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Raina woke from her nap still wrapped in Harry's arms. She was completely naked but so cozy and warm. This was the best nap she'd ever had.
She giggled when she ran her foot over his calf and discovered his jeans and underwear tangled around his ankles.
He squeezed her. "You got me so worked up that I forgot to step out of them." He kissed the top of her head and then rolled to his feet. He reached down and pulled up his jeans. "I'm glad you woke up. I'm starving."
Her stomach rumbled. "Me, too."
"I've got some venison stew."
She moaned. "That sounds delicious."
He smiled, his eyes performing a leisurely stroll over her naked form. "I'll warm it up while you get dressed." He picked up his t-shirt and put it on.
"Oh, yeah." She peered over the edge of the bed at the remnants of her clothing. It'd been hot in the moment, but she didn't have that large of a wardrobe that she could allow him to destroy her clothing on a regular basis. "I'll just find something else to wear and be right down."
He nodded.
She hadn't put away any of her clothes yet. They were still in her suitcase at the bottom of Harry's closet. She briefly considered taking a shower, but found that she liked being covered in Harry's scent. She dressed casually in a pink t-shirt and jeans.
Harry was placing the bowls of steaming stew on the table when she got downstairs. Her stomach rumbled at the mouthwatering aroma.
"You're a really good cook." She said after her first mouthful.
He shrugged. "Only when it comes to meat."
"I don't know. Your pancakes were so light and fluffy."
"Okay. I do well with meat and breakfast food."
She smiled. "Let me get this straight. You're an excellent cook. You're as patient as the day is long. You're a pushover when it comes to family. Are you sure you're the Alpha of your pack?"
"And I'd do anything for you."
Warmth stole over her cheeks. "And you're sweet."
"The 'a' in Alpha doesn't stand for asshole. I hate to disillusion you, but don't fit me for my halo just yet. We're a peaceful pack. I don't often have to assert my dominance. Ordering people around, micromanaging, only leads to discontent and restlessness. But I do demand loyalty always... and submission when needed."
She nodded. "Like during mealtimes."
"You should be thanking me. My brother may be small, but you'll starve if you count on him to leave you anything but scraps."
Raina laughed. "He is not small."
He shrugged. "Maybe not to you." He finished his stew and stood. "How about a walk? I'd like you to see our land."
She liked the way he said our. "I'd love to."
Once outside, Harry led her to the back yard. A large circular area had been cleared. There were a couple of wooden picnic tables under the trees. On the back patio, there was a gleaming stainless-steel grill. She didn't know much about grills, but she thought it looked expensive. It was certainly big.
Harry linked his fingers with hers. Raina couldn't recall holding hands with anyone since high school.
She followed him as they reached the edge of the clearing and he continued into the woods. "Does this part belong to you as well?"
He nodded. "To us, yes."
The trees weren't so dense that they had difficulty traveling through them. Pine needles littered the ground. Light filtered through from above, but the shade made it much cooler in the woods. Snow from their last storm a month ago lingered in the shadows and at the bases of the larger trees.
Raina suddenly realized that she wasn't wearing a sweater or a coat and she was still comfortable.
"I'm not cold." She said, the surprise apparent in her voice.
"Werewolves run hotter."
"Then why do you own a coat?"
"To blend in." He said with a shrug. "The more our differences are apparent, the more frightened humans will be of us. Most of us just want a peaceful existence for ourselves and our families. In that way, we're very much like humans."
They continued on for some time in silence.
Raina gradually became aware of the various scents. The strongest, naturally, was Harry as he was right next to her. As the other smells reached her nose, she began to decipher them. There was the earth, the pine trees, the animals... She felt as if she tried, she could easily follow their trail.
"Something went that way." She pointed to her right.
He nodded. "A deer. They're plentiful here. I caught the one I used for our stew."
"A deer." She repeated, committing the smell to memory. As they walked on, she asked, "Does all this land belong to you? Us?" She glanced back.
Their cabin was no longer visible through the trees and hadn't been for some time. She estimated that they'd been walking for about twenty-five minutes.
"For about another acre or so. We like space to run. The land that abuts ours belongs to my friend Isaac's family. We're welcome there as well. If we keep going this way, we'll eventually run into his house."
