The Wolf Lord's Mate

Chapter Twenty-Six

I put away my work quickly, and threw on a cloak before meeting Nathaniel by the front door. He was already waiting for me when I got there, his air casual and confident, but there was a hint of excitement hiding in his eyes. I had no clue what it was he was planning, but I very much doubted it would be in line with my own plans, which were to keep as much distance between us as possible.

Nathaniel had said he was going to court me, but I wasn't sure how intense his pursuit would be.

"You look as lovely as ever." Nathaniel's eyes roamed down my body as I descended the steps, as if admiring a piece of land that he owned. But he did not own me, a fact I was prepared to remind him of as often as need be.

"You just saw me," I fussed with the clasp at the front of my cloak, "I can't imagine I look much different."

"I disagree," Nathaniel shrugged, leaning in closer as I joined him by the front door, "I think you grow more beautiful every time I see you." I flushed, glancing around to make sure that no-one had overheard him, but the entryway was empty. We were alone, or at least as alone as we could get in the Lord's manor.

"After you, my dear." Nathaniel held the front door open for me, and I gladly stepped out into the sunshine. A mare was tied up outside, fully saddled and kitted up for a ride.

"Are you leaving the manor?" I asked, willing him to tell me that he did not intend for us to ride that horse together.

"We are leaving the manor," Nathaniel offered me a hand down the front steps, but I did not take it, "I want you to get to know me for me. Not as a Lord, but as Nathaniel."

"Where, exactly, are you intending to take me?" I looked at the horse warily, acutely aware of just how close we would be pressed together.

"My cabin," Nathaniel stroked down the side of the mare's flank, "It's private enough that you won't be in danger of being seen, and it will give us the alone time we need to get to know one another properly." I had a feeling Nathaniel's idea of getting to know one another went far beyond a few late night conversations.

It would be much more difficult to avoid the bond when we were in such close quarters tougher, which I'm sure was Nathaniel's intention. I'm sure he was positive that if he could get me alone then he would be able to seduce me into the bond easily, but he should have figured out by now that I was no simple quarry. I had no intention of making this easy for him.

"And what will the rest of the household think?" I crossed my arms over my chest, "Surely us disappearing off together will raise some questions."

"As far as they are aware, we are visiting Leo." Nathaniel gave me a thoroughly satisfied smile, "He's in need of some new clothes, and I am so generous a friend and Lord that I have offered him the skills of my personal seamstress."

"Incredibly generous."

"I do like to think so." Nathaniel went to offer me his hand again, but I stepped back.

"If there are two of us," I began, as I had no intention of letting his little scheme to force us onto a horse together go unchecked, "Then why is there only one horse?"

"You are full of questions this afternoon, aren't you?" Nathaniel tugged on one of the saddle straps with a sigh, "I am not kidnapping you, Mira, nor am I taking you someplace you will not enjoy."

"You said that you would fulfill every wish and desire that I had," I raised a brow, "So answer my question, My Lord."

"I asked you to call me by my first name." Nathaniel warned.

"I asked you to answer my question." I pushed back.

"I assumed that being from town, you didn't know how to ride." Nathaniel said, "Was I wrong?"

"No," I admitted reluctantly, "But I think I could figure it out rather quickly. I'm a good student."

"Then I'll teach you," Nathaniel nodded, once more offering me his hand, "Another day. For now, we will ride together."

I look down at his hand tentatively, just starting to reach for it before pausing. "I didn't pack any clothes."

"I have clothes for you there."

"How do you know they'll fit?" I narrowed my eyes at him, but he looked totally nonplussed.

"I've been staring at your body long enough to be able to guess." Cheeky bastard.

"That still wouldn't tell you what size I actually—whoa!" I yelped as Nathaniel grasped me around the waist, lifting me up onto the mare's back before I could protest anymore. I grasped the horn of the saddle to steady myself, shooting Nathaniel the hardest glare I could muster, though it didn't seem to bother him at all—as per usual.

"Swing your leg over," Nathaniel instructed, checking to make sure the other saddle straps were tight, "You'll be more comfortable sitting astride than in side saddle."

I did as he said, too green a rider to give any push back, and swung my other leg over the side of the mare. It was a bizarre feeling to be sitting up so high, and my stomach lurched every time the mare shifted, terrified that I might slip right off her back. My legs were not long enough to reach the stirrups, and I assumed that they had been fitted for Nathaniel's stature, and not my own.

"Breathe, love." Nathaniel rested his hand over mine on the horn, rubbing my fingers until I loosened my grip. As much as I hated to admit it, his touch calmed me immediately, my heart rate slowing down as his thumb rubbed circles over my knuckles. "Good girl."

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