Page 23 of Mated
I walk to the low building and peer into the shady interior as low voices emanate forth.
“And he has every right to be here,” a dark-haired female says, her hands on her full hips as she glares at a tall, thick male before her.
The man is probably my age, a few years shy of thirty. But his beefy frame is well-kept with muscle under a simple tee and jeans. “I told you to alert me the minute he got here. Not let him and his sidekicks gallivant around the territory. I am alpha here, Diana. Not him.”
The woman frowns, a ready retort no doubt on her lips. I shift closer and my sneakers kick up a few pieces of stone onto the low brick of the building.
They both turn.
The man is fast to recover. His hazel eyes trail from the top of my head down, and he holds up a finger. “Just one second please.”
He hauls the woman with him halfway down the hall, his hand mottled over the lean line of her arm. I have the distinct urge to remove it for her and shove it up his ass.
His voice floats back to me, low and commanding. After a moment, she storms off and a door somewhere in the rear of the building slams closed. The man walks back, a soft smile on his face.
“Welcome to Silver Rock plantation. What can we do for you?”
I pause.
Silver Rock? As in the pack lands?
Holy shit. How much land do they own?
I shake myself. “Hi. Umm ... I was looking to speak with someone about becoming part of the pack. Who would I need to talk to?” It's total bullshit, but now that I know where Tanner is, I can't exactly walk back out.
Whoever attacked me may be part of the pack. Which is no doubt why Tanner is here.
The man’s smile grows. He steps forward, hand extended. “Alpha Callus Reed. And you are?”
“Nisha. Nisha Rawlins.”
He nods. “What pack do you originate from?”
I shift. “Well, I don't.”
He waves it away. “You wouldn't be the first rogue we've taken in.” He walks back to the desk and opens a drawer before pulling out a thin stack of papers. “You will need to fill these out. Most of it is pretty basic. Emergency contacts, sponsor information, and a copy of your health records.”
I look at him. “Sponsor?”
His smile is bright. “You have one, right?”
My face heats before I can stop it. “Umm, not quite.”
He props one hip onto the arm of the chair beside him. “Since your sponsor has to vouch for your character, your strength level, and your ability to play with others, we request it be one of our own.” I don't miss the twinkle in his eyes as he speaks.
Something pours from him in a cloud of musk. My nipples tighten and I lean closer to inhale the masculine fragrance. His smile broadens. “Now, you don't have to have a sponsor since you’re not transferring in from another pack. If you can find a pack member to vouch for you, I will accept that.”
I sigh, and the sound is shaky as that damn scent seems to pool between my thighs in an ache that leaves me disconcerted, confused, and hot.
What the fuck?
Shaking my head, I step back, and then take another step as the air clears marginally. “Okay. Theories on how to do that?”
He points behind me. “Most of the pack will be around today and tomorrow for the full moon. You're welcome to walk around, talk to people. See if this is really the pack for you. We want you to be happy with us. And a pack is so much more than a group of beasts howling at the moon. We’re a family.”
Some of my unease fades at the sincerity in his words.
Oh.
