping him on the shoulder before smiling at Robin. “I’m Aidan. The Pack’s resident troublemaker, or so they tell me.”

“Is that an official title?” A small smile tugged at her lips.

“Self-appointed. Someone has to keep the stuffed shirts from taking themselves too seriously.”

Aidan’s eyes flicked to him with good-natured mischief. The big red-headed wolf had a casual disregard for pack hierarchy that had caused trouble in the past.

Her laugh rang out, light and genuine. His wolf preened at the sound—then bristled as Aidan’s grin widened in response. His wolf’s urge to step between them warred with his rational mind. Aidan posed no threat, and she needed allies in the pack.

Still, his hand tightened at her waist as Aidan launched into a story about the time he’d replaced all the coffee in the meeting hall with decaf. His wolf grumbled at each shared smile between them, even as the logical part of him appreciated how Aidan’s presence deflected attention from their supposedly new relationship.

When Callan came over to take him aside he hesitated, but Aidan gave him a direct look.

“She’s safe with me,” he said quietly.

He nodded reluctantly and followed Callan to a soundproofed alcove.

“Your mother’s causing problems,” Callan said, his face grim. “She refused to come today.”

He’d already noted her absence, not sure whether to be angry or grateful.

“That’s her choice.”

“It’s more than that. She’s saying that your relationship with the human isn’t real.” Callan’s eyes narrowed. “Saying it’s all a show to avoid your responsibilities.”

Heat rushed through his veins, his wolf surging with anger.

“She had no right,” he growled.

Callan grabbed his arm. “Keep your voice down. Remember that the Pack is watching your every move. If this isn’t genuine…”

He pulled free from Callan’s grip, but he understood the implied threat. If— when —his relationship with Robin came to an end, the Pack would be able to accept that it hadn’t worked with a human mate—but they would be far less forgiving if they thought he’d been lying to them all along.

As much as he chafed at the Pack’s expectations, he didn’t want to be ousted from their midst. Damn his mother. The urge to hunt her down and confront her warred with his need to stay close to Robin.

“I know what I’m doing,” he snapped.

“Do you? Because from where I stand, you’re risking everything for a human who clearly has secrets of her own.”

He stepped closer to Callan, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “My relationship with Robin isn’t up for discussion. Not with you, not with my mother, not with anyone.”

He stalked back over to Robin.

“We’re leaving.”

Her eyes widened but she didn’t say anything as he guided her towards the door, his hand on the small of her back. The weight of the Pack’s stares pressed against them until they stepped out into the frosty morning air.

“Well, that was fun,” she said dryly. “Nothing like being the new attraction at the zoo.”

She looked relieved to be away from it, but the fear scent hadn’t returned. Her resilience impressed him—most humans would have crumbled under that kind of scrutiny. “You handled it very well.”

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I saw Lila plotting my demise at least twice.”

His laugh died in his throat as a shadow moved in his peripheral vision—someone lurking in the darkness beneath the trees. Then the heavy perfume reached him. Lila.

Without breaking stride, he slid his arm around Robin’s waist and pulled her closer. Her body stiffened against his.

“Trust me,” he whispered, bending his head toward her ear. “We’re being watched.”

Before she could respond, he turned her to face him. Her eyes widened as his hand cupped her cheek. His wolf surged forward, protective and possessive. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip, giving her a moment to pull away.

She didn’t.

He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss started gentle, meant for show, but the moment she softened against him everything changed. Her mouth opened under his with a small gasp that shot straight through him. Her tongue danced with his, sweet and shy and impossibly tempting. His wolf howled in triumph as her fingers curled into his shirt, and he was suddenly, achingly erect.

The sweet taste of her, the way she melted into him—it felt real. Too real. He forced himself to break the kiss before he lost control completely. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her pulse racing under his palm.

It took him a moment to realize that Lila’s scent had faded. He fought the urge to chase her down, to warn her to stay away from his mate. Instead, he kept his arm around Robin’s shoulders as he took her back to the truck. Back to their home.