The Wallflower Mate

14

Kissing her back was the best idea ever or the worst one ever.

Ryker couldn't get over it, and he was hating himself for it.

The rules he followed were strict and simple. He vowed to develop no feelings toward females. He turned his focus on his pack. Females-they were just there for satisfaction. There should be no string attached. No emotional attachment.

Why was it so damn hard for him to do that around Mary?

Even after the event, he was still thinking about it. Lying awake in the hotel bed, wondering what the female who was sleeping in the next room was thinking. Was she also lying awake like him? Thinking about the kiss?

Mary... she wasn't what he expected.

Hell, he didn't even register that she had kissed him until she kissed him.

A smile crept onto Ryker's face. He rolled over to his side and tucked his hands underneath his pillow. Staring out the window, he imagined Mary's face from earlier that night when he pulled back from kissing her underneath the moon. The lust that filled those round eyes.

Mary was different. Older than what society would deem mate-able age, but she was naïve and Ryker was falling for those raw emotions that she seemed to display without a thought. It wasn't just her naivety that he liked. He liked how mature she was. How she jumped at the chance for freedom. How she had more courage than others to do what she wants and not care about society rules.

Females rarely travel out of pack unless they are mating with other packs. They are courted by males. It wasn't out of the norm to see a young, beautiful female with a line of males wanting to be her mate.

Sighing, he rolled onto his back and tucked his hands underneath his head. He closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep.

Hours later, he woke up to the sun glowing through the open window of his hotel room. The white cotton comforter rolled down to his waist. Yawning, he stretched his body and got out of bed.

Glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand, he saw that it was a little after eight in the morning. He quickly showered, brushed his teeth, and did a quick, careless comb through his hair before walking out of the bathroom and searching through his duffle bag for clothes to wear.

He pulled on a pair of classic dark denim blue jeans, a lightweight black rocker shirt, and slipped his arms through a leather jacket with narrow lapels. Sitting on the bed, he slipped on his black combat boots.

Once done, he grabbed his bag and headed for the door. They needed to leave early to arrive at his pack in time.

In one hand he had his duffle bag. In the other hand, he held his phone and started texting Abraham. He finished texting for them to get ready when he heard the door next to him open. Glancing up, he saw that Mary had also stepped out of her hotel room. Her eyes found him immediately.

Last night's kiss appeared immediately. Neither of them spoke, but a blush appeared on Mary's cheeks. She broke eye contact first, and he was a little disappointed. Mary's confidence last night was unexpected but welcomed. He found her initiative to kiss strongly attractive.

"So, wh-where are we going?" she asked, still not looking at him.

"Are you asking me or the floor?" He looked down at the white casual shoes she had on. He had asked Abraham to have someone find her some clothes to wear.

Her head shoots up.

"You," she answered with a displeased frown.

He fought back a smile.