Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 190(@200wpm)___ 152(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
He was perfectly in charge of himself. No one else.
The meeting came to a quick close, but he was expected to take Lionel back to the house with his family. To enjoy dinner.
“Why don’t Anna and Poppy join us for dinner?” he asked, making the request quickly and painlessly.
He didn’t want Greg to be going to their home, eating their food, and flirting with his woman.
Poppy was his, and he didn’t like the way Greg was looking at Poppy. She didn’t belong to him.
Mine!
He was going to kill anyone who dared to take his mate from him.
“That sounds amazing,” Bethany said. “So totally awesome. Can they, please, Mommy, please? Daddy, please. Please, pretty please.”
Yeah, he was going to owe Bethany big time. Like super big.
Bethany didn’t stop until their parents chuckled and then extended a dinner invitation to Poppy and Anna.
“I’d love to,” Poppy said, speaking up first.
“Of course, I would love to,” Anna said.
Before long, Anna was with Nicole, chatting away as they headed back to the house. Lionel was with George.
He stood with Poppy, Bethany, and … Greg.
Bethany let go of his hand and took both of Poppy’s, pulling her along for some attention. “We’re going to have so much fun together,” Bethany said.
Poppy didn’t complain as they skipped together, leaving him with Greg.
“Hey, man, long time no see,” Greg said.
They shook hands, and Klaus knew he was squeezing his hand tighter on purpose. He held him tightly as well. After letting go, they walked side by side, but this was different. He’d never had a hatred of Greg before, but as they walked with Poppy in front of them, he did. One glance at Greg and he saw the other guy was admiring her curvy ass.
Now he wanted to tear out the dude’s eyes. This wasn’t good. He felt his wolf getting close to the surface.
A dominant need to claim Poppy swept over him. He had to have her.
“So, er, is she … taken?” Greg asked.
“Who?” Klaus asked, being a dick on purpose.
“Poppy. I don’t remember ever seeing her before. She is … hot.”
Klaus’s hands clenched into fists. “I don’t know.”
“You’re the alpha’s son. Shouldn’t you know everyone who is claimed and who isn’t?”
“I don’t make it my job to know who is fucking who and that kind of stuff.” No one was fucking Poppy.
Arriving at his home, Bethany was a lifesaver, grabbing Greg and dragging him inside the house, leaving him outside with Poppy.
Just him and Poppy. Alone.
“Are you okay?” Poppy asked.
He ran his fingers down his hair, nodded, and shook his head. “Yeah and no. I don’t … maybe.”
“Do you want me to make an excuse to leave?” she asked. “I can come up with something.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I…” It would be just his luck to have Greg make some excuse to see her home.
Poppy nibbled on her lip. “What … are you … can you handle this?”
He looked back at the house and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t … know. How are you … handling it?”
Poppy sighed. “There aren’t any single females here, so I’m good.”
He smiled and took a step toward her. “But if there were?”
“I don’t know, Klaus. I … I’m not trying to make this hard for you or anything. This is all new to me.”
“You could give me a chance,” Klaus said.
“That’s the thing, I could give you a chance, but the moment our parents find out. Then … everything will be up to them.”
“Exactly, and then I don’t know how to deal with them, and it becomes this whole big thing.”
“So, how about you and I try this out in secret?” Klaus asked.
Being in secret had to be better than nothing at all. At least, that was what he was convincing himself would be better than nothing.
“I … I… Do you think that would work?”
“Don’t you?”
“I have no idea. All of this is so new to me. I don’t know what to think.” She rubbed at her temple.
“Then let’s agree to take it a day at a time,” he said.
“A day at a time?”
“Yeah, and we learn to trust each other. I prove to you I’m not as big of a dick as you think I am.”
“That I think you are?” She burst out laughing. “No offense, Klaus. I know you’re a giant one. I was on the receiving end of it all.” She slapped him on the shoulder. “We better get inside before they start wondering what’s going on here.”
“Yeah, because it is important for them to know every single little detail of our lives, right?”
“You’re soon to be Alpha,” Poppy said. “You tell me.”
“I’m not soon to be Alpha. There is a process, and I’m not going to take over from my dad until he’s good and ready.”
She giggled. “Nervous?”
“No. Of course not. I don’t get nervous. I don’t even believe in being nervous.”