Wolverton by Julie Steimle (best romantic books to read TXT) 📕

Chapter Twelve

Rick seemed to stumble out the door. He walked from the boardroom through the building with the same two wolves who had brought him there. He was more than sure the pack would make plans on how they would handle the hunter. And as for his other objection, that situation was still entirely up to him. Daisy and what he did with her was his choice alone.

Walking from the building, the man-wolves nudged him then offered to give him a shirt and pants to wear. Kindly, he accepted, thanking them.

Once dressed, Rick wandered over to the porch where he had scrubbed potatoes the afternoon before and sat down on the bench to think. The young men were already gathering wood for the bonfire, carrying it down the road in front of him. It was still quite sunny out, fully into the afternoon, but definitely not near sundown. He was sure the parade would start again soon, everyone gathering for the final feast and hunt. But Rick wished the day was over already.

His anticipation for the hunt was clouded by the knowledge that he had gotten Daisy pregnant. That old she-wolf was most likely correct. He could feel it. He was also oppressed by the passions inside him urging him to seek her out and make absolutely sure of it… that is, to finish the job so there was no question she was going to bear his child.

He saw Wilk walk by. Wilk’s eyes watched him, and the he-wolf shook his head once he completely passed. Others also watched him as they hauled wood, a degree of questioning in their gazes.

And then the one he dreaded the most to see walked up the road, a searching expressing on her face as her eyes raked over the street. That she-wolf whom he was so inescapably drawn to quickly spotted him, recognizing his scent, then came toward building. Rick’s heart raced like jackrabbits fleeing being dinner as she approached, staring at Daisy when she halted on the lower step looking afraid to approach him. Yet he could see she also yearned to run up and embrace him as one as keenly drawn to him as he was to her. They stared at one another for the longest moment, that distance between then, breathless.

“We’re in a public place,” Daisy said, holding herself back. “I won’t try anything.” She took another step up. “And I don’t think you will either.”

Nodding, Rick gestured for her to come. This was stupid. He had to resolve this now.

Daisy walked up to the porch then over to the bench and sat next to him with a meter-wide space between them. She didn’t quite look at him, her eyes averted and her cheeks pink.

They didn’t say anything for a while until Rick whispered, “I talked with the elders. And they admitted they encouraged even you to…”

She exhaled, nodding. “Ok. I admit it. I was doing what the elders asked us to do.”

He stared at her. “Why? Was that story about you wanting to go to veterinarian school all made up? Were you waiting for me under there in that… hiding place?”

Closing her eyes, she lowered her head. “Can I explain? Or are you going to just get mad at me?”

Upset, his heart still pounding as she even now stirred in him a desire to forcefully lay with her, he said, “Go ahead.”

So, meeting his gaze, Daisy explained. “Yesterday morning, when the elders asked for volunteers, they said you were not only alpha stock and a mingled soul wolf, but you were also were offering scholarships for the pack to send their young ones to college. But their condition to allow us to participate was for us to help you find a mate so you could stay with the pack. They desperately want you to stay.”

“I can’t stay,” Rick groaned, exasperated.

 She nodded. “I know. I figured that out yesterday.”

“When?” he asked, his eyes narrowing on her. His whole body trembled, being so close her yet not touching her. He so wanted to touch her, but he was terrified at the same time.

With a sad shrug, she replied, “When we were talking under the porch. My original plan was to entice you and see if we were a good match. I did my research on you, you know,” she confessed. “I did a web-search on your name and found Middleton High’s digital yearbook.”

He raised his eyebrows. So they did have internet.

“Honor Roll student,” she sighed, reciting. “Varsity Basketball team. Member of some Medieval Club. And you were hanging around with the weirdest collection of boys north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Your best friend is a guy named Andy or Andrew—and you, him, and this girl are in a lot of pictures together.”

Rick nodded sighing. Their online yearbook was packed with pictures of the Medieval Club of which Rick was more of an honorary member than a full-fledged member as he really wasn’t into sword play or any of that other medieval stuff. That was his buddies’ thing. Swords kind of freaked him out.

“Who is the girl?” Daisy asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Chuckling, Rick said with assurance, “My best friend’s girlfriend, Jessica.” Though to be honest, he didn’t dare tell Daisy about the small crush he had on her. Daisy had that jealous streak which he could tell was a little dangerous. It was also flattering that she liked him that much.