A light rain began to fall and turned her face up to catch the mist. "I could smell the rain coming, but I didn't know what it was."
He raised his face and sniffed. "We should go back."
"Why? I love the rain. And it's light." She supposed she should be more concerned about the frizzy mess her hair was going to become, but she needed to wash it anyway.
"It is for now. There will be a downpour soon." The return walk wasn't as leisurely. Harry hurried her along.
By the time they reached the cabin, what started as a mist had strengthened into a heavy drizzle. They ran the last yard and made it inside seconds before the sky opened up. The rain was so heavy that it was a solid wall of white.
"You didn't lock the door." Raina panted her observation. He hadn't even taken keys with him.
"It's a safe area. Most of the people are pack. And now that we're mated, we shouldn't have any trouble."
She grinned, her eyes flickering over his large frame. "Needed my protection, did you?"
His cheeks actually reddened and she laughed. "There was this werewolf who wanted to be my mate—"
The deep growl shocked her and she looked around, her eyes wide.
Harry grinned. "You did that." He sounded proud of her.
"I did not!"
He laughed. "You did. It's normal. I'm your mate. Naturally, you don't like the idea of someone else pursuing me."
Her hands curled into fists and her nails dug into her palms. No, she really didn't like that idea. "Are we going to have a problem?"
"No. Werewolves respect the mating bond. Only death can break it." He drew her close and buried his face in her neck. He inhaled and then nipped her ear. "You're it for me, baby."
A shiver raced down her spine. She didn't know how it was possible, but she wanted him again. She moaned and grasped his shoulders.
Harry growled. When he pulled back, his eyes glowed down at her. "I'm going to season the steaks for dinner and then I'm going to bend you over the arm of the couch and fuck you."
She nodded. "Sounds good."
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"You should have let me help with dinner." Raina said as she cut into her steak. "How am I going to become a better cook if you won't let me practice?"
"You needed your sleep." Harry said with a sparkle in his gold eyes. After they'd made love, she'd fallen asleep. She'd still be sleeping if he hadn't awakened her for dinner. "And not just because of the sex. You're practically being born again." He tilted his head to the side. "The speed of your progress is... astonishing." He cut into his own steak. "Besides, I want you to have my pups. I didn't say that I expected that to be your exclusive occupation. If you want work with us, do interior design, then we'll make that happen."
She smiled. "I know. But I'd like to learn to cook."
Her eyes were riveted to his steak. Out of habit, she'd asked for hers to be well done. He'd done his rare. It looked so... juicy... and delicious.
Chuckling, Harry held a slice of his steak out to her. "Go on." He urged when she hesitated.
She couldn't contain her happy hum when the meat hit her taste buds. She'd never been a meat person. Sweets were the vice that had padded her curves. As much as she liked a Caesar salad, a girl couldn't live on lettuce alone.
"Here." Harry forked up his second steak and put it on her plate.
"I can't take your steak."
"I have two. I can spare the one. Besides, you're my mate. It is my pleasure to provide for you."
Raina melted. The man put every other man she'd ever known to shame. "You're too perfect to be real."
"Um, that's not what you were saying when I told you I wanted you to become my mate." He pointed out with a laugh.
"I, very understandably, had some concerns. All of this happened so quickly."
If it weren't for him being so amazing, she'd have had more reservations about agreeing to so many changes.
He shrugged. "I'm just a simple werewolf. I'm far from perfect."
"You're sweet, handsome, sexy—"
Harry's loud groan cut her off. "Don't go around describing me as 'sweet'. No one—with the exception of my mother—thinks I'm sweet."
"I do." She assured him.
He growled. "Was I sweet when I bent you over the couch, held your hands behind your back, and fucked your tight little pussy so hard that your feet left the floor?"
Raina's breath quickened. Each time they'd been together, he'd gotten rougher and rougher. And she liked it. She'd goaded him. She got the feeling that he tried to hold back with her, but his control always deserted him toward the end. Then he'd become wild and unrestrained. While he'd had her over the couch, he'd bitten the back of her neck, her shoulder, her waist, and the base of her spine. And he'd growled so loudly as he was doing it that she'd come multiple times.
As he stared at her now, his eyes glowing, she wanted him again. How was that even possible? Was this normal?
