The Mating(26)

“Would you like to come along when I go to see him?”

“Sure. I’m almost done here. It will be good to meet some more of the pack.” She rinsed her hands while staring blankly at the wall, wondering if she’d see the red sports car parked somewhere. If so, she could pretend a casual interest in the make or model and that might lead Kane into revealing who owned it. He wouldn’t have to know the real reason she was interested.

She sensed Kane straightening up from his position against the door jam and walking over to her. Lightly, he put his finger under her chin and guided her around until she was facing him. “You seem to be avoiding looking at me, Elise. Why?”

“No reason.” She prevaricated, darting her eyes everywhere around the room except towards him. “I’m just busy with the laundry.”

For a moment Kane seemed to consider her answer. Opening his mouth as if to speak, he paused. He stroked her cheek with his finger. “There’s a cut on your face.”

“Oh!” Elise quickly moved her hand upwards, knocking his aside, and covering the cut. He hadn’t mentioned it earlier on, apparently more interested in other parts of her anatomy. She’d forgotten it was there.

“I didn’t notice it earlier. What did you do?” He brushed her hand out of the way and examined the cut, his breath warm against her face. Elise felt her heartbeat quicken again in response to his proximity.

“I...I must have scratched it on a branch or something when I was out earlier, looking around the yard.”

“Hmm... It doesn’t look like a scratch to me—it’s deeper than that, more like a puncture wound. Are you sure you just got too close to a branch?” The weight of his stare forced her to look at him. Kane gazed down at her, his face passive, his eyes unblinking.

Elise felt herself waver under his intense scrutiny. The wolf inside her screamed for her to confess, but she didn’t want to. Gathering her courage, she boldly pushed past him, grabbing the pile of folded laundry and walking towards the door. “Of course I’m sure. It’s nothing to fuss over.” Inwardly, she trembled. Turning your back on the Alpha and walking away when he’d asked you a question wasn’t done without some form of retribution, but she needed to get away. Kane was too close, too compelling, and she wanted to keep her thinking clear.

“Elise!” Kane growled a warning and she stopped, slowly turning around. Her mouth had gone dry and she felt a frisson of fear in her belly. So far Kane had only been kind to her; his dominant Alpha personality hadn’t been directed at her before. Now, she was getting a taste of what made him the leader of the pack. The expression in his eyes was cold and stony, seeming to bore a hole right through her and leaving her in no doubt as to his displeasure over her actions. She clutched the laundry to her chest as if it were a shield and raised her chin slightly, exposing her throat in an age-old sign of submission.

Licking her lips, she replied shakily. “Kane, it’s nothing; just an unfortunate accident while I was outside. Why don’t you get something to eat; I’m sure you’re famished since you weren’t here for breakfast. I’ll put these away and be back in a few minutes. Then you can show me where the infirmary is and introduce me to Thomas...” As she babbled on, she used her eyes to plead with him not to make a federal case out of it. For some reason, she didn’t want him to know about the sports car. It was her problem to solve. She had to be able to hold her head up around these people and not always be taking refuge behind her mate.

Kane continued to glare at her for what felt like ages and she was sure he was going to press her for details, but then he seemed to rein in his temper and sighed loudly. “Fine. I’ll meet you at the back door in fifteen minutes.”

Giving a sigh of relief, she started to leave but he spoke again and she froze.

“Elise? Don’t make it a habit of pushing me too far. You might not like the results.”

She gave a quick nod and ran upstairs, thankful for the reprieve she’d just been granted.





Chapter 8





Once she was in the bedroom, Elise dropped the laundry on the bed and flopped down beside it, staring at the ceiling. It had been a foolish move on her part, refusing to tell Kane about the sports car, but at the same time, it was such a minor thing. She needed to show him that she wasn’t a complete pushover before he took it into his head to walk all over her.

Taking a calming breath, she tried to figure her mate out. As she’d just witnessed, he was definitely in control and not one to put up with insubordination. He was strong, dominant, and cool; he hadn’t raised his voice at all, but his message had been as clear as a bell. On the other hand, he hadn’t forced her into submission either, giving in to her silent plea that he drop the matter. That must indicate he had some consideration for her and was willing to allow his pack members some autonomy.