Page 43 of Auctioned Mate

“Stop poking around in our minds.”

“It’s hard to ignore when it’s being broadcasted.”

I ran my fingers over my head. “I’m doing no such thing.”

Yet again, it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility. Strong emotions had a way of manifesting in the world. That was the way unresolved feelings worked.

“Juriah, why don’t you get some air or something?” he suggested. “I can hang back. Watch the house. Keep her entertained.”

I spun around to face him. “You’ll keep your distance from her.”

Realizing I’d yelled at a friend, I fixed my posture to be less threatening and more welcoming. I tugged at the hem of my shirt a few times, trying to find the right words.

“She has requested extra space,” I explained. “Just be sure to honor that.”

“I won’t sleep with her, Juriah.”

Anger snapped me out of my friendly demeanor. “Why would you say that? I’m not a possessive prick who is trying to mark her or something. She’s not mine. Do as you please.”

“I see. So, if she asked me a favor, one that involved me pleasing her, you wouldn’t mind?”

I struggled with where to put my hands. “Well, that’s not what I said.”

“If she wanted, say, a foot massage—no opposition there?”

“No,” I squeaked. I cleared my throat a few times while keeping my gaze level with the trees. Anything else would make me feel out of control. “No. She doesn’t belong to me. She’s not my property.”

He hummed in a way that annoyed me. “No, but if you wanted to claim her—”

“That’s barbaric, Izzy. What a concept!”

“You could propose to her or something.”

The thought hadn’t occurred to me, though it appealed to me in many ways. This realm treasured marriages. They adored the ritual of proposals, engagement parties, and weddings. Such a thing wasn’t beyond my scope of desire, but it shouldn’t have been a consideration at all since our circumstances weren’t exactly ideal.

“Would that keep her safe?” I shook away my curiosity. “No, it doesn’t matter, Izzy. Stop putting ideas in my head. Go watch her. I’m heading into town.”

His chuckles trailed after me as I marched away from the house. I resisted the urge to turn back to him, to say something, to act as Macy would with a sharp click of her tongue and a lash of words. Then again, wouldn’t it be liberating to allow myself such freedom?

Perhaps that explained her treatment of me.

Regardless, she wouldn’t be my problem today. She’d be Izdor’s problem today.

And I couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or not.

Chapter 16 - Juriah

Wolfcreek flowered with life as I parked in the community lot near the park. Light gleamed out of shop windows, children freely shifted and ran about, and a few vendors were set up on the corner selling something that smelled absolutely heavenly. As I locked my truck and turned to the street, I noticed how different it felt during the day.

My isolation had sped right past me. Just a couple of weeks ago, I had been with Galanthia and Izdor inside a tavern with various species drinking to their hearts’ content. It had been that same length of time since I had visited Wolfcreek, having been too occupied with Macy’s comfort at home.

Other than the handful of trips to the community center inside Silverdawn territory, I hadn’t strayed particularly far from my home—or Macy.

I felt empty without her. With so much life around me, so much care and contentment, it felt odd not to share the moment with my little wolf. And truly, I had come to think of her as mine in certain ways. Perhaps not in the possessive way most earthlings on this plane would claim, but mine in a fond expression.

Little wolf, I thought.What have I done to anger you?

The question carried me to the nearest vendor. I purchased a couple of pastries glistening with otherworldly spices and then took them with me as I wandered up the street. At the roundabout sat a large fountain with a few cement benches surrounding it and plenty of trees. Once it was safe to cross, I jogged over to the fountain and sat down, absorbing the warmth that emanated from the seat beneath me.

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