The Alpha Prince's Mate (Book 7 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 21

Maverick sat up and licked her cheek, surprising her, then hopped off the bed. He shifted back, and Mila couldn't help but watch, though she looked down when Ethan straightened, giving him some privacy. She really wanted to look at him, but she wouldn't really like it if he sat there staring at her while she was trying to get her clothes back on.

"I'm dressed," he said quietly.

She looked up to see him seated back in the chair. "Does that hurt?"

"No."

She stared at him for a long moment, her mind reeling with so many questions, she didn't know where to begin. But then she noticed how tense he was, and she realized he was nervous. About her reaction? She wasn't afraid of him. Maybe she should be, but she felt safe with him, like she instinctively knew he'd never hurt her. "Riley knows?"

"She does. Max is a werewolf." Ethan sat back in his chair, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"He is?" Her mouth dropped open at that. Her cousin was married to a werewolf? No wonder Riley knew. "And Nick?"

"He is, too."

"Are you guys, like, all in the same pack?" She was starting to think back over the books she'd read.

"Sort of," he said.

She was taking in too much information. Her stomach growled. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

She smiled and moved. "Let's eat then. There's chicken noodle soup in the fridge."

He stood as well and followed her out, taking over when they were in the kitchen, and warming up some soup.

Mila sat down and watched him. She was still mind blown that he was a werewolf, that they actually exist. He seemed so normal. Well, no, he didn't either. He was too beautiful to be normal. She watched the way he moved gracefully around the kitchen. He was still a bit tense though. She wondered why. She hadn't freaked out or kicked him out of the house.

He turned and set the bowl down in front of her, then sat himself down across from her and took a bite of the soup. "This is good."

"Rebekah made it," she said, then looked at him. "Do you know Rebekah?"

"I do."

"So there's a pack around here?" There has to be.

"Yup. And apparently, Riley's family, your family's land borders the territory," he said.

He hadn't stopped looking at her since he'd sat down. It didn't make her uncomfortable, though. "So is it like the books, with an Alpha, Beta, and Gamma?"

He smiled. "It is."

"You read more of that book than I did," she accused.

"Is that the first one you've read?"

"No. But there are always small differences from author to author." She took another bite of her own soup.

He dropped his spoon in his bowl and studied her. "So you believe me now?"

"It'd be hard not to. You changed into a wolf and lay on my bed. I think your wolf rolled his eyes at me. Can he talk to you?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, he can talk to me."

"You still haven't told me why, though." It was the one thing that she kept coming back to. Why had he come to her? Why did she dream about him? Why was she so attracted to him? So drawn to him? Why was he so interested in her? And then it hit her. No. No way.

She watched a smile touch his lips as he continued to study her. "I think you know why."

Mate. Was she Ethan's mate? Was that why he was interested in her? Why he kept coming back? Why even after she'd stood him up and he'd seen her at her absolute worst, he was still here? How badly had she hurt him by not showing up for that date?