“She’s friendly, I promise.” Kade tried to reassure her. “Now, what were you saying about dinner?”
“It just needs another five minutes and then I can dish up,” Skye answered, her voice quieter and shaky.
“Honestly, Leia won’t harm you.” Kade reiterated as he walked up the stairs, patting her shoulder. “She’s no threat to anyone here and neither is Kirsty. Everything is fine, Skye.”
“If you say so, Alpha,” Skye replied so softly he knew she was on the verge of one of her panic attacks.
“I can dish up,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and ushering her away. “I’ll see you tomorrow sometime. I’ll be away by dawn but Kirsty will be here, I want you to look after her for me. Can you do that?”
“And the dog?” Skye almost whimpered, the sound obviously affecting Kirsty as she came forward.
“Leia won’t hurt you, she’s friendly and playful, but I can be there to introduce you two and if you’re still scared I can keep her in my room, or outside. I wouldn’t want you to be upset because of me, or Leia.”
“I’ll be here before you leave, Alpha. You can’t go out without a proper breakfast,” Skye said quickly, shooting Kirsty a quick glance before rushing off.
“Is she okay? I’ve not upset her, have I?” Kirsty looked after Skye as she sped away.
“No, it’s all right, she gets spooked easily.” Kade ran a hand through his hair sighing. “Long story short, she was prisoner of some rogues and they treated her as only rogues would. I rescued her and she’s been here ever since. She’s still nervous around most of the Pack too, so it’s not you. Any change upsets her.”
“Oh, I see—” Kirsty shook her head. “So she’s not your . . . well, you know? I thought you and her were . . .”
“What? No, nothing like that.” Kade rushed to quash that thought. “I don’t have anyone special in my life. Skye keeps house for me since I lost my parents, cooks, does the shopping and takes care of things that are time consuming. It’s not that I can’t do stuff, my mother made me do my own chores from a young age, it’s that I just don’t have the time. An Alpha’s life is busy, so she keeps things in order and frees up my time to take care of the Pack.”
“So you can cook, clean, do your own laundry?” Kirsty asked, eyebrow raised.
“I can when the need arises,” Kade confirmed.
“Good to know,” she said, her eyes smiling. “I don’t like guys who just order women around and expect them to do all the household stuff. Well, especially if they expect me to do it.”
“Shouldn’t a couple be a team? Work together and do what they are good at?” Kade queried as he waved her through the door.
“I guess, but I’m not very domesticated.” Kirsty stopped, looking around the large lounge before continuing. “I preferred helping my dad on the farm rather than my mum in the house. I’m afraid I’m not a great cook, and it’s not unheard of me putting something red in amongst a light wash and turning everything pink.”
Kade chuckled at the thought, especially the vision of Skye’s outrage if that ever happened. “Skye’s employed by the Pack to take care of those things here, so you don’t have to worry about that happening.”
“I just hope she’s not too scared of Leia, she seems very . . . skittish.”
Kade placed the shotgun on top of the dresser to the side of the door. “She is. She’s been here for a few years now, and I keep hoping she’ll improve, but she’s never fully told anyone what happened to her. I guess she has demons she still has to face.”
“That’s why she’s here, isn’t it?” Kirsty asked. “Because you’re Alpha. You have a calming effect on her, don’t you?”
He was surprised at her correct assumption and intuition. “Yes, but how did you know that?”
She wandered away, her fingers trailing along the tartan throw over the back of one of the sofas. “Because you have that effect on people, me included. I’m not quite sure how it works, this Alpha thing of yours, but it does.”
He remained silent as he watched her inspect his home. She walked around, picking up a book or two from the large bookcase, carefully replacing them before moving on. Touching items as she went, she traversed the room, her red hair catching the breeze coming from the kitchen and floating around her. The wind also brought her scent to his nostrils, causing them to flare as he inhaled deeply.
She was exquisite, her aroma a bouquet of wild flowers and musk, his cock twitching to life in his jeans as his beast prowled impatiently. How the hell was he going to do this? Under normal circumstances, his mate would recognize him for who and what he was and they’d already be in bed by now. With Kirsty, things were most definitely not going to take the traditional course, and he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to control himself, or his Wolf.
“Food.” He almost groaned as he fought to rid his mind of the visions coursing through his brain. Ones where Kirsty lay beneath him as he brought her to orgasm repeatedly. Oh hell, this was going to be torture. The Goddess had played him a harsh hand sending a human as his mate.
“I beg your pardon? Are you okay? You sound a bit strange.”
“I’m fine,” he replied far too quickly, striding toward the kitchen. “I think dinner’s ready. I hope you’re hungry because Skye always makes far too much food.”
“I’m a bit peckish,” Kirsty answered as she followed him.
Her scent invading him as he passed her, his beast prowling around, demanding he mark her as theirs.
“I can’t! She has no idea that she is ours.” He tried to appease the Wolf but knew it wouldn’t do anything to calm
