“Why didn’t you have anything else to eat?” At Hunter’s angry tone, I look up at him to find him frowning at me, so I shrug in reply as I stretch out my hand and snatch a roll off the table.
“I was busy.” Hunter stretches around me and takes two paper plates from the table; he walks over to where the meat is and starts to pile meat onto the one plate. He then places the plate on the table and fills the other one with different items. When he is happy with his selection, he takes both plates before looking at me.
“Come,” he calls as he inclines his head to a secluded area behind the food tables. When Hunter reaches a tree stump a few meters away, he stops. “Let’s sit here while we eat.” He waits until I’m sitting and then places the plate full of meat on my lap. “Eat,” he orders as he takes the seat next to me.
After eating a few bites of the meat, I realize that he isn’t having any. “Aren’t you eating?” I ask.
“No, that is for you. I don’t like it that you haven’t eaten. I will make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
“I can’t eat all of this. It’s way too much. I thought you were sharing with me,” I say, only to have him looking at my plate and then back at me.
“That’s not too much. You’ve hardly eaten,” Hunter says. “I won’t have you hungry. What kind of mate am I if I can’t take care of you?”
“I’ve managed to take care of myself for all these years. I think I can feed myself.” I find it endearing that Hunter is worried about me not eating, as I have never had anyone except my parents when I was young worrying about my welfare. I feel Hunter’s finger under my chin as he turns my head towards him until we are looking at each other.
“You are my mate. I will always take care of you.” He leans forward and kisses me gently on the lips. “You need your strength for what I have planned for later,” he quips with a twinkle in his eye. Before I can answer, he looks away from me and then smiles.
“You have it.” I turn my head to see King approaching.
“Of course. I don’t want any fighting today,” King says as he comes to a stop before us. Only now do I realize that he has something in his hand as he hands it to Hunter.
“Thanks, King,” Hunter says, and then turns to me, lifting something up in his hand. “I said I had something for you. Here, put this on.” I look at the black piece of leather in his hand before taking it. I bring it up to my nose in pleasure at the smell of leather before opening it up to see a kutte. It is similar to the one the guys use, but much smaller to fit me. Turning it around, I raise my eyebrow at the words under the logo of a wolf head howling, with the words Wolverine MC above it, and then Property of Hunter below.
“Property of Hunter?” I ask.
“When you wear the kutte, no one will try their luck, as they will know that you’re taken,” King says from where he’s standing. I nod in reply, and then trying not to spill the food on my lap, I slip the kutte on. The leather is nice and soft as it slides up my arms. The fit is perfect once on.
Looking at both men, I smile. “Thank you. It’s perfect. I love it.” King smiles and then turns slightly as he looks at the far corner, most probably sensing something. Hunter is grinning in pleasure, his eyes filled with pleasure as he looks down at my body in the black leather kutte.
“Everyone will know you belong to me now.” I have come to realize that for Hunter, it is important that everyone knows that I’m his, and I know that it’s an instinctive reaction from him because of his wolf. I know that I would have had a problem with it from anyone else, but from Hunter, I am happy to be his, and more importantly, I’m happy that he’s mine too.
“So, when do you get the wording on your kutte saying that you belong to me?” I see him frowning at my question, knowing that bikers don’t get their woman’s name embroidered on their kuttes, but curious to see what he says.
“I am yours, babe. The reason you have those words on your kutte is for protection, but if you would feel better if I had that on my kutte, I can get it done.”
“You would actually get it?” I ask, surprised that he would do it.
“Of course. You are my mate. Why wouldn’t I?” he asks with a frown.
“It’s okay. I don’t need you to have it on your kutte. I was just teasing, as I didn’t think you would get it done.”
“Dakota, finding our mate is the best thing that can happen to any one of us, and I have no problem letting everyone know that you are mine and I am yours.” I feel my stomach fluttering in reaction to his words. To know that Hunter feels the same as me, that he feels like we are one, is exhilarating. Even at the beginning with Jason, I never felt like this, this oneness with someone. I know that he has explained that we are meant to be, that we are what they call soulmates, and I have to confess that I was a little sceptical, but as time passes, I have also come to realize that what I feel for Hunter, the way I feel with Hunter, is different, unique.
I can’t believe that after what isn’t even a week, I love this man. At the thought, I feel like a vice is tightening my heart, but I know it’s true. I never thought love would come this fast. I have always expected that to love someone, you need to get to know the person, and with time, love grows, but this is different. It’s like my soul knows him, like I am in the right place at the right moment and with the right person.
I see Hunter lowering his head to kiss me, and I smile, but then he stops and sits up straight, his head turning to the same place King had looked. Only now do I realize that King is no longer with us. “What’s wrong?” I know something is wrong by the way he has tensed.
“There are Hades men here.” There is anger in his voice as he looks around.
“What are they doing here?”
“Don’t know, but King, Goliath, and Frost are with them.” I look around, trying to see them but can’t.
“Where?”
“Look at the far side of the house. They’re near the treeline. Can you see them?” I look at the far side and at first can’t see anything. Then, just as I’m about to look away, I see a shadow and realize that those shadows in the darkness are the men.
“How can you tell who’s there? I couldn’t even tell it was men, it’s so dark there.”