Chapter Ten
“You’re a werewolf,” Sage blurted.
Matt paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Yeah. Kind of thought we established this a couple of hours ago.” After showing his wolf to Sage, he’d returned to the privacy of the guestroom to return to his human form. She hadn’t brought up their other aborted conversation and he was glad.
He’d been about to tell her that he hadn’t had an erection since the attack.
They’d gotten off track when she’d asked him to shift for her and he was too embarrassed to bring the topic up again.
But he would. Eventually. She needed to know.
The persistent worry that he wouldn’t be able to maintain his erection plagued him as he didn’t have conclusive answers as to what caused his difficulty or what cured it.
Though he had his suspicions that Sage and his feelings for her played a large part in his sudden recovery.
But that hadn’t been why he’d called a halt to their make out session on the sofa.
The sudden fiery urge to make Sage his had gripped him as he breathed in her sweet scent. To bite her and mark her as his. His canines had actually ached with longing.
Horror at his animalistic urge had propelled him across the room. He’d debated leaving the fucking state. Sage didn’t require his help anymore. But something told him that Sage wouldn’t take him disappearing a second time lightly.
And the possibility that she’d accept him even knowing his secret, that she would finally be his…. Yeah, he wasn’t going anywhere unless Sage sent him away.
She laughed. “No, it’s only that I just figured out your insane diet.”
He grunted and popped his steak in his mouth. “Yeah. I do occasionally eat something other than meat, but nothing beats a rare steak. My metabolism is through the roof. I can’t get drunk. And no drink is better than water. Though I wouldn’t mind a glass of milk.”
“Does Estrella know?”
He shook his head. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Because you did her show while you were still hiding from me.”
Matt sensed the pain in her words. He’d really hurt her though that had been the opposite of his intentions.
“I did the show for Estrella because she really needed me and because she doesn’t know me as well as you do.
She didn’t question any of my behavior. And she didn’t care or ask why I couldn’t stay after the show. ”
“So, you don’t want to tell Chandra?”
“It would be best if we didn’t unless necessary. It would raise too many questions. Questions that I can’t answer.”
“You really should call your sister.”
He cut into his steak. “I will.”
“I’ll talk to her with you, if you like.”
If it were anyone else, he’d think they were being pushy and invasive, but with Sage, he knew it to be a genuine offer of support. “Is after dinner soon enough for you?”
“Yes.”
Matt touched the speaker icon. “Hi, Missy, this is Matt. I have you on speaker phone. I’m here with my…friend Sage.”
“Hello, Sage. Nice to sort of meet you.”
Sage laughed. “Nice to sort of meet you as well.”
“Matt! It’s good to hear from you. I was planning on calling you. I’ve got something I want to ask you.”
“Oh, yeah? What is it?”
“I’m getting married, and I wanted you to walk me down the aisle.”
“Yeah?” he asked, his throat closing a little that she would ask him. It spoke of an acceptance and a bond that he hadn’t expected so quickly.
Sage grinned and mimed clapping her hands.
“Um, you’re marrying Rick?”
“Of course. Will you do it?”
“Yes. When is the wedding?”
“As soon as possible. I’ll text you the details. I appreciate you doing this for me, Matt.”
“It’s an honor,” he replied honestly. Sage gestured with her hands, encouraging him to ask for help. “Yeah, um, so, Missy, is Rick around?”
“Yes…. You’re not planning to threaten him again, are you?”
“No. I have some werewolf questions for him.”
“Oh. Okay. Hold on for a minute.”
They waited as Missy went to fetch Rick. Matt ran his fingers through his hair, discomfort with the types of questions he needed to ask churning in his stomach.
A moment later Rick’s deep voice came over the line. “Hello? This is Rick. Missy said you had some questions for me.”
Matt cleared his throat. “As you know, my situation is unusual. The woman who turned me lost her mate, but her bite didn’t make me her mate. I feel nothing for her. And she wasn’t able to consummate the…um…the mating. I didn’t respond to her.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight.”
“Hm. That’s a bit young…. Generally there are signs before we turn thirty, but I suppose it’s possible that it’d kick in early. Given the circumstances….”
Rick’s rambling amped up Matt’s anxiety. “So, what are you trying to say?” he finally interrupted.
“Dude, you’re impotent. Usually doesn’t happen until you’re thirty, but I guess you’re just lucky like that.”
“Rick! Be nice,” Missy admonished.
“What? He needs to know.”
“Matt’s not impotent,” Sage said.
