Page 19 of Claimed

“So, youdohave a pack?” I prompt.

“Yes.”

“And you understand what happens when an alpha identifies his fated mate.”

She stiffens. “Not really.”

“Not really?” I prod.

“I know what you want from me if that’s what you’re asking.”

“And what do you think I want from you?”

“To fuck me.”

I groan with the ache in my groin. “Fuck yeah, I do, but that’s not all. If you’re in a pack, how do you not know much about an alpha’s fated mate and her place in his life?”

“I understand the concept of it. Heard stories when I was younger. My, um… our uh… alpha doesn’t have a mate. He says it’s a myth. So did our previous alpha.”

“Ah. Now we’re getting somewhere. What do you know about the supposed myth of the mate bond?”

“Not much… really. I mean, it’s obvious that there’s sex involved. There’s always sex involved between males and females. But one male, one female until the end of life, my…” she clears her throat, “my alpha says an alpha isn’t built that way.”

“First, he’s no longer your alpha.I am.”

She nibbles on her thumbnail nervously, averting her gaze.

“And you’ve had sex before?”

“You already asked that.”

“I’m making sure I didn’t misunderstand. Eyes on me, please.”

Her gaze returns. “I have. Yes.”

“More than once?”

She drops her gaze again. This is obviously out of habit.

“Yes.”

I suppress the urge to growl.

“Do you have a family?”

She stiffens. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Forget questions for now, though you’re eventually gonna need to talk to me about all of it. I won’t bombard you more right now. For now, how about I treat you like you know nothing about pack structure since our structure here is obviously different from what you know?”

She’s trembling less. I stroke her back and her hair as I resume talking.

“An unmated alpha can have as much sex as he wants with as many females as he chooses, but that only happens until he catches the scent of his fated mate.”

“I’ve heard that much.”

“So, youdoget it.”

“He doesn’t believe in it so it’s not something that’s part of pack life for us. I remember some of it from when I was younger, when our pack was larger.”

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