“So that’s what you’ve been doing? Getting to know her?”
“Yes.”
“And what have you learned?”
“She’s the one. And she wants to be the one. And her grandmother’s business with our old alpha, that’s their business and has nothing to do with us.”
A growling noise moved through Elden at that, a sound I found impossible to analyze.
“Alright then,” Elden said, nodding.
“Baby… now about you see if you can grab some towels for the pack?” Way asked, shooting me a smirk, knowing how uncomfortable I was with all the nudity.
I went ahead and rushed into the house.
Sure, I knew that if I was going to be around the pack a lot, I was probably going to need to get used to all the nudity. It was just, you know, shocking, is all. We lived in a very fully-clothed society. Nudity was almost always reserved for intimate partners.
I would adjust.
Until then, I would buy some extra towels since every one in the cabin save for the two in the hamper, were being handed out to Way’s pack to wrap around their waists.
“Can I, ah, get you guys some coffee?” I asked, shifting on my feet under their intense inspection.
I suddenly understood why Way had decided to keep me secret for a while. I didn’t know them well, but I could see the expectation and hope in their handsome faces.
They saw me as the future of the pack, and I couldn’t help but feel a little, I don’t know, judged. Even if that wasn’t their intention.
“Tell you what,” Way said, moving over to me. “How about you guys head back to the house. Catch a couple hours. And then I will bring Maribelle there later to meet everyone.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Elden said, nodding. “I’m Elden,” he said, reaching a big hand out to me. “The alpha of the pack.”
“Maribelle. It’s nice to meet you,” I said, trying not to shrink away from the penetrative way he was looking at me.
“You too,” he said, finally letting my hand go, leaving me to open and close it to ease the sting as he and the others turned and walked toward the woods.
“You okay?” Way asked, his arm going around me, pulling me to his side.
“Yeah. That was, ah, intense. Especially Elden.”
“That fuck has a gaze that can see right through you,” he said, nodding.
“He really does.”
“And you are everything he has always wanted since he knew he was the alpha of our pack. So he’s looking especially hard at you.”
“Oh, great,” I grumbled.
“Not like that, baby. He’s not judging you. I think it’s more that he’s… trying to understand what to look for. If that makes any sense. But he doesn’t need to. He will know it when he feels it. I sure as hell did.”
“Who was it that you were fighting with?”
“Garrick,” Way answered. “My best friend.”
“Right. I always pounce on and nip at my best friends too.”
“It wasn’t personal. I came in hot because you were screaming and scared, but as soon as I saw them, I knew. But he needed to learn a lesson for snarling at you.”
“I shouldn’t think that’s as hot as I do,” I admitted.
“Oh yeah?” he asked, his hands already going down to sink into my ass, dragging me up against him.
It wasn’t long before we were both stark naked on the front porch and he was slamming inside of me from behind.
Hard.
Deep.
Soon enough, though, until he was grabbing me, turning me, and slamming me back against the house before surging inside of me again.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he growled, his hand framing my face, watching me as he drove me up to that edge, then sent me crashing down from it.
“Everything changes now, doesn’t it?” I asked a while later as we made our way to bed, exhausted, needing a reset before we went to meet back up with his pack.
“What do you mean?” he asked, watching me with furrowed brows.
“We can’t hide away here all the time anymore,” I clarified, turning away from the bed and going toward the closet, wanting to grab something I’d been working on each time he went out for a run.
“We can be here as much as you want. But I think you will like hanging out with the guys. That wasn’t the best introduction. They were worried and then… caught a little off-guard. They’re a good time. And it is nice to have others to rely on. I know you’re not used to that. But I think you will like it if you give it time. What do you have there?” he asked as I started to turn with it in my arms.
“Your quilt,” I told him, giving him an unsure smile before spreading it out in front of me.
It wasn’t anywhere near as good as my grandmother’s quilts, but she’d had so many years of practice. I was just starting out. I had to keep reminding myself of that as I worked on it.