There was a brief silence, before Rick growled, “And who the fuck is that? Matt, didn’t those fuckers in your pack teach you anything about keeping your mouth shut?”
Matt growled in return. “That’s Sage. She’s my best friend and you’ll treat her with respect.”
“And just how many friends have you shared our secret with?”
“Only Sage. And…I think she might be my mate.” Sage gasped.
Matt kept his gaze on his phone screen, refusing to meet her gaze.
What would he see there? Shock, yes. But maybe also rejection.
She hadn’t even agreed to date him and here he was suggesting they share a lifetime of commitment.
“I was impotent from the moment Meredith bit me. It’s only since I’ve been here with Sage that… um, things rebooted so to speak.”
Rick chuckled. “Well, I’d say she is as that’s the only cure for our impotence.”
Matt nodded, his mind whirling with this confirmation. And he’d almost lost her to another man. “Rick, how does mating work? I mean, how should it work?”
“You’re not a virgin, are you?”
Matt rolled his eyes. “Of course not.”
“Then it’s sex. You give your mate a bite—”
“Whoa! Won’t that turn her into a werewolf?”
“Yes.”
Matt shook his head vigorously. “No. I won’t do that to her.”
“That’s fine,” Rick said, a shrug in his voice. “But you’ll never have children if you don’t. And you’ll probably become impotent again. It’s what happens to werewolves who haven’t claimed a mate by the age of thirty.”
He ground his teeth together. “I can’t inflict this curse on her.”
“While I can see why you would feel that way,” Rick said in the kindest tone Matt had heard from him yet, “it’s not a curse. We’re proud of what we are. Hopefully, one day you will find peace with it and be proud as well.”
Matt sighed. “Thank you, Rick. I think that’s all I need for the moment. Thank you, Missy. And congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I’ll be looking for the details.”
“You should come, spend some time with the pack,” Rick offered. “Our pack is one of the best.”
“I’ll think about it, Rick.”
“Do that,” he ordered.
“Goodbye, Matt. I look forward to seeing you again. Please think about Rick’s invitation. You and your mate could stay at the house. I’ll stay with Rick.”
“Thank you for the offer. I’ll let you know. Goodbye.” Sighing, he ended the call. When he could no longer avoid it, he looked up at Sage. He didn’t know what to say to her. “I’m sorry. Please don’t think that I expect you to agree to—”
Sage stood. “I’ll call Mrs. Lemon.”
“Your boss at the library? Why?”
“To tell her that I’m not coming in to work on Friday. Do you think we could drive? I hate flying.”
“Wait.” He stared up at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, it’s clear you need to spend some time in the company of their pack. I’m sure Mrs. Lemon won’t mind if I take more time off.”
He shook his head. “No. We can wait until the wedding.”
“No.” She stepped in between his thighs and cupped his face. “You need this. I don’t know how I feel about becoming a werewolf and maybe meeting some others will help me as well. But we’re going because you need this.”
He searched her brown eyes. “And how do you feel about being my mate?” he asked, knowing his future depended on her answer.
***
Sage ran her thumb over Matt’s full bottom lip. The vulnerability in his sky-blue eyes astounded her. Women were always throwing themselves at him and yet he still doubted his appeal. He was one of the sweetest, most supportive people she knew. She couldn’t ask for a better friend or a better mate.
“I would be honored. But are you sure that I’m—”
“Trust me, I’m sure. Are you sure that you want to be with me, knowing what you know?”
“I don’t have a doubt about you. You’re beautiful inside and out.”
He grunted. “Then you could have given me the time of day when we were in college.”
She gave him a quick buss on the lips. “But then we wouldn’t have become such good friends.”
His hands settled on her hips. “I disagree.”
“It’s like Chandra said, I would have always felt guilty about dumping Preston for you. Now, we’re both single. There’s nothing in our way—”
“Aside from the whole I’m a werewolf thing.”
Sage caressed the scruff along his jawline. “You’ve seen the romances I read. A man who can commit and who can always be trusted to be faithful is my dream come true.” She smiled. “And wrapped up in a sexy package? Swoon.”
“I was willing to be that for you before. But I see your point about Preston,” he acknowledged, his tone begrudging.
His fingers tightened around her hips. “About giving you my mark…. It’s why I didn’t make love to you.
The urge to mark you…. I didn’t understand it.
I didn’t know if it was a mating mark or if I was just like… her.”
She shook her head. “Though I’m less certain about becoming a werewolf, I trust you and I know you’d never do anything to hurt me. Have you had the urge to mark anyone else?”