Page 12 of Tempting His True Mate
I wanted to run and hide somewhere, but there was nowhere for me to go. I stayed frozen instead, drink in hand, as he came to join me. When he was close enough, he dipped his head low to rumble in my ear.
“I knew it would look beautiful on you, but I had no idea it would drive me out of my mind.”
My thoughts were scattered, and it took longer than I would like to admit to understand what he was talking about. Of course. The dress.
“You bought this for me?” I looked down at the outfit that had given me so much pleasure. Knowing that Gabe had selected it tainted it somehow. I wanted to rip it off my body and throw it into the woods, especially with the way he was leering at me. I didn’t want to give him an ounce of satisfaction. “If I had known it was from you, I wouldn’t have worn it.”
Gabe blinked at my cold words, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Did I really just say that out loud?
“I don’t understand,” he said slowly. “Have I done something to offend you, Ella? Do you not like the dress?”
“This isn’t about the dress. I don’t want you picking out clothes for me. I especially don’t want you in my bedroom or looking at me likethat.” My hands shook, but my voice remained steady. I was really proud of myself for not faltering with him standing so close.
Gabe narrowed his eyes. “I think this is a conversation we need to have in private, mate. It certainly isn’t the type of discussion I want during Mariam’s dinner party, but we will have it there if necessary. You might think that I’m a pushover because you haven’t seen me go crazy like Trace,but that doesn’t mean that you aren’t in danger of being put over my knee for rudeness.”
I felt my confidence falter, but then I reinforced it with some heady indignation. Who did he think he was, trying to boss me around after flirting with the waitress at the cafe? “You have it all wrong if you think I would ever allow that to happen, Gabe. Let’s not ruin Mariam and Trace’s evening and just try to stay away from each other, okay?”
I downed the last of my sparkling water and moved to join Justine, feigning interest in her conversation. I could feel Gabe’s glare on the back of my neck, and every instinct in me was screaming to run back and try to make things right with him, but I remained firmly planted where I stood.
Soon enough, Trace called everyone over to the ceremony site, and I continued to use Justine and Randy as a barrier from Gabe. If they caught on to it, they never said a thing, though Randy was pointedly avoiding any eye contact with me, probably because of our conversation earlier. Usually, I would have been right there with him, but I had more pressing concerns than being hung up on an awkward misunderstanding. Like, for example, the male werewolf on the other side of the room who was getting angrier with each passing moment I ducked away from him.
Trace and Mariam took their places in the center of the platform, with Jeremy standing in the middle between them. Justine and Randy moved to stand on the other side of Trace, leaving me alone next to Mariam. Alone, that is, until Gabe joined me at her side.
“What are you doing?” I hissed at him.
Gabe shrugged. “When Mariam found out that we were true mates, she asked me to stand with you. That’s tradition, I believe. Including siblings and their mates in the ceremony.” He nodded to where Randy stood next to Justine on the other side of the platform.
I struggled to speak and come up with a reason why he shouldn’t be here, but I stopped when I realized that everyone was staring at me. Jeremy raised an eyebrow, and we exchanged a glance.
He was clearly surprised to see me with someone, and I couldn’t blame him. I think everyone in Dark Claw had expected me to die an old maid.
I gave up the fight and shrugged, returning my attention to Mariam and Trace. Jeremy gave a brief rundown of his part, but I wasn’t paying attention. Soon enough, Gabe was elbowing me, prompting me to speak.
Of course. This was the part of the ceremony where I would speak on behalf of Mariam.
“I’m saving it for tomorrow,” I murmured, hoping that would buy me more time to come up with what to say. The fib worked, and they moved on to Justine’s speech to Trace. She must have said something funny because everyone chuckled.
Finally, at the end of the ceremony, Trace and Mariam made their vows to each other. Tomorrow, this would be when they would shift and lead the pack in a run through the woods. Mariam would officially be an alpha of Tumblewild, and I would hopefully be leaving for the airport to buy a new plane ticket and catch the redeye back home.
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The meal afterward had Gabe and me sitting next to each other, of course. We were joined by Justine and Randy and a few of the other male werewolves who turned out to be pack council members. I wondered idly where their females were or if they were unmated males. My wolf couldn’t care less about anyone else at the table. She was desperately trying to find a way to connect with our mate again, almost willing to forget everything that had happened at the diner.
Well, that made one of us, because I wasn’t forgetting anything.
Underneath the table, Gabe’s hand was firmly planted on my leg. I had initially tried to scoot away from him, and for a minute, it felt like he was giving in, but then he changed his mind and gripped the fabric of my dress tighter. I could have put up a bigger fight, but that would have drawn attention to us and away from the happy couple. So instead, we sat in silence with me pretending that I couldn’t feel his thumb caressing my skin, only the thin layer of fabric between us.
Chapter 6
As soon as the dishes were cleared away, I stood quickly and excused myself to the restroom. I was fast enough that Gabe didn't even have a chance to argue, though I had a feeling he wanted to. I ignored the bathrooms downstairs in favor of escaping to my room. I needed space and a chance to think about what to tell Gabe when he inevitably wanted to talk about my sour attitude.
In the corner of the bedroom was a lounging chair. I slumped into it, running my fingers over the intricately carved wooden frame. It was beautiful, and probably really expensive. But it wasn't home, and I missed my living room's outdated, simple furniture. Hopefully, it would only be a matter of hours before I was back in my favorite recliner with a book and cup of tea in hand.
We need to talk with our mate and settle this issue.My wolf was coming to Gabe’s defense again. Or, at least, she was prompting me to give him a chance to explain himself. I sighed, not wanting to argue with her about it.
It was really peaceful in this room, quiet enough that I started to nod off, but then I was startled awake at the sound of footsteps in the hallway. They were masculineand decidedly clipped. Whoever it was wasn’t happy. I jumped as the door handle turned, already knowing who would be on the other side.
“Ella,” he said, my name sounding both like a promise and a threat. “You’ve been gone for a while. Most of the guests are leaving, and I’m sure you want to say goodbye.”
