The Mechanic's Mate by Mikea Howard Read Free Book Online Page B

the place! Oh and she’s going to eat me out of house and home. How long did Eridon starve her? It’s kinda concerning how she goes between whimpering with nightmares to humming your name with a smile while sleeping.” She glanced at his gaping mouth, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, so I might have watched her sleep. But I didn’t do it in a ‘creepy stalker’ kind of way, just a friendly ‘why would Gaia put her through this’ kind of way. I’ve often wondered, why our pack alpha insists on being such an unbearable ass. Did you know Sadie’s heart races and scent changes when anyone mentions your name? But then she gets all embarrassed, averting her eyes as though doing so will prevent anyone else from detecting how she feels. So cute.” The beta’s mate smirked and, without pausing to breathe, glanced at her wrist, sans watch, saying, “Full moon, I should get going. Marek will want his dinner soon”-winking at him-”and his dessert.” Hopping off the table, Kara sauntered out of the library.
    He had no genuine idea how Marek handled her. That woman is a damn whirling dervish. Sighing, he turned his gaze from Kara’s disappearing form back to the books that told him nothing. Not one of them mentioned an instance with an interrupted or rejected mating, nothing resembling Sadie’s situation. Maybe he should just give the research a break. Domek got up, stretched, and headed home frustrated and defeated.

Chapter 7
    She woke mortified from sleeping until the following morning.
    Kara reassured her. “We know you went through a terrible ordeal, so get as much sleep as you need. But now it’s time for your Blue Wolf introduction.”
    Kara, as promised, took her on tour of the enclave. In the town’s center sat a large building shaped like an X. Each wing pointed in four compass directions. Pack members came and went through doors set into the northeast angle, which everyone considered the building’s front. Wide stones created a pathway leading from the entrance to the center of the village shops, where they circled an enormous fire pit. Pack celebrations, rituals, and even communal meals took place in the immense cobblestone circle. Kara explained to her that Blue Wolf members used any excuse to get together. Park benches along with picnic tables lay scattered throughout the grounds in random order. People bustled about everywhere, much like in Eureka. The vast difference of being greeted with a smile, instead of ignored. No one stared with curiosity; people came right out and introduced themselves.
    Sadie continued observing Blue Wolf through many introductions, welcomes, and at times even hugs. Most of the shops had walls enclosing three sides and top. Kara informed her that a front panel would enclose the small building during cooler or bad weather. Although flipped up, and laid on the roof today, the wall’s ominous size must take two to three men getting it there. The task would require one person lifting from the bottom and two on top pulling up with ropes.
    Sadie couldn't help but imagine machinery that would enable the shop owners to push a button that would move the heavy wall instead of using manual labor. Yes, the technology might not be necessary, but it would be helpful. Sadie would build them with gears or hydraulics she’d experimented with for limbs, like the monster's mecha. The contraption would be quieter but not remove all manual labor, just reduce the muscle needed. She filed the idea away, because she wanted to be an asset to her pack, not just part of it. This was a new start, a new life.
    Off in the corner she glimpsed a smith's workshop, gravitating in its direction until Kara grabbed and pulled her toward another shop.
    “Uh, uh . . . this first. While I don't mind sharing my clothes, I think you need something of your own.” Adding under her breath, “I do enough mending of clothes torn off me, we'll have no clothes if they have to survive both alpha and beta.”
    Sadie looked at