Daisy blinked her beautiful eyes at him, registering that he had not mentioned Jessica in their conversations yet. She nodded. “Well, anyway, I also looked at all the tabloids about you. And that girl Selena is really beautiful. I couldn’t imagine how or why you turned her down. But you did. That’s when I realized that you were eccentric, intelligent, and not the kind of guy who is impressed with overt come-ons and flashy clothes, as that Selena seemed to be throwing it around a lot.”

Rick laughed, nodding. He thought about Selena, who was three years his senior and had been attracted to him. He had always thought it was weird. “She was trying…”

Daisy sighed softly. The sound of her voice was almost hypnotic. “I am sorry if I wasn’t as forthcoming as I should have been. But… just like you, after just a little time I found myself irresistibly attracted. And it took everything in me to resist you.”

He stared. His heart pounded. His body yearned for her.

“That was why I handed you off to Kurt yesterday,” she explained.

He stared more.

“I couldn’t control myself, and I wanted for us to be friends before… before any of that took over.” But then Daisy weakly chuckled, shaking her head. “I should have known neither of us could resist. I should have taken you back to the barbecue after hunt. Only…”

“Only what?” he breathed out, leaning nearer and not realizing it.

She gazed deep into his eyes. “Honestly, I didn’t want it to end. The hunt. The night. The moment. Normally I go back for the barbecue. It’s just…” she breathed heavily, “I wanted to be with you.”

He kissed her.

And though she kissed back, she resisted and pulled away, just enough, shaking her head. “I don’t want you to do anything you will regret. I am sorry about last night. I see I allowed it to happen…”

But he kissed her again, unable to resist her smell. Her softness. He wanted to be part of her.

She pulled back again, breathily whispering, “Rick, I will be honest. I want you entirely, but I don’t want you to look at me like you have been and regret making love with me. Those two times when you pulled away, then ran away, killed me. And I know you did not mean to hurt me, but—”

He kissed her again—then jerked back, breathing heavily as he rested his head on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I can’t control it. I try so hard but…” He swallowed for breath.

She kissed him again then leaned near his ear, whispering as her luscious scent filled his nostrils to an overpowering degree, “If you come with me right now, you know what will happen. If you do it, do it because you want to. And don’t run away this time. Know this is what I want, damn the consequences.”

Under the thunder of his heart, his hormones howled for him to join her wherever she wanted to go, to do whatever she wanted to do. But he whispered with last bit of resistance he had left, “But if you get pregnant…”

Her soft laugh was like the Pied Piper’s flute as she said, “I don’t think I can get more pregnant that I already am.”

Those words sunk into him.

She then took him by the hand. His fingers interlaced with hers, unresisting. He didn’t want to let go. He wanted her. And he forgot why he shouldn’t. All he knew was that he had already gotten her pregnant and his body still wanted her. She took a tentative step towards the front steps. And he followed, going with her.

So she led him down the steps, his feet willingly following. She took him across the road. Tamed, hungry, and desperate to have her, he went with her. He wanted her. He needed her. He didn’t even know how he had ever lived without her. She was the only thing in his universe now. And he followed Daisy through town past everyone—all the partiers, all the she-wolves, all the staring and laughing faces whose chatter was like muted background noise. Hopeful eyes of neighbors and concerned citizens tracked them as they walked through the town together Even past Mrs. Blithe who appeared sad as she gazed at them from her front porch with little Luko in her arms. None of it had any effect on him. He was completely owned. His mind had only one focus. Daisy.

They went all the way through town, past all the dilapidated ghost houses and up to a pitiful looking, bleached two story house. Daisy led him straight through the front doors into the house and then in to a set of stairs. She led him up. He didn’t stop to see where they were. He didn’t care where they were. All he cared about was that he was alone with Daisy and he wanted to be part of her.

She led him down a hall on the second floor into a room and closed the door behind them. His eyes faintly took in his surroundings. It was a girl’s room with pink and white blankets on the bed, shabby wallpaper, stuffed animals, and three pillows. Daisy turned to him with a gentle kiss, then began to undress right in front of him. His heart boomed. The sight of her beautiful soft bare curves set more than just his heart thundering with desire. She then helped him undress, sliding her hands up his shirt and over his chest to remove it. As she lifted his shirt over his head, charged with excitement, he helped her quickly remove the rest of his clothing—nearly mauling her with heavy kisses before he could finish.

She pulled apart just an inch, and whispered those intoxicating words, “Do this only because you want to. No running away.”

“No running,” he