Once Mated Twice Shy(22)

Jordan woke to the most intoxicating smells. He scented coffee, eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. “Thank God she’s back.” If he had to eat a meal that he cooked this morning, well he was going to puke. She was the cook, he could manage, but it always tasted better when she cooked it. Jordan shimmied into his jeans and pulled a tee shirt over his head as he padded down the hall. His plate with a cup of caramel colored coffee sat on the dining table. He sat down and started to eat. He wondered briefly where she was, Lettie sitting across the table would’ve made this perfect even if she weren’t happy with him right now. She wasn’t around. He wondered if she’d eaten and decided she probably had. He rinsed the dishes and stowed them in the machine when he finished. Pacing the length of the house, she was nowhere. Jordan closed his eyes and concentrated listening to the house. The computer keys were clicking. His wide smile stretched over his face. She was doing the books. Good. Jordan found his boots and went outside to the back yard to split wood. His pile was getting low and winter would come whether he could stay warm or not.

“Holy crap Jordan.” She hissed. Lettie entered figures and tapped the calculator keys then entered her numbers on the computer. “This is BS.” Lettie was getting more and more frustrated with Jordan’s book keeping. He was right, he sucked at this. Lettie rolled her head to stretch her neck. A few hours passed since breakfast and she was getting hungry. Tuna sounded good so she set out for the kitchen. Where was he? She’d expected him to barge in and to try and take over. It amazed her that he’d left her to it. Glancing outside she saw him. Jordan was splitting wood. She watched him. He was poetry in motion. His muscles bunched and writhed under his skin as he worked. His shirt was off and slung around his strong neck, he used it to wipe the sweat from his face. He glanced up and saw her watching him. Lettie turned from the window to make lunch. She didn’t see the grin split his face.

Jordan felt her watching him. He worked harder to show off his muscles. Who was she trying to fool? They belonged together, they always would. She wanted to be a guest. Fine. Guest it was. There was one tactic that he hadn’t tried yet, playing hard to get. His plan formed easily in his mind. He knew his mate. He’d been inside her body, mind, and soul. Lettie would be his again. She wanted him. Her wolf wanted him. He could scent her arousal all over the house. She wouldn’t last especially with him putting himself on display for her.





Chapter Seven




“Summerville Pack, can I have your attention please?” Jordan said from the front of the room. They quieted and watched him. “I understand that there is an issue that requires attention. No one told me what the issue is so I will turn the floor over to Mark. Mark, what is the issue?” Jordan asked. Lettie was alone in the back of the room by herself again. One of these days, he was going to force her to sit in the front. Jordan sat down in the front row to let Mark speak.

“Well.” Mark held his baseball cap in his hands bending the bill. Mark was very nervous. “They pulled my name out of the hat, so don’t think that this was my idea. I am just the messenger.” Jordan’s brow creased and he nodded then crossed his arms over his chest. He took a calming breath. This was not sounding good. He didn’t know what the issue was before the meeting and now he was beginning to worry about it. “I speak for the pack, most of them and this has to be followed by an official vote so anything I say is not law.”

“Get on with it Mark, you have nothing to fear from me.” Jordan said.

“Um…well…Sir…The pack thinks that you are too distracted to be the alpha. You are not marked anymore but your mate is here. We know that she’s rejected you twice but she’s living in the house. It’s very confusing Sir. You spent most of the past month prowling around the grocer to protect her then slept most of the day ignoring your duties. The pack wants you to rescind your position. We will let you stay on as a beta but we think that there should be a new alpha.” Jordan nodded.

“Who is your candidate for alpha?” Jordan asked then stood. “Who challenges me?”

“No one is challenging you Sir. There will not be a fight. We have the right as a pack to ask this of a new alpha if we feel that he is not working out. We feel like your personal matters are taking precedence and we would like for Terry to take the position.” Terry growled. In the short time that he’d been Jordan’s beta, he’d grown to respect him and he nodded in acceptance. Lettie raised her hand in the back. They ignored her. She put her hand down and chewed on her lip.