You Are Mine

Chapter Eight

"Aren't you done yet?" I heard Beau grumble.

In response, I flicked the changing room door open. Beau was slouched on one of the benches flanking the room, his jacket hood up and arms crossed over his chest. I chewed my bottom lip to keep from grinning—he looked like a pouty five year old. He glanced up when he heard the door open and quickly stood up.

"Finally. I can't be seen in this store," he grabbed my hand.

"Is that why your hood is up? So nobody will see you and your tough-guy image will remain intact?" I followed him out of the store.

"Precisely."

Rolling my eyes, I let him drag me out of Gilly Hicks, then continue through the mall at a leisurely pace. Beau pulled his hood down, not needing to hide anymore. I frowned at him and shook my head, sighing.

"Men are ridiculous," I stated.

"And why is that?"

"You get self conscious about being seen in a store, yet you can eat like fifty cheeseburgers in public," he tried to protest but I cut him off, "yes, when I came here with Xavier he ate a whole box of pizza."

"You were with Xavier?" He was concealing fury—the alpha inside him was pissed that I was with another male wolf without him.

"Beau, he's our friend. Of course I was."

"But-"

"One more word and I'm sleeping on the couch," I threatened.

Beau quickly shut his mouth, taking my threat seriously. What a perv. One side of my mouth quirked up and I tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek—his wolf needed to be reassured that I belonged to him and that I knew it. A contented purr—so low that only werewolf ears could pick it up—vibrated through his chest and he wrapped his arm around my waist, resting it on my hips as we walked.

Despite Beau's protests, I'd convinced him to come with me to the mall instead of staying at his house all day. The guy he was, he'd wanted to stay in bed for the rest of the day. After a bit of persuasion—threats where Beau would rather burn in hell than have come true—I'd gotten him to come with me. It took even more coaxing to get him into Gilly Hicks, but being the sex-addicted guy he was, he'd agreed eventually.

"I know that my possessiveness turns you on," he pulled me closer to his side.

"Occasionally," I lied.

The fact that he was so possessive and protective of me was a major turn on. Beau knowing this was dangerous for me—he had a bit of leverage too. Not as much as my threats to sleep on the couch or sleep with sweatpants and a t-shirt on, but he knew how to charm his way to me.

"You realize that the bond lets me read your thoughts, right?" He smiled smugly.

My jaw dropped, "you asshole! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want you to read my mind," he tucked his hand in the back pocket of my jeans and the other in the front pocket of his.

"So," I said, walking closer to him, "how does your pack bond work?"

He smirked, "it's not going to be that easy to get answers from me, baby. I've got a few ideas on how you can earn answers though..."

Beau trailed off, the smirk on his face growing. I jutted my bottom lip out in a slight pout and leaned my head on his shoulder. His stomach growled and I laughed—I knew by experience that when Beau was hungry, he got cranky and crabby. My mate shot me an expectant and hopeful look and I sighed.