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)
There were no private booths, and only a few tables, with a couple of chairs. She didn’t like how intimate it seemed, but she grabbed the first one she could find. After easing out a chair for Greg, she dropped down into her seat, and then waited.
“This is nice,” he said.
“Yeah, it is. I’m starving. Shall we order?” She grabbed one of the menus and lifted it in front of her face. Everything was good on the menu. She always struggled to pick what to eat.
“Poppy, are you okay?”
“Yeah, of course, I’m okay. Totally okay.” She lowered her menu only to catch sight of Klaus walking past the café, and she immediately lifted her menu, pretending to look.
Say something.
You’re going to seem like a crazy person.
“Er, have you decided what you’re going to order?” She tried to peek around her menu. Greg was looking at her strangely, and of course, someone had decided to stop Klaus right outside of the café windows. He was also facing her.
Why did this have to happen?
“Do you need me to read the menu to you?” Greg asked.
She dropped the menu and frowned. “Huh?”
“You’re holding it close. Do you need glasses?”
“Oh, no. I mean, I used to, but not anymore. No glasses for me. My eyes are A-okay.”
Klaus had spotted them, and now, she waited as he made his excuses, and of course, he stepped into the café.
Seeing him and his naked body aroused her, and she hoped no one could tell. This arousal was so … embarrassing.
“Hey, guys, what do we have here?” Klaus asked.
She heard the edge in his voice. “Greg offered to take me for breakfast. I wasn’t there this morning to eat, and I didn’t get any food.” Her stomach chose that moment to growl.
“You know, I’m starving as well.”
“You are?” Poppy asked. “Didn’t your father make you a big breakfast?”
“I can still eat.”
Klaus approached another table and asked them politely if he could take the chair. No one declined him. He had charm when he needed it, and at that moment, Poppy hated him just a little bit. “Don’t you have other things to do?” Poppy asked.
“Nah. My dad won’t have a problem with me spending some time with our pack, and of course our guest pack. I heard there have been a couple of unions,” Klaus said.
“There have. We’re very grateful that you allowed us to visit,” Greg said. “A couple of males have found their mates, and I do believe there have been a few … agreements.”
“Agreements?” Poppy asked.
“Yes. Some have found a mutual attraction and have made agreements to stay together. To mate and to marry. We’re all very hopeful,” Greg said.
Poppy chuckled. “Of course. I’m so happy for you.”
****
Klaus couldn’t recall ever being so violent. He was strong, and if the situation called for it, he had no problem taking care of it, swiftly and deadly.
Greg was not the enemy.
Greg was a guest within the pack.
Greg was having fucking breakfast with his mate.
But he couldn’t allow that to cloud his judgment.
Poppy was amazing. He had no doubt everyone would like the opportunity to be with her. To mate with her. To fuck her.
Even now, sitting with anger simmering beneath the surface, all he wanted to do was grab Poppy’s hand, take her to the nearest bed, and claim her. Put all stops to this foolish behavior where she felt they couldn’t tell the world about their mating.
Klaus kept his ass firmly in his chair. His father knew. By the end of the day, his mother would know. He’d be lucky if the whole pack didn’t know soon. Even though his father had promised not to push. He understood Poppy’s … doubts.
It had made for an uncomfortable conversation.
Klaus hated being in the wrong. There was no way he could hide from what he’d done though.
His father was pissed at him, and he had every right to be pissed at him.
Ordering some pancakes and coffee, Klaus sat back and was more than grateful for the table separating Poppy and Greg. His legs were also between them. He felt Greg’s knees on one of his legs, and Poppy’s on the other.
They were all silent.
He knew what Greg had wanted to do, but he wasn’t going to sit back and allow this man to play happy pack with his mate. Not that Greg knew poppy was his mate. Annoyance washed over him.
“So, Klaus, how is it going for your friend?” Greg asked.
Klaus turned his gaze away from Poppy and looked at the man opposite him. “Friend?”
“You know, the one who had been bullying this girl only to discover that she was his mate. That friend.”
Shit.
Fuck.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Poppy tensed up.
“He’s handling it.”
“Handling it? That doesn’t sound very … nice. How do you handle being a bully and then making it up to his mate?”