Wolf or Love

The one thing Danica had always known would be annoying about being mated was that having such an intense connection to someone meant there

were no secrets. Not that Danica had any huge dark secrets or anything, but there were little itty bitty ones that she would have preferred to keep to herself. Like this for example – Danica had to come to love waking up with Gio’s big body practically cocooning her. It made her feel safe, sheltered, secure. It also made her feel a little dumb and feeble. She was an Alpha for God’s sake and yet she loved being cuddled and protected. It felt like a weakness. If Gio woke up now and tapped into what she was feeling, he would know that. By God, if he teased her about it she’d kick his balls so hard they ended up in his throat. It was still hard getting her head around the fact that they were true mates. In fact, it wasn’t so much that. It was just the way everything seemed

to have happened at once; realizing she loved him, hearing he cared about her, and then suddenly discovering that what she’d grown up believing was bullshit and that she and Gio were true mates – all in the space of twenty four hours.

And now she was mated. Now she had that deep connection to someone that she had always dreamt of having – that every shifter dreamt of

having. Casting a shadow over that, however, was the heavy sensation that was saddling her chest. Guilt. Guilt that she could be so happy to be wrong

about Zan.

She had sensed that Gio wasn’t experiencing that guilt. Finding out

that Danica was his true mate had brought him nothing but masculine

satisfaction and a sense of peace. She knew what she needed to do if she was

to have that same peace, and she planned to do it after breakfast. The feel of

him nuzzling her hair broke into her thoughts.

“Hey baby,” he greeted in a sleep-croaky voice. Without having to

look, Gio had known she was awake. Just like he had known she enjoyed his

body crowding her but would never admit it. Just like he had known she was

feeling slightly guilty. “Do you wish I wasn’t your mate?” It startled him just

how much it would pain him if she said yes.

Danica shook her head. “No. Look deeper, behind the guilt. I’m happy

about it, about you. Really, I am.”

He relaxed a little when he sensed it was the truth. “Then why the

guilt?” It wasn’t an emotion he’d had an awful lot of experience with and it

had never made much sense to him even when he did. It seemed dumb that

you could feel a rush of happiness but that a negative emotion would beContent property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

attached to it. Wasn’t happiness supposed to be just that, happiness?

“When I think about it, I’m not sure I know how to think about Zan without having guilt ruling me. Guilt that I should have been in that car and

died in the accident with him and our mom’s, but didn’t. Guilt that I survived losing him when most people expected me not to. Guilt that I wasn’t

spending every single day grieving him. Guilt that I could be attracted to other guys and still want to mate with somebody someday. Hell, when I lost

my virginity I cried the whole time.” She twisted in Gio’s arms so that she was facing him. “And now I find out that this person had never been my true

mate at all, and a part of me thinks I should be lamenting that. But I don’t. I can’t. It makes me feel guilty that I’m glad I was wrong.”

He sighed. “I get what you mean, but I can’t say I feel the same. I don’t feel any guilt whatsoever to know that Louve wasn’t my true mate. If that makes me a bad person, well, that’s because I am a bad person.”

“You’re not a bad person. You’re just an ass.” She smiled when he chuckled. “I’m sorry if I’m hurting you with the guilt thing. I don’t mean to.”

He ran his fingers through her hair. “It’s okay, you can make it up to me.”

When he rolled Danica onto her back and began sliding down her body she knew exactly what his intention was – the same intention he had every

single morning. This was Gio’s version of breakfast. Being the kind, generous mate that she was, she lay still and let him feast. It always felt so good when he tasted her, but it was so much more

amazing having him do it while the mating bond was partially formed. She could feel that although it gave him a bone deep satisfaction that she

belonged to him, he wasn’t just trying to answer his possessive urges by carrying her taste in his mouth. He was completely engrossed. The combination of her taste, the moans she made, and the knowledge that he was pleasuring his mate all had him totally gripped. As usual, when she came in his mouth he didn’t let a single drop of it go to waste. Then he swatted her ass and, whistling, strolled into the en-suite bathroom. Cocky bastard. Rather than waiting for him as she always did, she quickly dressed and made her way to the kitchen. Yesterday most people had seemed accepting enough of their mating, but she couldn’t help wondering if their acceptance and offers of loyalty were for Gio’s benefit. As such, she wanted to go alone. for breakfast this morning to see if their attitudes were different while he

wasn’t around. That plan pretty much flopped, since the only person in the kitchen was Michey. The second she saw Danica a beaming smile took over her face.

