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

“I guess he’ll be surprised when he sees you guys, huh?” Carl smiled over at him.

“That’s the plan.” Jake nudged his shoulder against Carl’s.

After a few minutes had passed Carl spoke again. “This probably isn’t the best time but I want you to know something.”

Jake turned his attention from the house to his mate. He wasn’t quite sure he wanted to know what Carl had to confess. “Baby, you don’t have to tell me anything that you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” Carl rushed to say. “If we’re going to be together I want you to know the truth.”

Jake looked longingly into his mate’s eyes and could see this was something his mate felt he had to do.

“There was a time I thought I was in love with Tobias.” Carl ran his fingers over the brown grass in front of him. “I let him have me when I was barely sixteen. I was young and stupid. I thought he really cared about me.” Carl stopped moving his hand and sat there motionless for so long Jake started to get concerned. “I remember Tobias before he became the alpha. He’d come visit my family and have dinners with us. He was so polite and caring. No one would have guessed what type of person he truly was.”

Jake had to bite his tongue to keep from howling out his frustration. His own father might have been a hard man to live with but he never abused his power as alpha. Just thinking about Tobias ever laying a finger on Carl had him seeing red.

“When I was locked up in that cage he put me in, there were times I wished we could go back to the way we were before he became so possessive. After my parents died all I wanted was to be happy.” Carl tore at the grass and the blades broke free from the ground. “Makes me look pretty pathetic, doesn’t it?”

“No, it doesn’t.” Jake took Carl’s hand in his. “You would have done anything to save your brother and yourself. It’s only to be expected to make deals and bargain for that assurance that you will be safe.”

Carl leaned to his side and rested his head against Jake’s shoulder. “But I still feel like an idiot. You can’t make a crazy person see reason and Tobias didn’t negotiate. He wanted absolute obedience at all times. Looking back now it’s fair to say he’s a complete dickhead.”

Jake jerked his head to the side. His shy little mate had never once used a derogatory word when describing Tobias. Jake started to laugh. “Yes, your ex-alpha is a complete and total dickhead.” He kissed the side of Carl’s head and his mate beamed under the affection he gave.

“Since you shared something with me, I’d like to share something with you,” Jake said. He had a feeling what he was about to say would make his shy little mate very happy. Carl looked at him with big eyes. “You are the first man I’ve ever kissed or touched in a romantic way.”

“Really?” Carl’s mouth fell open. “But you’re so good at it.”

“Thanks.” He leaned forward to kiss the tip of Carl’s nose. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m no virgin. I’ve dated my fair share of women but never a man.” He shrugged. “Sure I’ve flirted with guys before but something always held me back. As I think back on it now maybe it was because I was saving myself for you.”

His words must have struck a chord with Carl. Carl’s eyes began to weep and his chin trembled.

“Baby, please don’t cry.” Jake tried to bring Carl closer to him but in the position they were lying at made it a little difficult. “I didn’t say that to upset you.”

“I know.” Carl’s voice cracked. “It’s just a really nice thing for you to say. I just wished I had waited.”

“Carl, it doesn’t matter what happened in the past because, baby, I’m your future and that’s all that matters now.” Before Carl could respond Jake captured his pouty lips in a deep kiss. A whine left Carl’s lips and sent a vibration clear down to Jake’s toes.

He believed what he told Carl. Yesterday and the day before that were all in the past. There were things that couldn’t be changed and on some level Jake wasn’t sure he’d want them to. Everything happened for a reason, or so his mother always told him, so in some way maybe they both had to go through all this crap to find one another.

As the kiss lingered on Jake lost track of time. He became consumed by his mate and his needy little whimpers. He wanted nothing more than to strip Carl naked and make love to him right out in the open but he knew that would be wrong. Carl deserved more than that. No matter how loud his wolf howled in his brain to claim his mate again, Jake ignored those impulses. They both had gifted each other with the mating mark and for now that would do. Once this situation was dealt with he planned on making their first time together one of the most romantic things Carl ever experienced.

“Did you hear that?” Carl pulled back and climbed to his knees.

It took Jake a moment to catch on to what was happening.

“Oh my god, that’s Casper!” Carl shouted as he took off running. Jake lay there dazed as his mate shifted and took off down the hill toward the alpha’s house.

“No,” he whispered as he shifted to his knees. “Carl, stop!” he said louder, trying to get his mate’s attention. But the brindle-colored wolf didn’t stop. Jake lunged for Carl’s hind legs but the wolf was too fast. Just as he scrambled to get up a heavy weight landed on his back, pinning him to the ground.

“Be quiet,” Holden whispered close to his ear. “They need to think