Savage (Wolf Ranch 4)

She nodded and smiled. “I am so happy to know Clint’s claimed you.”

“It’s because I’m having his baby.” I poked the ice cream.

“Definitely.”

That hurt. A lot. I stared at the lumps of chocolate in the ice cream. “I don’t want Clint if that’s all he wants. Todd didn’t really want me. He wanted a possession. My parents felt obliged to save face.”

“Honey—”

“I won’t be an obligation.”

“Male shifters aren’t like human men. The first time Clint breathed in your scent, he knew you were his. Forever.”

“That’s insane. His nose was broken the first time we met. That meant that… oh my God, I threw up on him.”

She laughed. “Yet he still wanted you.”

I covered my face with my hand. “He did.”

“The wolf finds his mate by scent. That’s how Tom found me. How Boyd knew Audrey was the one. The same went for Colton and Marina. Even Rob, and he’s alpha. You’re Clint’s. Baby or not. That’s it. The entire love story from his perspective is right there.”

“Seriously?”

She nodded. “You’re human, so you don’t have the same response right back. It’s much easier when it’s a shifter-shifter match.”

“I bet.”

“This is what’s probably torturing Clint right now—that you don’t understand the depth of what he feels for you. He’s never once questioned you being for him, and he never will.”

“You’re his mother, you have to say stuff like that.”

She shook her head. “I’m a shifter. It’s easy because when a son says he’s met his mate, he’s met his mate. Do you… do you care about him?”

I poked at the ice cream some more. “Yes.”

“Do you want him… forever?”

“I thought so, but… Janet, he’s… I won’t say because you’re his mom.”

“He’s an enforcer. I’ve heard. As a shifter parent, I couldn’t be more proud.”

My mouth fell open. “He kills people. I saw firsthand last night.”

She shook her head. “He kills rogue shifters. He does it under orders. Do you think snipers in the military are bad?”

I frowned. “They’re doing their jobs taking out bad guys.”

“Exactly.”

I blinked. “It was scary.”

She offered me a small smile. “I bet. Wolves fight. The customs are different. It’s complicated, but you’ll grow to understand.”

“He left me here alone. If he’s so protective, where is he?”

She laughed and pointed toward the front door. “Go look out the window.”

I popped up and went to the front window. There was Clint, across the street in his truck.

“He was there all night. Others took his place earlier, so he could rest, but he’ll be there all night again.”

“But…”

“You’re his mate, Becky. He’ll never leave you. Never leave you unprotected. You’re cherished and loved, watched over, even if you refuse him.”

I turned to look at her. “You’re kidding.”

She shook her head. “He’ll watch out for you and the baby no matter what. Knowing he’s an enforcer means he’s going to be even more diligent.”

“That’s crazy.”

“Remember, I said they’re dumbasses?”

I nodded, biting my lip as I stared at Clint. He was looking out the side window at the house, right at me. I had no idea if he could see me or not, but it was as if he could sense me.

“We females need to keep them in line. You’re doing a mighty fine job of it with Clint. You’ve got to make them think they’re in charge, but really, you’ve got them all figured out. You’re gonna raise that granddaughter of mine to wrap Clint around her little finger too.”

“You’re devious.”

Clint was dangerous but not to me. He’d fought that… wolf last night because I’d been in danger. He’d risked his life for us, and I had a feeling he’d do it again. He took care of his own, his pack… or me, his mate.

Oh my God. Clint did it all for me. It was a shifter way of showing me his love. A gruesome, bloody, naked way to do it, but still...

“We females have to be,” she continued. “The males, they’re also loyal and loveable and sweet and—”

I gasped, my hand flying to my belly. The baby had kicked. Or rather, it was the first time I felt my baby kick. Our baby.

“Is it the quickening?” Janet asked.

I nodded, eyes misting. Call me sappy, but it felt like a sign. I may not know a man’s my mate by his scent, but the way my body leaned toward that window, toward Clint…

The way it felt so wrong to be apart from him—that had to mean something.

I’d lumped him in with Todd for his dishonesty, but he was the opposite. He wasn’t manipulating me. He didn’t make me wrong. He hadn’t shown up here last night with demands. When I told him not to call, he’d honored my request. And yet he’d still driven into town and stayed all night long—in freezing weather—watching over me.

With a sob, I flung open the door and ran toward Clint, just like at the police station. He was there, would always be there, waiting for me. Protecting me even when he couldn’t himself.