Max turned towards his mate, who was staring at him wide-eyed.
"Mate?" It was a simple word, but it subdued the atmosphere considerably.
Cayden cleared his throat. "It would seem the two of you still have some things to sort out. And put some clothes on. I'll see you in the office as soon as you are done here."
He walked away.
And Kylie was forced to look up to catch Max's gaze as he tried to avoid hers. "Do you have something you want to tell me?"
"I may have forgotten to mention something. Let's start by getting dressed." He hurriedly took her inside his room and framed her face with his hand.
Seeing her alarmed expression, "Don't be concerned. It is nothing bad. I just didn't want to worry you. You already have a lot on your plate."
"I can take it." She blurted.
"To make it easier to understand, you could call it partner or husband. A shifter can detect its partner by scenting. Humans do it subconsciously as well, but not nearly as well as we can. The more compatible you are, the better someone smells. Of course, there is a physical attraction, but mate is more about compatibility and soul connection. Then, if you're lucky, you come across someone who smells absolutely divine. You realise there will be no one more perfect for you. Your mate."
"I understand what a mate is." She interrupted abruptly. "I live among werewolves. I am well-versed in your species. But why did you use the term mate just now?"
"You're my mate. I knew it the moment I smelled you in the woods. Since then, I've been looking for you. I attacked that camp because of you. We would have destroyed it anyway, but you made it more urgent. My life's goal is to keep you safe and happy."
She scrutinised his eyes for any signs of deception, and after a few seconds of silence, she straightened and gave him a strange look. "Are you saying we're soulmates?"
He gave her a curt nod, lifting his shoulders in a half-shrug.
"I apologise, but there is nothing I can do about it."
She suddenly felt faint, and a spell of dizziness forced her back into his arms.
"Are you all right?" Max inquired.
"I... need to eat," she explained.
"Shhh," he whispered. "We'll take care of everything. Rest."
Kylie closed her eyes. It was the only way she could shut out the chaos.
Max tried to move as quickly as he could without injuring her further. He was so focused on claiming her as his mate that he forgot about meeting her basic needs. After sleeping for so long, she was bound to be hungry.
"I need to report to the Alpha, and I've instructed the girls to get you some food and clothing."
"Please stay here." He said this while taking a shirt and jeans from the closet. "Don't go out by yourself. You are a human, and the wolves here are unfamiliar with your scent. They might misidentify you as an intruder."
"Do you mean Alpha Cayden?" She inquired while lying in bed, watching him. As he drew on his shirt and pants, it covered his delectable body one by one. It was like watching a male performer do a reverse strip tease.
"Yes, Cayden is the Alpha, and I am his deputy. This is my room," he said, motioning to a door." That's the restroom. I hope to see you soon."
"When will I be able to see my brothers?" She inquired.
"After you've eaten something," Max replied.
She nodded and stood there, watching him walk away. After all, this place wasn't so bad.
Max passed an Omega on his way and put in a request for food and clothes to be brought there. Max hoped they would hurry. Then he contacted his sisters to be with Kylie. He didn't want to have to worry about other males near her at the moment.
********************
Kylie was contemplating getting out of bed when the door burst open and three girls walked in. The third one was pushing a trolley which smelled delicious. All of them were absolutely stunning. As an exotic dancer, Kaylie had seen her share of beautiful women, but there was something different about shifters. They were all tall, athletic and had a natural grace. Their movements were so fluid and effortless, as if they were one with their bodies and the world around them. Kaylie couldn't help but feel mesmerised.
"Hello," the pretty girl with blond hair said. "I am Maya and this is Annie. We are your sis.... I mean, we are Max's sisters."
"Hello." Kylie responded. She was suddenly self-conscious. It was strange meeting Max's sister naked in bed. They must be assuming Max and she have already done it!
"I thought I would check up on you. How is everything?"
"Fine, thank you," Kylie said.
"You are so pretty!" The third girl, who looked barely 18, gushed. "Sam told me all about you."
"How do you know Sam?"
Kylie was surprised to hear Sam's name from the new girl.
"Oh! He is very concerned about you. Your brothers are all concerned about you. That is why I came here to see you and assure Sam that everything is fine. Hello, my name is Millie Brown, and I'm Sam's mate!"
"Sam's mate?" Kylie gave a quick blink. Sam was the youngest and most inexperienced. To think that her younger brother had found his soulmate. It was amusing.
"Wow! It looks like I have a lot to catch up with," she said.
"We'll tell you everything, but first you must eat something and get into these new clothes. We won't disturb you anymore," Annie said.
"Or could the four of us eat lunch together?" Kylie suggested. Everyone agreed with Kylie's suggestion. They spent the next hour enjoying their meals and telling her all about the pack.
************
"Your mother will die."
Selena's mind kept replaying the words. What was she expected to do? A war was brewing, and all packs would be affected. Would she be able to bear the burden of responsibility for so many deaths? She rubbed her temples as she gazed out over his garden. The rain came down hard and fast.
It was a cloudy and miserable day, but the air was fragrant. She had a thing for rain and storms. Her mother would frequently be irritated because she would leave the house in the middle of the night to play in the rain. Thinking about her mother brought a fresh spate of tears to her eyes.
She remained on the back stone steps, her arms around her knees, admiring the view.
"What are you doing out here?" Cayden asked, invading her thoughts.
She turned to see the man himself, who was dressed in jeans and a grey shirt.
"No. I enjoy watching the rain."
\Her mouth watered as his masculine scent hit her. She stood up and went outside into the downpour. She spread her arms wide and spanned in a circle. She leant her head back, closed her eyes, and submerged herself in water. It felt wonderful. She wished for it to continue. She heard movement after a few seconds had passed.
She opened her eyes to see him moving deliberately in her direction. She didn't move at all, unsure of what he was doing. He got close to her, wrapped his arm around her waist, dug his hand into her hair, and then pressed his lips into hers.
"Kiss me back." He commanded.
Her tongue reached out to touch his as she hesitantly pressed up against him. He did not require any further persuasion to rob her mouth and intensify the kiss. He suppressed her whimper. Cayden released her just as swiftly as the kiss had begun. Selena tugged at his shirt. Fabrics tore under their combined needs, buttons spattered.
Cayden startled her by taking her in his arms as the rain pelted their skin. As he carried her through to the house while she whimpered, she embraced him and held on for dear life.
"Cayden, let me go. I can walk."
He wouldn't let her go. She could not fight against the body, which was made entirely of muscle. He carried her up to his en-suite bathroom, and she had no choice but to remain in his arms. She watched him as he ran a bath, added some salts, and tested the water while he had her perched on the lid of the toilet seat. He stopped the water flow, grabbed her, reached to tear off her shirt.
"I can do it myself." She said, quickly grabbing the hem of her shirt.
In a single motion, she undid her tee. She had skipped putting on her bra. When she heard him gasp, she wondered why. There was nothing he had never seen before. She then pushed down her shorts along with her panties and lowered herself into the warm bath. He had stood there motionless, watching her. She looked up at him, expecting him to join her. But he didn't. He simply smiled and continued walking away, leaving her alone with her thoughts. This was worse. She preferred the old Cayden, who would torment her at every turn. At least it was easier to hate him, but she did not know how to deal with him. She closed her eyes and relaxed, listening to the gentle splashing of water.
"Natasha, I told you to contact Zac for the extra ammunition. What happened?"
Selena's eyes opened wide as she heard him speak from the bedroom suite.