When We Were Mates (Demetra and Emris) novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168

Alpha Emris.

“I’m here now. Okay?”

I lift her chin up with two fingers and her eyes are glassy in that specific shine that appears before Demetra cries, which she tries not to do in front of me and does anyway, and her lashes catch the light when she blinks.

“How, Emris-”

I take her hand instead of answering that.

I turn it over in mine and look at her nails…the beds of them, the skin around them, the places where the white claws came, through for the first–time last night and left their evidence. I can guess where it was and I run my thumb across the knuckles

once.

“The fangs were painful.” she says quietly.

“I know. But it won’t be like that once you learn how to

bring your wolf into order. The first time is always–”

“Emris, you don’t understand.” Her legs dangle slightly off the counter where I’ve got her sitting and she pushes her hair back from her face with one hand… it’s badly tangled.

“It was like I was divided into two. On one side me and on the other side my wolf. But she’s never been like that before. She

Emris.” was like an evil twin. I hurt someone,

The last three words land differently from the rest.

I step back just back enough to give myself a foot of space and put my shoulders against the wall where her clothes are lined up on the rail, because I need to think clearly.

“It’s the Alpha blood.” I say.

“So Alpha wolves act like they’re on-” she tilts her head, “-crack? Is that what it’s like in your head? With

your

wolf?”

I press my mouth together against the smirk and mostly fail.

“Maybe.”

“Emris.”

you described… “Baby, it hurts because you’ve never fully shifted before. That’s the whole reason. Your body has never done that and your wolf has never had full access and the first time those two things happen at once it feels exactly like what overwhelming, split, out of control. But I promise you. You are more than powerful enough to do this.”

“Emris, I have never been in a real fight…how can you say I’m more than powerful to do it? The first time we mated I passed out. Do you remember that?”

I do remember that. I laugh. Of course I remember. I almost thought I was too rough. But at the time, it was only the first penetration, and she passed out.

“It’s because you were a virgin and you saw something big. You later woke up and we finished, didn’t we?”

“You’re making fun of me.” She scowls and tries to get off the counter. I move to help her, but she pushes my hand off and fights with the edge, legs swinging and her feet searching for the floor.

“Okay.” I hold both hands up. “I’m sorry. Demi-” I wait until the scowl softens by about twenty percent, which is all I’m

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Chapter 168

going to get. “For as long as I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid of what’s in you. I’m going to help you through every part of it and before you know it, you’re gonna control your wolf”

Waji

Wajt. What do you mean you’re gonna help me? Emiris, who’s gonna take care of the pack?”

“The pack is fine.” I reach past her for the brush on the shelf above the counter. “I’m actually in Rocksville for the pack:

She squints. It’s the squint she uses when she thinks I’m lying and is gathering evidence before she says so.

I turn her by the shoulders so that she’s facing the mirror. Then I begin working the brush through her hair from the ends upward.

“Emris. Explain yourself!”

“Stay still. I’ll explain.” I find a knot near her nape and work around it carefully.

She folds her arms and stares at my reflection in the mirror.

“The pack elders voted unanimously to have me extend a hand of friendship to other packs across the territory. They feel. and I’m quoting here that the Black Covenant Pack has an opportunity to build alliances that could expand its influence significantly. Business relationships. Trade agreements. The kind of thing that requires the Alpha to get off his territory and go make an impression in person.” I meet her eyes in the mirror.

“Rocksville came up as a priority location. Several notable are packs based here. Strong bloodlines. Good territory.”

“Oh really. Pack elders huh-” She starts to turn and I redirect her with a light hand on her jaw back to facing the mirror.

“I wasn’t even in the room when they picked it. Don’t blame me. Silver suggested Rocksville.” I lie, so good that I smile. “Mom is gonna take care of the kids. I’ll also take care of the affairs of the pack on tour. And if the kids become too much,

dad and your aunt will take the other end.” your

This time, Demetra turns around and pushes me back. I laugh because she’s adorable when she’s angry.

“What?” I ask.

“Emris. You are literally lying through your teeth-”

“And so? You just don’t want me getting in between you and your college boyfriend?”

“There’s no college boyfriend-”

“What’s his name. Travis Crestville. He picked up your phone last night.”

“You’re being competitive and jealous over someone who’s younger than you! Plus you are my husband and my mate,

means-”

“Is he handsome?”

She hesitates.

“Why the fuck did you just hesitate!?

“I didn’t hesitate-”

“You absolutely hesitated.”

which

“If I say he’s handsome you’ll throw things and if I say he’s ugly I’d be lying. So I’m taking a moment to construct a response that doesn’t result in property damage.”

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Chapter 168

I fold my arms and lick my lips. “So you find him cute? You wanna fuck a college kid?”

Demetra slaps her hand over her forehead.

“Can you leave my dorm now? “I think you’ve done enough. Thank you for coming, thank you for the hair brushing, the door is right there-”

She slides sideways and I catch her before she gets two steps, wrapping both arms around her from behind and dropping my face into her neck. She’s small enough that I have to consciously manage my weight… ease it, not drop it and I feel her go still for exactly two seconds.

Her hair smells like her as I inhale and some of the tension I’ve been carrying since three this morning weakens.

“Let’s go out tonight. After your classes.”

She turns her head to look back at me at the angle available to her. “Out where?”

“A restaurant. Or I can have someone cook at the Rockville house.”

She blinks trying to decide if she heard me correctly.

“Huh? Rockville house?”

“I have a house in Rockville. Has a pool. Hot tub. Training yard. A master bedroom that’s considerably better than-” I look around at the dorm room. “–this. I mean, we still haven’t gone on an actual honeymoon.”

She starts laughing and I pause just to feel it against my arms because I haven’t had that in days either.

“Alright. Maybe after today’s class, you can pick me up.”

“Thank you.”

I do a victory thumbs up where she can’t see it. Then I bring her chin around but pull back slightly before the kiss lands when I realize I haven’t asked her what class she picked. If I remember correctly, new students are usually set up for Mascots.

“What class did you choose?”

Demetra breathes. I feel the exhale against my lips.

“Dragon Class.”