“Theo?” I asked gently. His body was still shaking, eyes clenched, the veins in his fists strained under his skin. “Theo?”
“I’m going to kill him,” his low voice ground out. The sound came from his stomach, and I wondered how much control he had over himself.
“Is everything going to be okay?”
“No.” His body relaxed in one motion, but his eyes stayed closed.
“What did he mean when he called me a fawn?” My voice was smaller than I wanted it to be.
“It’s a dirty name for humans,” he said sadly. His hand wandered until it found mine, and he held it tightly, almost too tightly.
“What does it mean?”
“Wolves like Reed Porter believe humans are only prey to werewolves. They serve no purpose to us other than the thrill of the hunt, much like deer.”
His words sent goosebumps down my neck.
“Oh,” was all that came from my mouth. Theo sighed and tugged my hand until I was close to him.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, okay? Ever. You know that, right?” he asked seriously. His eyes searched for something in mine.
“I know,” I assured him, placing my hand on his cheek. His eyes fluttered shut, and he leaned into my touch.
“He’s going to fight back,” he told me.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve known Reed for years, and there’s nothing he hates more than being told no, even humans.”
“He could surprise you,” I tried to say cheerfully, but it came out strangled.
“Sure.” He smiled placatingly. He didn’t believe my words, but we both didn’t want to argue.
“I trust you,” I told him softly. He smiled at me, some light finally reaching his eyes.
“You don’t know how much that means to me, little one.” He grabbed the back of my head and brought my forehead to meet his lips. His hands wove into my curls and held me there, and for just a moment, it was like everything would actually be okay.
Let The Wine Flow
I started to notice the effects of the mate bond slowly, and then it was all at once that I realized how much had changed within me. Through the bond, we could feel each other’s emotions, which was strange for the first few days. It felt like my own emotions, but I knew I wasn’t frustrated or angry or excited. Seeing Theo and touching him immediately made the feelings dissipate.
Along with the emotions, I didn’t fear Theo’s touch anymore; in fact, I craved it, reveled in it. I pined for his fingertips on my skin, his breath on my neck, lips on mine. I always held myself back, though. I wasn’t willing to let go of my human hesitations yet.
“Have any of your brothers met their mates? Or your friends?” I asked curiously. Theo was cooking us lunch, and I sat at the counter, watching his back muscles ripple under his clothing as he moved.
“None of my brothers, no,” he confirmed, sneaking a look back at me. “Cam met his mate a few years back. They have a little girl.” He smiled affectionately at her mention.
“Cam is the blond one, right?”
“Yes,” Theo said, turning back around to his cooking. “His mate is Gemma, and their little girl is Tansy.”
“Can I meet them?” My voice wavered. Theo turned the burner on the stove down and came to lean over the counter with me.
“Yeah, I’ll tell Cam to bring them over for dinner,” he said; his face looked confused. “Why the sudden interest in mates?”
“I just want to meet them,” I said casually, playing with the tips of Theo’s fingers. “I don’t really know what it’s like to be the mate to a wolf…”
“You like me,” Theo teased, smirking. I frowned and pulled my hands away.
“It’s not that, I just-”
“You like me, and you want to see another functioning mated couple so you can ease your stubborn mind into knowing we’re going to be just fine,” he practically sang to me as he turned around to stir his pot.
I spluttered out some unintelligible disagreements until Theo came to me and held me by my elbows that were covered across my chest.
“I like that you’re trying to make this work.” He smiled at me and the dimple in his right cheek appeared. “I think it’s sweet.”
I nodded and rolled my eyes, avoiding his gaze by looking at his hands on my skin. He gave my arms a squeeze and finished his cooking. I sat down at the counter again and watched him work.
“You’re going to fall in love with me, Margo Anderson,” he said playfully. “Just you wait!”
Theo invited Cam’s family to dinner at the end of the week. All-day, I had been rushing around Theo’s house tidying things, setting the dining table, and then resetting it when Theo made fun of the centerpiece I had chosen.
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” he told me, half-joking, half annoyed that I hadn’t stopped moving since I had woken up.
I glared but continued to fix the knives and wine glasses.
“The table looks beautiful, Margo,” Theo complimented loudly. I rolled my eyes at his flattery. “They’ll be here any moment. Why don’t you come and sit before you wear yourself out?”
“Theo,” I exhaled, running my hand over my sticky forehead. “I just want everything to be perfect.”
“Margo, everything is perfect. They’re going to adore you, no matter what the table looks like.”
“Why? Does the table not look good? I knew I should’ve stayed with the other setting,” I rattled out frantically. Theo groaned and walked away from me, not knowing how to deal with my high anxiety.
The doorbell rang, and I froze. Theo walked back into the main room and looked at me, smiled reassuringly, and
