Page 13 of Her Big Bad Wolf
I stared at her until she cracked. We both knew damn well she’d command me if she’d wanted to bad enough.
“I wouldn’t,” she insisted. “Besides, I don’t have to, because you’re coming.”
I felt the punch of Alpha power hit. After all these years, I was used to it by now. Half the time, I genuinely believed she had no idea she was doing it.
“Kelsey!”
“Oops. Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to slip out. But you are coming, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “When and where?”
She squealed. “It’s going to be so much fun having you there.”
As lunch ended, she texted me the time and location, then said goodbye so Mary and I could get back to work.
Kelsey and I had never exactly been close but I would consider her a friend. In truth, I had a lot of friends like her, the sort that I forgot or didn’t bother talking to unless our paths actually crossed. Come to think of it, I was a terrible friend. Or maybe I was just comfortable enough in my own skin to like spending time with myself.
I wouldn’t call me an introvert exactly. But after spending all day with my kids, I tended to like the quiet and calm of being home alone.
That wasn’t going to help find me a mate, as my parents always reminded me, but it made for a content life. I was happy. I had a great job. And I was surrounded by people I loved every day. Sure, they might be two feet tall ankle biters, but I wouldn’t trade my job for anything in the world, not even a mate.
To most, I was practically a spinster by now.
I laughed to myself at the thought.
I wasn’t that old. Humans were still marrying and settling down in their mid-twenties, plus a decade or so. I grimaced just thinking about it. How had I reached my mid-thirties and remained a virgin?
As far as I was concerned, the blame lied solely on Kelsey Westin.
My parents hadn’t been true mates, so I’d thought nothing of taking Kyle as a mate. But Kelsey had shown me just how much better a true mate could be. Sure, she’d unleashed her unnatural witchy Alpha powers on me and commanded me to stay away from her mate, but it was more than that. I’d seen first-hand the difference it made in their relationship and I wanted that for myself.
Unfortunately, if my true mate were here in Westin Pack, I’d know it by now. That meant if I wanted to actively seek him out, I’d have to travel, or start praying regularly that Westin Force would drag him back here for me.
I grimaced. No, they brought home survivors and victims of horrible things. I didn’t want to even think about something that horrific happening to my mate.
I shuddered at the thought.
No, it was best to think of him off on some exotic adventure somewhere just waiting for me to cross paths with him, just as I was waiting for him.
With a sigh of resolution, I got back to work.
“Okay, who wants to help me for story time?”
Eager hands flew up all around. I smiled, feeling more content with my life than usual and knowing that this was exactly where I was meant to be.
*****
I sat in my car outside the Alpha’s house. I couldn’t believe I had agreed to this. Kelsey had commanded me and that was the only reason I was here, I lied to myself.
A tap on my window startled me. I jumped in my seat.
Shelby was there. She motioned for me to roll down the window, so I did.
“You have to actually turn the car off and come inside for ladies’ night.”
I scowled. “I know that.”
“So why are you sitting out here all alone?”
