The Wolf's Mate Book 1: Jason & Cadence by R.E. Butler Read Free Book Online Page B

order of things for wolves. Alphas are supposed to come in
pairs, one male and one female, to balance each other and protect
each other, and to protect the pack. A female alpha can't really
protect the males, anymore than a male alpha could deal with the
females, so for a pack to be in harmony, to feel safe, there have
to be two. Get it?" He gave her a rakish raise of his brows and she
laughed.
    "Yeah. Your dad has explained a lot of
werewolf hierarchy to me over the years."
    When they parked in the grass at the front of
the farmhouse, Chris came around and opened her door for her and
held out his hand. "A lot of the hierarchy is bullshit, but when
it's working right, it just - works. I meant what I said earlier
about making choices. Our pack runs smoothly, and you're already
part of our family. You should give it some thought." She was thinking, actually. Was he asking her to be his mate? So
casually? Was that how they did it? She'd never asked before, how a
male and female end up together, but she’d always assumed it
involved something physical like dragging her back to his house by
her hair. Wolves did everything over the top. Even though she cared
about Chris a great deal, she had to think that when she did decide
to be with a man forever that she’d want to know he at least loved
her, not that he was just making a good business decision.
    He held her hand the whole way around the
house and pulled her inside where his mother practically tackled
her. She held her face in her hands and smiled broadly. "Sweet
heavens, you get more beautiful every time I see you. Doesn't she,
Chris?" She gave him a look and he rolled his eyes, "I think I may
have mentioned that to her once or twice."
    Renee was thick waisted but tall, and a real
bitch, but in a good way. She was female alpha for a reason, not
just because Jake had claimed her as his alpha mate, but because
she could take out anyone, anywhere. Even now, when she was closer
to 60 than 50, she looked as young as ever. She made Cadence miss
her mom.
    She looked at Chris in surprise. "You
shaved!"
    He chuckled, gesturing to Cadence as he
popped a potato chip into his mouth. "She made me. Said she
wouldn't dance with me all scruffy."
    She laughed, and Cadence did, too, and she
said, "Well, it's about damn time. How can anyone see how cute you
are when you're covered in stubble like a hobo?"
    Chris groaned, flushing with embarrassment
and it was totally adorable. "Shit, mom. Not cute, okay? Anything
but cute."
    She waved her hand at him to dismiss his
chiding words and it made Cadence smile even more but also made her
a little sadder. She never got to tease her mom or be embarrassed
by her. Her dad, yes, but not in a fun way.
    Chris extracted her from Renee's grip and
they walked the few hundred feet to where the packs were gathered,
through a stand of trees to a large clearing with cut logs and lawn
chairs scattered around an enormous fire pit that was roaring with
twenty-foot flames. Music blared from someone's stereo, and while
some danced, many of the wolves were just hanging out and talking.
The weekly Sunday night bonfires, alternating between Jake's place
and Jason's father's place, were a way for the wolves to connect
and enjoy each other's company on somewhat neutral territory.
Wolves were extremely social creatures and they craved being around
other wolves.
    The hum of voices went oddly quiet when she
and Chris walked into the clearing holding hands, and she didn't
really understand it, but then again she didn't understand a lot of
what was going on the last couple of days. It was like the whole
town had been transported into the Twilight Zone. Chris tugged her
towards the band and an open cooler and handed her a bottle of
Irish Red, which happened to be her favorite beer. She looked down
at it and up at him and he was grinning, very pleased with himself.
"You're very observant tonight." She said, twisting off the cap and
taking a drink.
    "Yeah, well, it's about time