Mate Marked(35)
Roman and most of the pack had already left for work. Roman had left her a coffee can vase filled with wildflowers.
Erika was sitting outside by the campfire, with the children. Several of the children’s parents had come to join them for breakfast. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Roman had told her that they always left at least one pack member at the camp site to watch over their stuff during the day. They used to leave the camp empty, but odds and ends had started vanishing from their camp. They’d scented a human having gone through some of their tents after their stuff was stolen, and hadn’t wanted to deal with the human authorities about it. Instead, they just took turns guarding the site.
Today was Marcus’ turn. He was glancing around the camp site at the kids and parents with a wince of dismay on his face.
He grunted a greeting, and handed her the cup of coffee.
“Morning,” he muttered, and walked off without bothering to pour himself a cup.
“Yes, it is,” she said to his retreating back.
He grunted a greeting and handed her the cup of coffee.
“Morning,” he muttered, and walked off without bothering to pour himself a cup.
“Yes, it is,” she agreed.
“Good morning, Aunt Chelsea!” Pansy called happily.
“Oh, so it’s auntie now, is it? Yesterday I was lunch,” she said, settling down next to the little girl.
“Sorry about that—she’s still got those puppy teeth,” said the woman sitting next to Pansy. “I’m Rosie. It was lovely for my husband and me to have a night off. Did it work? Is Roman going to turn himself in?”
“Apparently not.” Chelsea sighed. “And these tiny terrors don’t scare the pack at all.”
“Hey! I am very thcary!” a little boy with a lisp said indignantly. “Benjamin thaid I thcared him when I howled!”
“You are scary,” Chelsea agreed with a somber nod.
“Roman’s a stubborn one.” The woman shook her head. “Well, I guess we’ll have to take the little monsters back, then.”
This was met with yips and groans of disappointment from the cubs, but after breakfast, the parents shepherded their reluctant children back to the schoolbus, leaving behind Chelsea’s car, which they’d driven up there for her.
Erika stayed behind to help Chelsea clean up. Marcus came to join them, but resisted all efforts at drawing him into conversation, answering only with grunts when they spoke to him.
“Do you think Leland really actually likes me?” Erika asked Chelsea. “He keeps talking to me. A lot. Like he likes me. But it’s hard to believe that a guy actually likes me. Maybe he just likes me as a friend.”
Before Chelsea could answer Erika, they heard the sound of an approaching car. The car was driving towards the campsite.
“Who is that? Is this another one of your tricks to arrest Roman?” Marcus growled at her.
“Uh, nope. I’m all out of tricks,” Chelsea said, shaking her head.
The car parked, and a woman climbed out and began heading towards them. She was voluptuous and stunning, and had long, wild dark hair. Her painted-on jeans accentuated her slim figure, and her red lycra top plunged deep, displaying her cleavage. She walked with the smug confidence of a woman who knew how beautiful she was.
When she reached the clearing, she paused for a moment, looked around, and then her gaze lighted on Chelsea. She walked straight towards her.
“So, you’re the whore who’s been sleeping with my mate,” she smirked at her.
She gestured at her neck. There was a mate mark there, clear as day.
“Mate?” Chelsea echoed faintly, as Erika let out a threatening growl.
“Yes, as in, the woman he’s committed to for the rest of his life.”
“I know what being mated means,” Chelsea snapped, scrambling to her feet. Erika joined her. “Don’t hit her,” she added to Erika.
“I wasn’t going to hit her hard,” Erika muttered, glowering at the woman. “I probably wouldn’t have broken any bones.”
“Helen,” Marcus growled, folding his arms across his broad chest. He didn’t look too pleased.
“Holly,” the woman corrected him indignantly. “I’m the Alpha’s wife. Get it right.”
“Is she really his mate?” Chelsea asked Marcus, her stomach clenching. She thought she’d be sick. She’d slept with a man who was already mated? Roman, the king of no commitment, had mated a woman—and it wasn’t her?
“He never mentioned it to me.” Marcus didn’t look entirely convinced.
“Nobody mentions anything to you, because they’re all too busy trying to avoid you,” Holly said scornfully. “Bad vibes. Please call my dear mate and ask him to come greet his wifey. I’ve missed him.”