Her body ached and yet she knew she wouldn't tell him no. "Harry, you can't possibly want to—"
"I do."
She squirmed in her seat to relieve some of the throbbing between her thighs. "Is this usually what happens?"
"The lust?" At her nod, he continued. "Yes. People talk about fucking like rabbits. They should say like werewolves. We're a lusty lot—especially when we've found our mates. It's why I was so shocked to have visitors. They know better. My mom was just too excited to meet you to observe proper werewolf etiquette."
She laughed. "There's etiquette?"
"All societies do or there'd be chaos."
"Well, I—" In the distance, she could hear her cell phone ringing. She frowned. "I think it's upstairs." She'd plugged it in next to the bed.
"Go get it. I'll clean this up." He stood and gathered their dishes.
She pointed her finger at him. "I'm doing the dishes. You can take them to the kitchen, but that's it."
He grinned. "Sure."
She jogged up the stairs and got to her phone just as the screen went dark. She unplugged it and checked the missed call. It was Maisie. She hoped nothing was wrong with the house.
She touched her name to return her cousin's call. "Hi, Maisie. I'm sorry I missed your call. I was downstairs. What's up?"
"Nothing. I was calling to check up on you. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
"How is Harry treating you? Is everything okay?"
"Yes." She answered slowly. "Why wouldn't it be? Is something wrong?"
She sighed. "No. It's just... Levi is saying some really crazy shit."
Raina frowned. "Really? Like what?"
"That Harry is dangerous."
She made a sound of disgust. "I wish he'd just leave me alone."
"No, listen, he said that he heard—"
"No, you listen." She interrupted, hotly. "Levi doesn't know a damn thing about Harry. Harry's been nothing but wonderful to me. Levi can't stand the thought that I've gotten over him. I've barely been here a day and he's already spreading rumors?"
"You know what? Forget about Levi. He's being petty. As Joel Osteen says, don't let him steal your joy."
Raina laughed. "Since when did you start watching Joel Osteen?"
"Since forever. He's very uplifting."
"That he is."
"Anyway, this is supposed to be a happy time for you. Everything happened so fast, I needed to make sure you were okay."
She and Maisie weren't as close as they once were when they were children, but she knew that her cousin loved her.
"I'm doing great. If I need help, you'll be the first person I call."
Maisie grunted. "How about you don't put yourself in situations where you need help?"
"Maisie, really, he's being so wonderful to me."
"I believe you. So, listen, when are you going to come and get the rest of your stuff?"
"Um, maybe a week or two? I'll have to check with Harry."
She'd left her car behind because she wouldn't need it right away. Also, Harry had been worried that she'd get lost on the way to the cabin.
"What is all this stuff in your old room anyway?"
"Old hobbies." She'd packed away most of her belongings in boxes. "Don't mess with it. I'll get it. I'll talk to Harry about it tonight."
"Okay."
"Oh, and Maisie, don't tell Grandma about the rumors. I don't want her to worry."
"I won't, but she'll hear it anyway. You know how small this town is. I'd suggest you call her so she can hear it from you that your husband isn't using you for stew."
"He did not say that!"
Maisie laughed. "No, but close." Someone said something in the background and there was some rustling. "Okay, I've got to go. I've got a date. I'll hear from you soon?"
"Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow."
"Great. Bye."
"Bye."
She shook her head. She was furious with Levi for slandering Harry's reputation. Harry was an outsider and a werewolf. Everyone in her hometown probably believed Levi's lies.
When she got to the kitchen, Harry was putting their plates in the dishwasher. He'd put away the leftovers and washed any dishes that didn't fit in the dishwasher.
She threw her hands up. "What happened to waiting? I was supposed to do the dishes."
He folded a kitchen towel and draped it over the oven handle to dry. "Why would I wait? There weren't many dishes. I wasn't doing anything. Now," He said, grabbing her hips and tugging them flush with his. "We can do something together. Any suggestions?" He grinned, his golden green eyes glowing and his ultra-white canines denting his bottom lip. He looked wild and so sexy.
"Well, I hear there's a scary movie marathon on—" She yelped as he bent at the knees and tossed her over his shoulder. She laughed as he mounted the stairs. "I want to be on top this time."
He slapped her bottom. "No."
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