Page 4 of Tamed Wolf

My brother stands on the porch with my parents, scowling out into the night as Ivan helps me out of their car with the utmost care, brushing a kiss to the top of my hand that has me smiling sweetly up to him.

They’re all charm as they introduce themselves to my parents, keeping themselves a respectful distance away from me as my family lets them inside, offering them tea and cookies.

My mom keeps smiling at me and patting my knee as all the men chat amongst themselves, and I just sip on my peppermint tea for something to keep myself busy. It’s surreal watching these men that I somehow already know interact with my family, in my home.

“The age gap doesn’t bother us,” I perk up to hear just in time from my father. He puts his arm around momma and pulls her to him. “I was in my twenties when I met her, and she had just turned 17. We know it’s near impossible to resist the mate pull, we only ask that you put off anything physical until you all feel ready to make a commitment.”

“Of course, Sir,” Ivan says, nodding earnestly. “We aren’t going to pressure her, we’re just so relieved to have finally met her.” He sends me a smile that surely would have buckled my knees if I were standing.

“This is so exciting!” my momma exclaims. “There’s so much to do. You’ll have to think about when you want to have the mating ceremony; we’ll start shopping for a dress, and you just figure out between the three of you when you’re ready to make it official.”

“Couldn’t come soon enough, ma’am,” Trevor says. They’re so…pleasant, winding my parents around their fingers.

My mom pushes me onto the porch with them to say goodnight when the conversation starts to lull, winking at me as she closes the door behind us.

“I was worried they wouldn’t want us to be together,” Trevor says as he leans his forehead against mine. “We can give you rides whenever you need them, and here,” he says as he pulls his wallet out of his pocket. He removes a small wad of cash and folds it in half, pressing it into my palm. “If you’re ours, we’re going to take care of you. We want you to learn to rely on us for everything. Your parents seem great, and that’s going to make this all so much easier. We’re going to head home, but send us your schedule and call us after school tomorrow, okay?” He kisses me again, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me so I feel myself relax into it. Some of the stress melts away with the pressure, the unsureness dissipating.

“I will. I don’t need your money though, really.”

“Keep it,” Ivan says as pulls out a credit card from his wallet and adds it to the stack of cash. “We make pretty good money, so use this for whatever. We want you to find a pretty dress for our mating, and we want you to have everything you need.”

Ivan cups my face, looking down into my face and making me feel like an adult as he tucks my hair behind my ears and seems to find joy in just admiring me. “You’re so damn beautiful. Not sure if we told you that or not yet, but you’re absolutely stunning. The goddess has blessed us, indeed.”

This time when he kisses me, it’s a whole lot less awkward. And a whole lot less filled with spit.

His lips press against mine so softly it almost tickles, making me chase after him to keep the pressure between our mouths. Before I know it, he’s picking me up and wrapping his arms around my lower back so we’re closer in height, claiming my mouth with surety.

I’m breathless when he pulls back but he stabilizes me with his hands on my hips. “Sweet dreams, mate. Dream of us.”

He smiles as he walks backward off the porch, Trevor sneaking in one more kiss with a longing I can’t quite describe as they climb into their car and pull out of our gravel driveway, leaving my head spinning.

On lead feet, I haul myself upstairs to get ready for bed, wondering if everything will still be real when I wake up in the morning.

Chapter Two

Lark, Before

“Say that again?”

My father sighs, quite dramatically I might add, and rubs the bridge of his nose. “Your mother and I are going to sell the house. With your brother moving out to stay with his own pack, there’s just no reason for us to stay here. You know we’ve always wanted to travel.”

“But…but I’m in high school! How am I supposed to do high school while traveling? And what about Ivan and Trevor? I don’t think they’d like me moving around like that.”

“How long are we going to do this, Lark? Humans may view 16-year-olds as children, but wolves know better. Yes, you’re young, but you’ve found your mates and are more than capable of making adult choices. You cannot continue to hide out here while your mates sit there, patiently waiting for you to feel ready to be with them. The goddess chose them for you; are you saying you think she’s wrong?”

Am I going crazy? What on earth is happening? “No, no, of course not; but dad, we told you we were going to wait until I graduated; it would be so weird to get mated right now; plus, they’re in their twenties. Do you have any idea how much side eye we get in public? We got stopped by cops last time they took me out to dinner.”

“Honey,” my mom butts in, trying to soothe the situation because my dad is getting visibly irritated with me. “Don’t you think you’re being just a tiny bit selfish? Those men care for you a great deal. Do you not feel comfortable around them? Moving in with them doesn’t mean you have to start a more physical relationship, but I remember what it was like at your age. Why are you fighting this so hard? You’ve known them for nearly five months now. Most wolves move into matehood immediately when they meet each other. Do you really want to risk them losing interest in you if you keep putting things off? I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as you have it built up in your mind. Sometimes, there are things us women must do to keep our mates happy, and this is just one of those things. I really do think you need to give them an actual chance, Lark. We’re merely offering you that opportunity. With us travelling, you’ll have to rely on them more and it will bring you so much closer. I’m sorry, but our decision is final. Whatever you don’t wish to bring to their place with you will be donated because we don’t want to pay storage fees while we’re out there exploring. The house doesn’t close for another week, so you have plenty of time.”

“You already sold it?Are you just sick of having kids? Is that what this is? Trying to live out the glory days you missed by getting mated so early? Do you hear what you’re asking me to do?”

My father backhands me, which is more than enough of an answer.

“We’re going to meet Sue and Robert for dinner, and then we’re going to evening service to thank the goddess for all her gifts. I suggest you reflect on what put you in this position and adjust your attitude. Is it really so bad that your mother wants to see you grown and happy? You’ll see; this is going to be the best thing we could ever do for you.”

The door shuts behind them and I’m left there on my knees, shaking in anger and fighting tears.

I’ve noticed them pulling away since I met my mates, leaving me alone more and having far less patience than normal, but it’s not like they ever had a high amount to begin with.

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