Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Greg laughed. “Is it? He pulled her hair because he liked her hair, not to actually pull it to hurt her?”
“It’s soft hair. Gorgeous even, and she is always wearing it up. Don’t you think he should have, you know, stopped it?”
Again, Greg chuckled.
He wasn’t finding this funny. Not even a tiny bit. He was in fact, getting more annoyed with every passing second.
“Dude, you only do that to girls you like. Anyway, I butted in. What were you actually going to ask me?” Greg asked.
Klaus could totally get rid of his body. Claim that Greg ran off, that he wanted to go and experience nature.
“It turns out after all of this bullying, she is his mate.”
“Oh,” Greg said.
“Oh, what is oh about it?” He didn’t see the revelation, if it was even a revelation.
“Don’t you get it?” Greg asked.
“Get what?”
“He liked her before the mating. It’s rare for it to happen, but some mates have this … connection even before their first transition. Feelings build up.”
Klaus couldn’t recall any feelings whatsoever.
So why did you stand so close to her?
Why did you always look for her in the hallways?
Why did you always follow her home without her realizing it, just so you could admire her ass?
He’d done many things Poppy wasn’t aware of. He’d figured he was just a fucked-up alpha-to-be.
Now though, he had to wonder, was he doing it because they were, in fact, mated?
No, it couldn’t be possible. Could it? He doubted it.
“Perhaps you’re wrong. Perhaps he’s an asshole and deserves to have his nuts crushed,” Klaus said.
He didn’t want Poppy to crush his balls. Just the thought of it was enough to make him wince.
Greg snorted. “Come on, it’s late and we better be heading back.”
“What’s the rush?” Klaus asked.
“Your guys’ party, man. It would be rude for me not to show at an appropriate time. Also, I want to be there to walk Poppy home.”
“You mean Anna.”
“Oh, no, my father’s with Anna.”
Klaus paused and watched Greg walk a few feet in front. “What?”
Greg stopped and turned to him. “My dad. He likes Anna. She’s a nice woman. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah, she’s nice. So nice.” Klaus agreed. In fact, he knew that Anna was a sweet woman, and from what his dad had said, she had lost everything with her mate protecting him. With how he felt about Poppy, and they’d only known of their mating for a short time, he couldn’t imagine living without her.
How did Anna cope?
Was it because of Poppy?
Did she keep on going because of her daughter?
He was a fucking prick.
“Will your dad visit often?” Klaus asked.
He knew his father wouldn’t mind being friendly with the other alpha, but he doubted he’d allow there to be constant visits, and certainly not allow another alpha to live here.
“Oh, no. He’s hoping to convince Anna to move to our pack.”
“What about Poppy?” There was no way Poppy could leave the pack.
“I believe he will enjoy having Poppy as a daughter. He always wanted more children, but unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. He only has me.”
No. Hell fucking no.
There was no way Poppy could leave the pack. He needed to talk to his dad and stop this entire fucking plan. Poppy couldn’t leave.
He didn’t voice a single thing he was feeling. Instead, he walked with Greg, trying to keep the panic from his steps, which was proving even harder to do.
You fucked up.
You bullied Poppy.
Now she might leave.
Leave you behind without even completing a mating.
Klaus didn’t want to go to another pack.
What could he do though?
They made it out of the forest within a few minutes. The town was already busy. People milling around, drinking, enjoying each other’s company. This was all good news. Inside, Klaus was falling apart.
His mate.
Leaving.
He just couldn’t think about it.
He spotted her across the street, walking out of the shop. Anna stood with Lionel. The older woman laughed at something he said, patting his arm with affection.
Even Poppy looked entertained.
She couldn’t leave him, but he didn’t have a clue what to do to keep her around. This was a nightmare.
“Are you okay, Klaus?” Greg asked.
“Yeah, fine. Totally fine.”
They walked toward his mate, and she looked up, presenting Greg with a smile, and then turned to him. Did her smile dim a little when she looked at him?
He couldn’t handle this shit. His wolf wanted to claim her. To fuck her so freaking hard. To cover her in his scent, but he fought that battle.
She couldn’t leave. There was no way he could let her.
Chapter Seven
Poppy stared at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a beautiful dress. Pastel pink, with flutter sleeves, and it ended at just below her knee. A button-up bodice and a flared skirt. Her mother had bought it for her.
She also kept her hair down. Running a brush through her long locks that curled down to her back, she stared at her reflection, and nerves struck her.