Read Online The Mating by Nicky Charles - Free Book Online
Authors: Nicky Charles
Tags: Erótica, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Adult, Werewolves, Werewolves & Shifters, Romantic
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Dark Ages, but they did tend towards the traditional. “Thanks, that makes me feel a bit better. I just hope everyone else here feels as you do.”
“It will be fine. You’ll find your feet, soon enough.” Kane hadn’t said much yet. Now he reached over and squeezed her hand. She was surprised at the comfort the gesture seemed to bring.
“She’ll find her feet a lot faster, if her mate spends some time with her.” Helen pointedly looked at Kane and he grimaced.
“Yes, mother.” He replied with mocking subservience. Helen threw a roll at him, which he promptly caught and bit into. “Thank you. How did you know I wanted more?” Helen scowled at him and the others burst out laughing.
The rest of the meal progressed in an easy, affable way and Elise felt herself relaxing around her new pack mates. Even Kane seemed approachable, gently teasing her and laughing as she boldly replied with snappy come-backs. She found herself enjoying his company and felt some hope for the future. Maybe she and Kane could eventually become friends, at least.
Dessert was just being served when the phone rang. John excused himself to get it, but returned quickly, his face grave. “Kane, we have a problem. Thomas was out patrolling the far edge of the property today. Julia just called to say he never came home and she can’t make a mental connection with him.”
The table fell silent and Elise looked around at the grim faces, wondering what was going on. Kane set down his cup firmly and stood. “Call Franz and Michael. We’ll set up a grid and go searching. I’ll meet you at the edge of the woods.” He turned to go then paused, looking back at Elise. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Nodding, Elise got up and followed him out of the room. Once they were by themselves, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Elise. It’s your first day here and all I’ve done is ignore you. I have to go but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“It’s okay, but what’s wrong?”
“Thomas, one of the wolves that was assigned to patrol the perimeter of the territory, never came back from his shift. He’s recently mated and there’s no way he’d be late getting home. Last week, we found a whole line of traps along the area he’d have been in. Possibly the traps were reset and he stepped in one.”
Elise paled, thinking of her mother. “I hope he’s all right.”
“Me too.” Kane stared off into the distance, frowning, squeezing her shoulders tightly. She winced at the pressure.
John popped his head in. “Franz and Michael will be here in five minutes. I’m heading out to the tree line.”
Kane nodded then looked down at Elise. “Carrie and Helen will take care of you. Ask them if you need anything.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss and then left.
Elise made her way back to the dining room and joined the other two ladies in clearing the table and putting away the leftovers. It had been a pleasant meal and she was sorry it had ended so abruptly and on such a down note. She’d never thought about how busy her father was as Alpha but now she was seeing a whole different side to the job. Maybe Helen was right and Kane would have to set up ‘office hours’—not that she was sure how much time she wanted to spend with him, but since they were mated for life, developing some sort of relationship with him would be a necessity.
After cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes, the three women sat down to watch TV in the new recreation room downstairs. Large overstuffed chairs circled the high-tech flat screen and a fire was burning cheerily in the corner taking the chill off the room. Elise declined the honour of controlling the remote and Carrie flicked through the channels before finding a favourite show.
At first, Elise tried to concentrate on the drama unfolding on the screen but found her gaze drifting more and more towards the other two women. Helen and Carrie kept shooting each other
“It will be fine. You’ll find your feet, soon enough.” Kane hadn’t said much yet. Now he reached over and squeezed her hand. She was surprised at the comfort the gesture seemed to bring.
“She’ll find her feet a lot faster, if her mate spends some time with her.” Helen pointedly looked at Kane and he grimaced.
“Yes, mother.” He replied with mocking subservience. Helen threw a roll at him, which he promptly caught and bit into. “Thank you. How did you know I wanted more?” Helen scowled at him and the others burst out laughing.
The rest of the meal progressed in an easy, affable way and Elise felt herself relaxing around her new pack mates. Even Kane seemed approachable, gently teasing her and laughing as she boldly replied with snappy come-backs. She found herself enjoying his company and felt some hope for the future. Maybe she and Kane could eventually become friends, at least.
Dessert was just being served when the phone rang. John excused himself to get it, but returned quickly, his face grave. “Kane, we have a problem. Thomas was out patrolling the far edge of the property today. Julia just called to say he never came home and she can’t make a mental connection with him.”
The table fell silent and Elise looked around at the grim faces, wondering what was going on. Kane set down his cup firmly and stood. “Call Franz and Michael. We’ll set up a grid and go searching. I’ll meet you at the edge of the woods.” He turned to go then paused, looking back at Elise. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Nodding, Elise got up and followed him out of the room. Once they were by themselves, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Elise. It’s your first day here and all I’ve done is ignore you. I have to go but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“It’s okay, but what’s wrong?”
“Thomas, one of the wolves that was assigned to patrol the perimeter of the territory, never came back from his shift. He’s recently mated and there’s no way he’d be late getting home. Last week, we found a whole line of traps along the area he’d have been in. Possibly the traps were reset and he stepped in one.”
Elise paled, thinking of her mother. “I hope he’s all right.”
“Me too.” Kane stared off into the distance, frowning, squeezing her shoulders tightly. She winced at the pressure.
John popped his head in. “Franz and Michael will be here in five minutes. I’m heading out to the tree line.”
Kane nodded then looked down at Elise. “Carrie and Helen will take care of you. Ask them if you need anything.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss and then left.
Elise made her way back to the dining room and joined the other two ladies in clearing the table and putting away the leftovers. It had been a pleasant meal and she was sorry it had ended so abruptly and on such a down note. She’d never thought about how busy her father was as Alpha but now she was seeing a whole different side to the job. Maybe Helen was right and Kane would have to set up ‘office hours’—not that she was sure how much time she wanted to spend with him, but since they were mated for life, developing some sort of relationship with him would be a necessity.
After cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes, the three women sat down to watch TV in the new recreation room downstairs. Large overstuffed chairs circled the high-tech flat screen and a fire was burning cheerily in the corner taking the chill off the room. Elise declined the honour of controlling the remote and Carrie flicked through the channels before finding a favourite show.
At first, Elise tried to concentrate on the drama unfolding on the screen but found her gaze drifting more and more towards the other two women. Helen and Carrie kept shooting each other
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