Page 12 of Tolerated By the Sigma (Mate Hunt 7)

She relaxed slightly at my explanation. “That’s a little better, I guess.”

I nodded, leaning back against the seat as we left the townhouses behind. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I admitted. “I didn’t think I was going to have a werewolf mate, let alone one who didn’t want me.”

“I’m sorry.” Del’s hand landed on mine, and squeezed lightly. “This is probably not what you wanted to hear, but it hasn’t been very long. You both need some time to wrap your heads around everything. Finding a mate when you aren’t expecting to is pretty overwhelming.”

I supposed she was right about that.

Maybe space would help.

Or… maybe it would just piss me off further. Only time would tell.

FIVE

RYDER

I paced the living room,fighting the snarling wolf within me. I didn’t usually try so hard to keep him under control, but I knew exactly who he’d go to if he got free, and that I had been an ass to her.

My brother was threatening to break the door down outside, but he had his kid in his arms, so I knew that wasn’t a real threat.

The wolf pushed harder, trying to surge forward and take over.

A snarl escaped me, and I shoved him further away, pushing him harder.

Another voice joined Rocco’s outside, and then the door came crashing in.

Damn them.

Zed and Elliot flew into the house with the door, crashing into each other. June and Lizzy were behind them, both looking concerned, and Lizzy holding a wiggling toddler in her arms.

“What the hell, Ryder?” June barked.

She flashed Lizzy an apologetic grimace, but Lizzy waved it off.

“My wolf is still trying to take over,” I snarled at the lot of them.

There was a beat of silence, and Lizzy finally set Evan down when he nearly got himself dropped with all that wiggling.

He scrambled over to me, but I didn’t let myself pick him up; I didn’t want to hurt him if and when my wolf succeeded.

“Did it occur to you that maybe Charly could help you with that?” June demanded. “The men’s wolves are always calmer around us.”

“It occurred to me that I had no way to know whether or not the bastard could accidentally kill her.” I tried to calm myself for the thousandth time, and failed yet again.

“Let’s be logical for a minute here,” Lizzy said calmly. “When did he start fighting you?”

“When she was naked in my arms and I wasn’t fucking her.” The words came out snappier than I intended.

Elliot growled, “Watch your language around my kid.”

I raked a hand through my hair, pacing faster. Evan was pacing with me at my feet, and I was taking care not to step on the little squirt. “Sorry.” I felt like shit for that too—add it to the fucking list.

“Your wolf is probably afraid the same thing that happened last time will happen again, right?” Lizzy checked.

I jerked my head in a nod. “Probably.”

“So logically, he’s fighting you because you aren’t doing anything to claim her.”

June threw in, “If Zed shot me down after I propositioned him, and I walked away pissed with him, his wolf would take over and chase me. I don’t think your wolf is losing his mind; I think he’s being a wolf who’s chosen a new mate.”

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