RIKKART
Relaxing now that I knew Viv wasn’t in any danger, I looked down at the body wash I’d picked up off the floor.
I groaned when I saw it was jasmine scented.
Of course, the one body wash that was the closest thing to her natural scent.
Seeing her relaxed enough to shift was a good sign after how things ended when we last talked.
I should have known better and handled that situation differently, but Darius had to fuck it all up with his statement. He could be a grade-A prick sometimes.
I’d always wanted to have a mate, but other things just seemed to be more important.
I knew for certain that no one in my current pack was a mate prospect.
We only had twenty single females in our pack of two hundred, and they were not fit to be an alpha’s mate.
I’d hoped that my mother would help me find the right fit, but now having lost both of my parents, it had become less of a priority.
Now, having an alpha female land in my life, one that my wolf and I both agreed would more than fit, was unsettling. Also knowing that Tavas was interested gave me pause. I valued his friendship, and as much as Viv was a once in a lifetime chance, I had to consider what was best for my pack.
“Are you going to actually keep that?” Koit asked, appearing beside me as I walked into the room I was sharing with him.
“Why, did you want it?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Only if you don’t mind that I do,” Koit said, crossing his arms.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not talking about body wash?”
“If you don’t want to put your hat in for her, then I’m going to,” Koit said, surprising me.
“The biggest werewolf playboy of the Silver Mountain Pack wants to settle down and take a mate? Do you really think you’d be okay being tied down to one woman for the rest of your life?” I asked.
“For that woman? Hell yeah, I would definitely give up my tail-chasing days. You don’t get it, do you, Rik?
That woman is everything any werewolf worth his fur would do anything to have, including me,” Koit said, sitting at the foot of one of the beds.
“She’s smart, funny, and bossy in just the right way, and have you seen her? ”
“What about Tavas?” I countered.
“What about him?” Koit shrugged. “I remember your father’s teachings about the old ways just like you do. She can have more than one mate, it’s her call. Once we get on that island, the tables are going to turn, and we’ll be the support of the woman in power.”
“What makes you think she’ll even want multiple mates? She was raised among humans; they are as monogamous as natural wolves,” I said, revealing that I’d thought about it more than I let on.
Koit shook his head with a smirk on his face.
“We all know that she may have been raised human, but she’s all werewolf.
That woman couldn’t fight her instincts if she wanted to.
Her wolf is just as strong as she is, maybe even a little stronger.
If her wolf wants more than one mate, Viv will be fighting a losing battle.
My money is that once she learns the old ways, she’ll be jumping on the bandwagon of ‘the more the merrier.’”
We both paused when we heard Viv’s door open and listened as she walked down the hall and down the stairs to the kitchen.
“Why should she care about the old ways?” I snapped, frustrated at Koit.
“Haven’t you been paying attention to how she’s interacting with all of us?
She is quick to take you down a peg when you try to control her in even the simplest ways.
Do you see her falling in line as someone’s mate, being the supportive wife?
Nope, I don’t see it. Not a chance,” Koit said, his temper flaring.
I let out a growl, warning him not to push his luck. I let him have more freedom than any other alpha would, but with that came the proper respect. Koit backed off immediately, dropping his gaze and calming his emotions.
“I just don’t understand why you don’t want the opportunity to have an amazing mate and change the werewolf world as we know it,” Koit mumbled as he stood and walked out of the room.
I closed my eyes, taking a few meditative breaths. Koit and I never got into arguments unless he felt strongly about the topic. The fact that he was so adamant about this made me second guess my choice in stepping aside.
He’s right. Vivianna is an amazing woman.
A talented doctor, from the reports I’d read, taking the time to really treat her patients.
She strove to be independent, living on her own hard-earned money, a life free from her father’s hold.
Not to mention how she was handling all this far better than we thought she would.
Viv was exactly who I’d pictured for a mate, and I knew my mother would have loved her.
So, what was the real reason I was passing on this chance? Fuck if I knew.