The Run (SAMPLE)

C h a p t e r T e n

She rolls her eyes. “Your family. What are they like?”

“Oh. Well my father is Alpha so he’s often busy. We usually don’t have much contact outside of the Beta-Alpha relationship due to his responsibilities. My mother…” Rae sees an adoring smile come over his face, “Well my mom is one of those doting moms.”

“No siblings?” Rae asks with a smile echoing his.

“An older brother but he didn’t get the shifting gene. He decided to take up the more business side of the pack by running the construction business. He still lives on the pack land though with his wife.”

“One sibling.” Rae sighs dreamily. “Must be nice.”

“Not when you’re the youngest.” Colton huffs.

Rae laughs loudly before turning around so she’s laying on her back on the dock. Her head is in his lap as she looks up at him with a comfortable sigh. She feels her body relax into the position when his fingers start brushing through her hair. Closing her eyes at the blissful sensation she tries to come up with another question. When a thought occurs to her though she frowns.

“Colton?”

“Yes?”

“Where are you staying?”

“At the Alpha’s house, unfortunately.” He grumbles, his fingers still moving through her hair absently.

Rae nods while biting her lower lip. She’s considering offering to let him stay at her house. That way her siblings can get to know him and he can get to know her in her own space. She doesn’t want to come off as clingy or demanding of his time though. He could have things he has to do back at the Alpha house and she also knows that she has Cleo to deal with in the morning. Still she feels her wolf stirring restlessly in her mind at the idea of having him so far away from them.

“Colton?”

He laughs a little before grinning down at her, “Yes?”

“Do you want to stay at my house tonight?”

Colton’s smile falls and he begins scrutinizing her face. Silence fills the already quiet darkness around them and Rae starts to fear she may have overstepped her bounds. She opens her mouth, about to retract her question when he speaks up.

“I don’t want to pressure you into anything Rae.”

Rae frowns, “What do you mean?”

Exhaling steady he runs a hand through his own hair while looking out at the lake. “I don’t want you to feel that just because I’m your mate and you accepted me that you have to do anything…intimate with me.”

“Intimate?”

“Yeah…you know…”

Rae grins up at him and lets out an uncharacteristic giggle. “Oh I know what you mean, Colton, I just wanted to see you get uncomfortable.”

He gives her a dirty look, “Yeah well I hope you enjoyed the show.”

Lightly hitting his chest she gives him a scolding glare, “Lighten up. I was just trying to have a little fun, party pooper. I know you wouldn’t force me to do anything and I don’t feel forced to do anything. I just know both of our wolves are going to be whining all night if we separate now.”

“Good point.”

“Those are the only kind of points I have.” She quips back with a smirk.

“Clever.”

“Always.” She teases before sitting up so she’s face to face with him. Looking into his eyes she can feel her heart speed up in her chest. “I don’t want you to leave me just yet.”