His Perfect Mate [Nehalem Pack 6] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) by AJ Jarrett (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📕

“Holden, you don’t have to come with us. I’d totally understand.”

“No way are you ditching me.” Holden smiled. “We’re in this together for better or worse.”

“Oh would you two please stop talking about dying and did you just quote marriage vows?” Seth shook his head. “Maybe Carl should be worried about how close you two are.”

“Fuck you,” Jake snapped. “I take my mating seriously as well as my friendships. Aren’t you the least bit worried that something could happen to Holden? I thought he was your friend, too.”

“He is and he knows that I care about him.” Seth glanced at Holden. “But he also knows I’m not controlled by my emotions like you bitches are.” Seth shouldered his bag and turned to walk toward where Carl stood. “Let’s go!” he shouted over his shoulder.

“How did you ever become friends with that guy?” Jake asked Holden. “He’s a dick.”

“True but he’s my dick.” Jake squinted his eyes at Holden who blushed. “Not like that. Jeez!” Holden punched him in the arm. “We’ve been friends for a long time. He hasn’t had an easy life so I overlook his dickish behavior.”

“Ladies,” Seth called out to them. “Are you done changing your tampons? Because we really should get going before it gets dark.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “I hate him.”

“Yeah he brings out that emotion in a lot of people.” Holden started to laugh. “But he’s right. Let’s get going.”

Holden and Jake walked over to where Seth and Carl were. They took the path that led up a tall hill. Jake looked back toward the parking lot one more time then followed behind his friends. Darkness would be upon them soon and he didn’t want to be caught out in the open just in case Carl’s pack was out hunting for him. Jake had no desires for himself, his mate, or his friends to become this fucked-up pack’s prey.

Chapter Seven

Jake brought up the rear. Carl walked in front of him and Jake could hear his mate’s deep intake of breaths. He sped up to walk beside him. Carl’s face was flushed and perspirations dotted his forehead and dampened his hair. The hike was grueling but not enough to make a person be this exhausted so soon. They’d only been walking for a little over an hour.

“Carl, are you all right?” He rested a hand at the small of Carl’s back and could feel the heat coming off his mate through his clothes.

“Just a little winded is all,” Carl huffed out.

Jake took off his pack and pulled out a bottle of water. “Here take this.” He pushed the bottle into his mate’s hands.

Carl took a long drink then gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Jake slowed his pace so Carl didn’t feel like he had to strain himself to keep up. “So you want to talk?” Jake cringed internally at how lame he sounded. Being around Carl made him feel so insecure.

“About what?” Carl asked.

“I don’t know.” Jake shrugged his shoulders. “How old are you?” he blurted out.

“I’m twenty.”

Twenty! his mind screamed. “You’re just a pup.”

“Hey!” Carl tapped the half-empty bottle of water on Jake’s upper arm. “You don’t look much older than me.”

“Well thank you. I appreciate the compliment but I’m actually twenty-five.” He grinned down at his mate.

“Still that’s young.” Carl started to stumble and Jake reached out a hand to steady him. “So do you have any family?” Carl asked.

“Yeah, two brothers. Cole’s the baby and my twin’s name is Josh. He was born a few seconds before me so he likes to think he’s the big brother.”

“You have a twin?”

“Yep and we’re identical.”

“What about your parents?” Carl asked.

Jake walked in silence for a moment before he could answer. His dad had only died a few months ago but it still stung. He took a deep breath. “They’re both dead. My mother died when I was little. She was hit by a car and my father passed away a few months back. Another alpha abducted him and when we went to get him back a fight broke out. He was shot while trying to protect Cole.” His throat began to burn with unshed tears. “My dad might have been a hard bastard to live with but he loved us.”

“I’m sorry.” Jake jerked in surprise when he felt Carl’s warm, thin fingers entwine with his. “I guess you and I have a lot in common, huh?”

“I guess we do.” He wanted to squeeze Carl’s hand but was too afraid his skittish mate would pull away. “Do you remember your parents? I know you said you were only eleven when they died.”

“I do.” Carl stepped closer to him. “I can still remember the scent of my mom’s hair.” His mate took a deep breath as if smelling something. “Lilac. She loved lilacs. She also had this long and flowing hair. The long golden strands were always so soft and shiny. When I was little I’d twirl my fingers in it over and over again. God, she was beautiful,” Carl said wistfully.

“And my dad was the best. He spent all his free time playing with Casper and I. He worked as a mechanic in town and the drive was an hour each way but he made sure if he got home late to at least tuck us into bed and read us a story. We didn’t have much but we had each other.”

They walked in silence, still holding hands, for a bit. He caught Holden looking over his shoulder at them. His friend looked down to where Jake and Carl’s hands were connected and smiled.

“As more time passes I’m afraid I’ll forget them,” Carl said in a near whisper that Jake almost didn’t catch what he had said.

“You know, I use to think that way about my mother after she died. That I’d forget her smile, the sound of her laugh, the way she felt when she would hug me, even the way she looked.” Jake closed his eyes