“I can feel you, Daniel.”
“And I can feel you. We’ll deal with everything else in the morning. For now, I just want to hold and love you.”
She kept her head on his chest staring at the forest floor. The smells and sounds comforted her. Time passed, and throughout it all, Daniel held her. They didn’t speak as words were not necessary. Slowly, she felt her eyes begin to droop as sleep started to claim her.
The next thing Dawn knew it was light, and she opened her eyes to find a rabbit staring at her. She smiled at seeing the cute forest animal.
“I remember a time when rabbits would run away scared of me,” Daniel said. His voice vibrated through her body.
“He’s a cutie pie.”
“If he doesn’t move he’s going to end up in a pie.”
She jerked up and slapped at his chest. “Don’t be rude.” The action finally alarmed the rabbit, and he took off.
Smiling, Dawn looked down at her mate. Blood covered some of his chest from her bite. She’d not been the best marker. Glancing at the front of her body, she frowned. “Ew, I look like I’ve been a round with a vampire and lost.” She looked a mess and hated to think what she looked like in the mirror. There were small bruises on her hips that hadn’t disappeared.
“Our mating marks will last longer. The bite on your neck will remain permanently. The bruises will fade in a few hours.”
“I don’t care how long they last. I love having your mark on my body.” Throughout the night his cock had slipped free of her pussy, but he was newly rock hard. “I think we can start the morning off well,” she said, rubbing his nose with her own.
“I wouldn’t,” another man said, coming from the left. She frowned, trying to place his voice as she didn’t recognize it.
“What is it, Jake?” Daniel asked, pulling her down to him.
“The pack is waiting to meet your mate. They’re all at the house. Also, her cell phone has been going off throughout the night.”
Her cell phone was tossed close to her on the forest floor.
She glanced at it, and it started to buzz. Picking the phone up, she flicked it open to see “Daddy calling” on the screen.
“I better answer this.” She sat on his waist and accepted the call.
“I don’t care what you say, Francie, I’m talking to her,” her father said, talking to her mom.
“Hey, Dad,” she said, staring into Daniel’s eyes. He helped to ease her troubled thoughts.
“Honey, what the hell is going on? I can’t feel you anymore. I don’t understand what’s going on?”
She tucked some hair behind her ear as Daniel took hold of her hand, stopping her.
“I’ve, erm, I’ve found my mate.” She smiled down at Daniel, loving the fact she was mated. “His name is Daniel, and he’s the man I’ve been staying with.”
“What? You didn’t tell me you were seeing anyone. Who is this Daniel?”
“He’s probably some weakling, Don. Let her go.” Her mother spoke up trying to be heard.
“Shut up.” Her father growled at her mother. Dawn winced knowing her mother would find some excuse to blame her. “Dawn, what’s going on?”
“Daniel’s an alpha, Dad. We’re mated, and we completed the mating last night. He really wants to meet you.” She kept her palm over Daniel’s heart, feeling it beat.
“He’s an alpha?” her father asked.
She noticed her mother went silent.
“Yeah, he’s perfect, and I love him.”
Daniel took the phone from her. “This is Daniel. It’s a pleasure to finally hear from you, Mr. Weldon. I’ve got some issues I want to talk to you about.”
“Be careful how you talk to me, boy.”
She listened as her father growled back at Daniel. It was strange hearing her father annoyed or arguing with another alpha. She was rarely around for his anger.
“We’re going to meet. Dawn and I are coming to your pack this afternoon, and we’re going to deal with shit I’m not happy about.” Daniel pressed a finger to her lips to stop her from arguing with him. “Good, I’ll see you there.”
“Why did you do that? Daddy doesn’t need to know what’s going on.”
“As far as I’m concerned, he needs to know. What if she’s hurting other members of the pack? She kept you quiet, and you’re the only daughter to the alpha. You don’t know what she’ll do next.” He cupped her cheek then kissed her lips. “Come on, we’ve got to get out of here.”
“I brought you some clothes. You both look like you stepped out of a horror movie.” Clothes landed on the floor beside them. Jake sounded close by.