The Mating Game

The Smell of a Virgin

A/N: Okay so I'm finally on summer vacation, my computer's up and running, and my writer's block has been lifted. Unfortunately I have to work so I can't quite write how I want to today. But here's a short filler chapter as gratitude to those who've kept up with and supported this book. 

Chapter is not edited. 

-Tana 

The Mating Game 

Chapter 7 

I was beginning to feel a hint of depression. 

Things were clearly going wrong back at home and my father didn't have the courage to tell me, perhaps he was worried I quit the game. Which wouldn't be a false assumption. I'd drop it all in order to help my father. Hell, the very reason for my participating was for my father's benefit. 

Sure after my mother passed our relationship had its strains and things were rough but my father and I didn't ignore one another. 

He was hiding something.

That would be the only thing that would stop him from talking to me. Lying to me would only make him feel guilty; it was much simpler to ignore me. 

I was startled out of my daydreaming and contemplation by a pair of strikingly green eyes.  It was only then that I noticed his large hand ruffling my already messy curls and how the tip of his nose was almost brushing my own. The way he was leaning in front of me left very little room between our lips. 

"I hate when you do that." I snapped at him, pushing away from him as hard as I could in order to create distance between us. He didn't budge though, of course he didn't this guy was something else. His strength and stealth was that of an alpha. Not even a luna could move an alpha. 

"I honestly didn't try to startle you," He chuckled,  I could tell he was observing me from the curious look on his face but he must not have wanted to know what was bothering because he didn't ask. 

"You came down here to eat didn't you? So eat."

I pulled my knees up to my chest and shook my head. He was right, at first I had traveled down there venturing for food knowing very well he'd have a plate left there for me, but for some reason thinking of my father had completely evaporated my hunger. 

"I'm not hungry." I mumbled into my knees. I was curled up on the counter top; my bare-feet freezing from the cold touch of granite beneath them. 

"You?... not hungry?" Lee scoffed with a raised eyebrow. 

When I didn't reply and instead continued to sit there curled in a tight ball Lee grew frustrated and pried my arms from around my legs. I shuddered from the sparks that shot up my arms from his rough touch. 

God, I was there to be with the man's cousin and yet I was getting worked up by a simple arm touch. 

I snatched my arms away from he quickly, he just chuckled at this. 

"Fine I won't touch you," His lips curved into an irritating smirk; it was almost as if he knew what effect his touch had on me, "But in return you'll eat this sub I kindly had prepared for you."

He all but pushed the plate holding the thickly layered sub into my hands and I reluctantly accepted it. 

Although I didn't feel very hungry my stomach chose that exact moment to let out an embarrassing growl.

"Eat." Lee demanded and with a roll of the eyes I began scarfing down the food.

"Yof forgat ta chips." I said with a mouth fullof chewed up food. 

Lee's face scrunched at my actions. 

"We really have to work on that, chew with your mouth closed." 

I just shrugged in reply and continued to scarf down my sub. 

Lee was watching me the whole time, usually I hated when people watched me but his curiosity in my unashamed smacking was comical. Thus allowed him to continue his creepy staring. When I was down I let out a sigh and jumped of the counter to throw my plate away. 

"Are you gonna ask me what's wrong?" 

Lee shrugged at me and his lip pulled up into one of his infamous smirks. A smirk shouldn't be as sexy as his, but something about the way his luscious lips curled up and the attractive mischievous crinkles that formed in his face made it..... I simply could not continue to think everything the man did was attractive. It was absurd! I almost wanted to slap myself but I knew he'd thi"nk I was weirder than he already thought. 

"I think if you wanted for me to know you would have said it, I know how to stay in my lane." He admitted with a shrug. I liked that he had respect for my privacy and was allowing me that. I wasn't used to that type of consideration. Hell my best-friend may as well be the top detective in the world whenever I was hiding or refusing to tell her what was bothering. It was nice that she cared, but there were times I wanted to bottle up my feelings.  

"So how's that cousin of yours?" I asked attempting to make conversation. It was a weak attempt and to be honest I didn't really care how his cousin was doing. Though I was there to mate him I had absolutely no interest in him. I had more interest in the man standing in front of me, but he was not an option unfortunately.

"Bailey, you should just leave this competition." Lee stated with a short cinical laugh following after it. 

Was he making fun of me?

I crossed my arms over my chest in a defensive manner before replying, "So what ....you don't think I'm good enough for him or something?"

Lee shook his head, "No, you're good enough alright...but do you really wanna mate a man you've never seen or even met?"

"Yeah I'm fine with that."

"Bailey, I can smell your virginity." He deadpanned. 

My face immediately flamed in embarrassment. How was he able to smell that? I've never known a wolf to have a nose on that level. Sure, all wolves had pretty amazing noses in comparison to humans. But the ability to smell someone's virginity? That was simply ridiculous. 

"Yo- Yo-You can't smell that! That's impossible! And even if you could, you're wrong. I've been with a man before." 

"Oh yeah? Like I said I can smell it." 

"N-No you can't! That's impossible! Besides, what does that even have to do with my being in this competition?" I asked, flustered and annoyed by him at this point. He was so condescending. 

He took a step towards me and instead of stepping back like my body craved for me to do I stood my ground; staring him in his eyes awaiting his next move. He reached towards me and I tried not to flinch, my reflexes made me do otherwise. He smiled at this before lifting a strand of my unruly hair and twirling it around his index finger. 

"Well I'm sure you know what a man wants from a woman....right? Do you know what a man would want from you? Do you know....what a mate would want from you? To see this wild hair spread across his pillows....to tangle his fingers through it while he stroked you deeply...." 

I was about to have a heart attack.

"All this upon the initial mating. Would you want all this with a man you hardly know? This would be the only way for you to truly be luna. Are you ready for that...little virgin?" 

I jerked away from Lee, my heart pumping so hard I thought it might come out of my chest. I'm sure my face was the color of a tomato. Damn him for making me feel that way . Damn him to hell. 

"I- I- have to go."I stuttered; sprinting out of the room. 

I wasn't thinking of Howl, how could I think of him? When I was extremely attracted to his cousin. 

-.-.-.-