chapter 33

Mika sighed. “Fine. So long as you’ve got a handle on it. I won’t say anything. Please, don’t let this get so far that you have no choice but to leave.” Her sister held her even tighter. “I can’t lose you, too.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

life.”

“We’ve already lost so much. We have to stay together. Build a new “You’re not going to lose me.” She couldn’t guarantee it, but she couldn’t stand to see her sister upset.

Mika left her alone and she stared up at the night’s sky and the canvas of stars that had enchanted her since childhood.

Her sister had been so warm while all she felt was the cold. Her mother had felt this before the heat had hit. When that had happened, the only man who’d been able to satisfy her was her mate, her husband.

Heather knew exactly when the changes began in her body. It was when she met David. Her body wanted him even though her mind wasn’t quite ready to take that leap.

“Please don’t let it be the start of mating heat.” She didn’t know what would be worse, a rejection of the pack or the mating heat. Both of them sounded awful to her.

She gave the sky one last glance and decided to head back to the house.

Caleb and her uncle were in plans to build a brand-new property for them. If more wolves were to join, it wouldn’t take long for the main house to be overwhelmed. Currently, she shared a wing of the house with her uncle and Mika.

Heading back, she came to a stop when she saw David jump out of a truck. In the back, she saw lots of brown paper bags.

She didn’t want to be rude to him and so she approached, arms folded. “Hi,” she said.

David jerked around and dropped the keys and the bag within his grasp.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” She quickly crouched down and started to pick up the cans of food that had fallen.

“It’s nothing.”

She quickly placed them in the bag.

David smelled so good—an earthy, musky scent that was all male. It reminded her of her runs in the forest.

“How have you been? We live together and I don’t see you around,” he said.

“I’ve been helping Bethany and my uncle out.” She’d been avoiding everyone at all costs. It was easy to be around Bethany. Being a human, she didn’t have the same senses as the rest of them, so she didn’t feel judged.

Caleb had tried to talk to her about David, as did Reese and Brian.

Then of course, her uncle had also tried to encourage a mating. All their words and attempts had made her too nervous.

She lifted up a packet and smiled. It was her favorite brand of vegan cheese. Placing it into the pack, she felt this glow from within.

For the past week, she’d felt this coldness, and with one block of cheese, it faded. Not good.

She scrambled to her feet and took a step back, looking at David, who inhaled deeply. The hairs on her arms and the back of her neck seemed to stand on end.

“We’re going to be having a cookout in a couple of days,” David said. “Right.”

“I got you some tofu blocks. I’ve been looking at ways to cook with it.”

She frowned. “You know how to cook?”

“No. I … yes, I can cook for you. There’s no reason you can’t be involved in the cookout. I even got a separate grill.” He offered her a smile.

They were all so nice to her. Finding ways to include her—especially David.

“Thank you.”

“I don’t mind, you know. You being a vegan.”

“Great.” This was why she was never good in many settings. She sucked at socializing.

****

I don’t mind you being a vegan? “Ugh, what the fuck was that?” David slammed the groceries down onto the table. It was the last bag. Heather had already helped and disappeared.

He’d offered to put everything away.

She’d been so skittish. She was always like that around him. No matter what he did, she always looked for an escape route. How could they be destined for each other if she couldn’t fucking stand him?

“Is there a reason you’re talking to yourself?” Brian asked. “Or have you gone off the rails?”

He hadn’t seen Brain enter the kitchen.

“No. I’m fine.” He started to put the food away.

They had all gone into drawing straws when it came to food shopping, but he’d been keeping a close eye on Heather, and had started to see what she liked. The food that put a smile on her face.

He’d also been researching all the brands to see what was vegan and not. Her stay within the pack was important to him.

Even though they seemed to work really well at avoiding each other, he did believe they were in fact mates.

He felt something before she even came to their pack. Back in the forest when they were fighting the rogue bear, he felt the pull to Heather. How could a mating be one-sided?

“I saw Heather helping you.” “Yep.”

“Where is she?”

“I told her I could handle it.”

“Dude,” Brian said, picking up another vegan brand of butter with a raised brow. “You have the perfect opportunity here to show your support, and you let her leave? You could have looked like a king here.”

“It’s not about that. I want her to be happy in the pack.”

“Because she’s your mate. How long has she been staying here?” Brian asked.

David nearly answered but pressed his lips together. “I don’t know.” “Bullshit, you know. We all know that you know.”

Heather had been with them a little over six months. During that time, she’d gotten close to Bethany, but no one else.

She tended to keep to herself. When he asked her sister, Mika had said Heather had always been a little different. An outcast within a pack.

Her uncle avoided the topic.