“So…you’re true mates after all,” she drawled, handing Danica a mug of coffee. “I’m so thrilled. I must say, you look just as shocked this morning as you did yesterday.”

As usual, Danica settled on the counter. “Yeah. I knew I’d come to care for him, but I didn’t expect him to feel the same. I certainly didn’t expect all this.”

“He’s cared about you from the beginning. He’s just not good with showing he cares.”

“Well, he never had many examples of it.” She hated that he’d had such an awful childhood.

“That’s true. His mom…she was a good person, but she wasn’t affectionate. It wasn’t part of who she was, like Lindy. Kids…they need hugs, kisses, praise and words of love. She never gave him that. His dad gave him pretty much the opposite.”

“It’s no wonder he doesn’t know what love is.”

Most likely in response to Danica’s sudden frown, Michey asked, “What is it?”

“Nothing.” At Michey’s ‘tell me now’ expression, she sighed. “It’s just…I can’t help feeling a little hurt that he doesn’t care about me as much as I do him. I know it should be enough to be mated to someone I love even if they don’t love me back – especially when I’d never thought I’d have the mating bond at all. But the idea of spending my life with someone I love who doesn’t feel the same…. I’m worried it’ll eat away at me over time.”

“Of course it hurts. You want to be the center of his everything just like he’s the center of yours. But, honey, I’m pretty sure you already are. He cares about you about as much as he’s capable of doing. It’s up to you to show him what love is, to wrap him up in it until he comes to recognize it and feel it himself.”

“I don’t know if that’s possible. Gio…he’s so guarded. Hell, we both are. I’m not sure that the mating bond will ever be fully complete.” Michey gave her a gentle smile. “You know what the answer is, don’t you? Chocolate. It’s always the answer, no matter the question.”

Danica’s chuckle died as Theresa entered the room wearing what might as well have been a tissue. Clearly the female was set on continuing to flaunt herself in front of Gio. “He’s not here yet.”

Scowling, Theresa took a seat at the table and, naturally, the tissue rode up her thighs to the point of indecency. “I’ll bet you’re feeling very smug.

Well, be as smug as you want, but I have to say I feel kind of sorry for you if you think this is over. He’s still not yours. The mating bond is only in the

early stages. The link can be quite easily broken.”

“So can your nose. Don’t test me, Theresa. Right now I don’t have the patience required to deal with people whose IQ level lands on the right side

of the decimal point. Gio didn’t want to mate with you before I was here, and even if I left he still wouldn’t want you as his mate.”

“Oh he wanted me just fine all those times he had me in his bed. Just think…Those silk sheets you sleep on at night – he fucked me on those.”

Michey snorted. “Oh have some pride, Theresa. It happened all of one time and that was years ago in your room! If it’s really that important to you to be some guy’s Alpha female then go seduce one at a club or something.”

“Gio’s mine! This pack is mine!” Her eyes flashed wolf as her attention turned back to Danica. “You’ll never be accepted here as Alpha female. Never. You might have gotten most of them to pledge their loyalty to you, but you’re naïve if you think they all meant it.”

“Amen,” muttered a witchy voice.

Danica returned Lindy’s glare. “Hey” Still alive? Hmm.

Guess those voodoo dolls don’t work after all.”

“Yes, yes, make your jokes, hussy.”

“Who said I was joking?”

A cruel smirk played around the edges of Theresa’s mouth. “I’ll bet it hurts knowing you’ll never run together with Gio in your wolf form.”

It did, actually, but Danica wouldn’t let her see that her hit had met its target. “You know, I can’t understand why you’d spoil such gorgeous blonde

hair by dying your roots black.” Theresa’s smirk died and was replaced by a snarl. She probably would have said more if Gio, Duda and Chris hadn’t then entered the kitchen. Duda and Chris both greeted Danica with smiles and respectful nods of the head.