The Pack's Nemesis (Quirin's Story) novel Chapter 4

Kennedy

Every time someone asks me to dance, I take the opportunity to look over at Quirin. First, I was surprised by his possessiveness of me and I’m afraid to do something that will make him think that I don’t want him. I do want him. I always have. But second, I’m afraid he’ll run. It’s not that he’s a fearful man, well at least not usually. But I’ve been watching my mate for years and I know that when it comes to emotions, he’s not very good at handling them.

“Luna Kennedy, how do you feel about being mated to my adopted son,” Alpha Harold asks as we dance.

“I’m very happy about it, Alpha,” I tell him truthfully.

“Hmmm, not many women would say that. My son isn’t an easy man to get close to.”

“I’ve never found it that difficult.”

“No, I guess you haven’t. Have you ever been to his pack, Luna?” I love that he keeps calling me Luna. Until Quirin called me mate, I was an Alpha, but now, being a Luna means that I’ve found the man I love. I can’t wait until his mark is on my neck and mine is on his so I can show everyone that he is mine.

“No, I haven’t, Alpha. You have though, right?”

“Yes. I’ll warn you, Kennedy, Quirin’s pack is different. His pack is made up of previous rogues, scrappy individuals who are used to fighting for what they have and what they want. You’re a strong woman, Kennedy. It will a take a strong woman to make her way in a pack like that.”

“I’ll do my very best, Alpha,” I tell him.

“I’m sure you will,” he says just before his eyes shift to look over my head. A moment later I feel heat at my back and smell his sandalwood scent.

“Are you going to let me dance with my mate, father?”

“I was just warming her up for you, Quirin. Luna Kennedy, I do hope to see you soon.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” I say to him and then turn to my mate.

He looks at me a moment, his eyebrow going up in the arrogant way that he has. Personally, I’ve always found it extremely sexy.

“I didn’t know you danced, Alpha Quirin,” I say as he takes me in his arms.

“I’ve never had anyone I was interested in dancing with before, Little Pup,” he says. I ignore the ‘pup’ part and revel in the thought that he wants to dance with me.

He begins to expertly move me around the floor. “Where did you learn to dance like this, Alpha?” I ask him.

He looks at me. “Quirin, Kennedy. If we’re going to be mated, we should be more familiar, don’t you think?”

I smile at him and even though he doesn’t smile, I watch his eyes soften.

“Where did you learn to dance, Quirin?”

“My mother, mostly. My father said that Alphas needed to know how to dance so we could play the mate game, searching for our mate, finding her, wooing her, all of that.”

“Since you’ve searched for and found me, is this a game to you?” I ask him. “Or are you wooing me?”

“I was never good at playing games, Little Pup. I am who I am. I don’t have time for frivolous things like playing games,” he says and there’s something in his tone, something that makes me think he’s trying to warn me off of him. It won’t work.

“So, you’re wooing me then?” I ask.

He looks down at me and the intense look in his eyes takes my breath away.

“I’m going to make you mine tonight, Kennedy. There will be no going back, no second chances. After tonight, you will be mine forever. You will belong to me. You should think about that before we leave here tonight. Because once my mark is on you, I will never allow you to leave me.”

“Well, once my mark is on you, I’ll never allow you to leave me either. So perhaps you should be the one thinking about things before we leave tonight,” I say indignantly, my tone expressing my aggravation with his words.

I’m rewarded with one of his rare smiles. “I’ve done nothing BUT think about it since Raif called you our mate.”

“You’re questioning if you want me as a mate?” I ask quietly.

His face becomes more serious. “Do you remember what I said to you that night in the garden on Henry’s eighteenth birthday?”