The Wolf Lord's Mate

Chapter Eight

By the time the afternoon rolled around, I had already begun drafting patterns. Large pieces of parchment paper were strewn across the floor, marked with different lines and measurements for me to cut out later.

Isa found me hunched over one, standing in the doorway with a tray of sandwiches perched in her hands. "Join me for lunch?" She asked.

We sat on the floor together to share the food, shifting some of the pattern pieces out of the way. Isa helped me figure out how to open one of the windows, and a steady breeze flitted through the room. It was a lovely day, and despite the anxiety that I had felt that very morning, I found myself almost at ease.

Part of me had imagined the Lord's residence to be a cold, stiff kind of place, but it was quite the opposite. Something felt strangely right about it, like there was a cord in my chest tethering me to the place the longer I stayed there. Nathaniel's scent was certainly part of it, and as the breeze brushed away the lingering notes of cinnamon and cloves from the room, I almost found myself wanting to close the window. To do anything to keep that scent surrounding me.

"Can I ask you something about his Lordship?" I asked, setting down my napkin.

"Of course," Isa leaned back on her arms, "Ask away."

"Why does he employ so many humans?" I chewed on my bottom lip, "Isn't it a bit odd?"

"That's a fair question," Isa smiled, "It is odd, but his Lordship is quite odd compared to other Wolves. He doesn't harbor the same resentment towards humans that others do, I'm sure you've noticed that already."

"Yes." I had more than noticed, and his kindness towards me had been thoroughly unexpected.

"He gives money every month to a charity in town, did you know? To help humans from The Alleys who are facing hardships; to help get them medicine, clothes, food - whatever they need."

"That charity doesn't actually do anything," I clenched my jaw, "I lived in The Alleys since I was a child, there's no help for us there."

The charity that Isa was referring to was run by a merchant named Forester, a Wolf with a particular disdain for humans, and often paid them meager sums to perform jobs he considered beneath Wolves. The only way to receive anything from Forester was to make a deal, one that would always end up in his favor.

"You must be thinking of something else. Have you never gone to it for aid?" Isa looked genuinely confused, "His Lordship is very proud of the work they do."

"I'm telling you, there is no work being done." I had no idea what was done with the money that his Lordship supposedly gave to help the humans, but none of us had ever seen it for ourselves. As far as I was concerned, it was just a scam, another corrupt Wolf taking advantage of the humans below him.

I had almost gone to Forester for help with Mother, but the last human who had gone to him for medicine had found herself locked in a five year contract working at his mill, and no one had heard from her since.

"Perhaps you should tell his Lordship," Isa frowned, "I think he'd be very interested in hearing about whether or not his money is being used correctly."

"Why would he take the word of a Wolf over the word of a human?" I shook my head, uncomfortable with the idea of making an enemy of someone like Forester. "Besides, his Lordship has more important things to worry about than humans from The Alleys."

"He does," Isa studied my carefully, "But that doesn't mean that he won't."

"I don't know."

"He's a good man, Mira."

"Not a man." I said, almost to myself, and Isa nodded.

"A good male," Isa corrected herself, "Though in the case of his Lordship, I wonder if that's somehow even better than a good man. I'm sure he'll make his mate very happy one day, whoever she is."

Another pang of jealousy shot through me, and I tried to shake it away as best as I could. I would likely have to make clothes for her too, whoever she was.

"He doesn't know who his mate is?" I set the rest of my sandwich down, my appetite disappearing.

"I don't think so," Isa shrugged, "I imagine if he did, he would have claimed her by now. Wolves are too possessive to not keep their mates close, especially if they're unmarked. I can't imagine the self-control the Lord would have to possess to keep himself from claiming his mate if he knew who she was. I'm sure he'd be going half mad."

I imagined his future mate wouldn't exactly be pleased with how freely he flirted. I would have to say something about it to him if it continued, out of respect for whoever the future Lady was. I didn't want to make an enemy of a woman I didn't even know, especially if she was a Wolf.

I imagined that she would be as beautiful as he was, tall and lean and elegant. I painted her in my mind, every added detail like a knife to my heart, but I continued on anyway. I had no ownership over Nathaniel, and it was best that I remind myself that as much as possible. It would make it easier in the end, and I endured the pain of my imaginings until it settled into an uncomfortable ache in my chest.

It was a good start, at least, in trying to rid myself of my ridiculous feelings towards Lord Nathaniel. I'm sure if I told him, he'd burst into laughter at how silly it all was, and tell me how many girls fell at his feet all the time. And yet he would have none of them, I knew.

Nathaniel would only have his mate.

His Lady.

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