The Mating Rules

I’m sitting on my bed, tapping my foot, glancing at the clock as Ashleigh looks up at me over the top of a magazine she’s reading whilst sprawled across the blanket beside me.

‘It’s twenty seconds later than the last time you looked’ she reports with a roll of her eyes.

Giving her a scowl, I return to stalking my clock, picking up my phone and checking that too, just in case my alarm clock has suddenly stopped working.

Caden is on his way to take me dancing, and since our talk earlier, I’m suddenly really missing him, missing them both.

I laugh softly to myself, only a few days ago I was all, no I don’t want a mate, I want to fall in love! Such an i***t! Now I miss them by just leaving a room.

A rap on my door has me jumping to my feet, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open to find Caden on the other side looking delicious in a pair of black slacks and a blue button down shirt.

‘Hey’ I breathe suddenly nervous as my mate leans down to press his lips to mine, a soft sigh leaving me at the contact.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

‘Ready to go?’ the Alpha asks, holding out his hand to me.

Nodding, I slide my palm into his, not even glancing back at my best friend as she shouts out ‘bye then!’ grumpily.

‘Are we still going dancing?’ I ask as we make our way down the hallway toward the stairs. I’ve put on a knee length strappy red dress and heels in preparation for a club.

Caden nods, pulling me gently down the stairs and through the foyer where I notice that there are a damn sight less unattached females milling around this time.

Out into the evening air, I make to walk to Caden’s truck when he tugs my hand, instead leading me over to a blue sports car and opening the door for me.

Sliding in, I openly gape at the fancy vehicle, ‘whose is this?’ I query, running my hand along the plush leather as the Alpha climbs into the driver’s seat beside me.

‘Mine’ he replies with a grin, ‘and yours if you choose me’ he adds with a wink as I choke.

‘What?’ I fumble, staring at him, ‘you’d give me your car if I picked you?’

Caden laughs as he starts the engine, ‘baby, everything that belongs to me, would also belong to you’ he replies giving my knee a quick squeeze before throwing the car into gear and pulling away. ‘Though, I’d probably just buy you your own’ he teases as I shake my head at him.

‘You are crazy’ I mutter, settling back in the deep seats and stifling a g***n of contentment. The closest I’ve ever got to a car of my own is the one I share with my sister Bailee that is really my mother’s but she hardly uses it. I use it the most as I work outside the pack but it isn’t mine.

The Alpha shrugs, ‘my Luna deserves everything she could ever want’ he says softly, peeking over at me from the corner of his eye making me blush.

‘Are you trying to bribe me with expensive gifts?’ I accuse, a small smile playing around my lips, ‘your dad said you were not allowed to interfere with my decision.’

Caden gives me a wide eyed innocent look, ‘me?’ he gasps, ‘of course not, I’m just pointing out the added bonuses that come with being my mate. This is all important information if you think about it.’

Shaking my head at him, I start to fiddle with the radio, finding the local station and singing along badly to the pop song that floats out of the speakers.

‘Sure you want to listen to this for the rest of your life?’ I ask, cutting off my awful rendition mid way through.

Taking my hand in his, Caden entwines our fingers, bringing them up to his mouth and placing a k**s against my skin. ‘You sing like an angel’ he replies, smiling at me, ‘I could listen to this all day.’

I snort with laughter, ‘an angel?’ I repeat, trying to smother my giggles, ‘maybe if you were listening to Lucifer singing or even one of his minions.’

Beside me, Caden chuckles, letting my hand go so he can maneuver through the traffic toward the centre of town.

Twenty minutes later, we pull to a stop outside of a small building with bright lights glowing through the large windows.

Confused, I climb out, slipping my arm through Caden’s as he leads us toward the doors, pulling it open and ushering me inside.

Walking through the entry way I stumble to a stop as a huge wooden floor comes into view filled with couples dancing in unison as a woman in her fifties walks among them correcting people quietly.

‘You said we were going dancing’ I muttered, nibbling my l*p nervously.

‘We are’ Caden replies, placing his hand on my back and pushing me forward as the greying woman catches sight of us and bustles over, smiling brightly.

‘Caden! You came!’ she gushed happily, pulling his face down to her five foot frame and planting a k**s on his cheek.

‘Of course I did DeeDee’ he said, using his free hand to hug her, ‘I said I would.’

DeeDee clucked her tongue, ‘please, you say that every time I ask’ she tsks before turning to me, her face brightening further. ‘And who is this?’ she demands hopefully.

Caden beams, ‘this is my mate Jamie-Lee’ he said proudly, making me blush.

A small gasp and I’m suddenly hauled into a hug, ‘Luna! Finally!’ DeeDee squeals, her arms almost crushing me.

‘OK Dee, let her go’ Caden calls out, gently separating me from the overly excited woman, ‘it’s new, don’t crowd her.’

DeeDee waved a hand at him, ‘pfft, you’ve waited four years for her, I’m allowed to be excited’ she retorted.

Shaking his head, Caden gives me an apologetic smile, ‘my mother’s best friend from her old pack, she’s also my god mother. Mum would take me home once a month when I was growing up to see her family. Dee is like another mother to me, I think she is more excited than mum was when I came of age and more disappointed than anyone else when I didn’t hear the calling.’

Leaning closer he adds, ‘she used to ring me at five minutes past midnight, every full moon to see if I’d been called, I think she was just hoping to foist me off on someone with how disappointed she was each month.’

‘Oh you’ DeeDee huffed, swatting at him, ‘you know I was upset that you were alone, but now I’ve met this one, well I’m glad you didn’t hear the calling before, she’s just gorgeous!’

I flush, inching closer to Caden who wraps his arm around me protectively, smiling down at the older woman who ushers us toward the dance floor.

‘Let’s see if you remember what I taught you’ DeeDee fusses, raising an eyebrow at my mate who blushes, piquing my curiosity.

‘Caden can do this dance?’ I asked, looking around at the people floating around us.

‘Oh yes, I taught him myself’ DeeDee replies, ‘we used to ballroom dance every time he visited, I couldn’t have my Daydie with two left feet now, not if I wanted him to sweep his Luna off her feet.’

She pats his cheek affectionately before sorting out our postures and standing back, indicating to Caden who immediately starts to lead me around the room.

‘Daydie?’ I snigger, letting him direct me.

Shrugging, Caden grinned, ‘yeah, seems I couldn’t say Caden when I was little so I used to say Daydie. Dee would always ask me what my name was just so she could hear me say it wrong.’

I laugh, images of a tiny Caden beaming up at the older woman as he proudly told her this name filling my mind. ‘Maybe I should call you Daydie’ I mused, ‘I think it’s cute.’

‘Oh hell no’ the Alpha growls, twirling us around the floor with practiced ease. ‘DeeDee gets a special pass as she’s my godmother, my mate is not calling me that!’

I pretend to pout, ‘but you have a nickname for me, that’s not fair’ I reason.

Caden shrugs, ‘well think of a name if you want to baby but make it something manly, I have a reputation to uphold. No pack member is going to take me seriously if you are calling me Daydie in front of them.’

Giggling, I nod, ‘fine, I won’t bring up Daydie again’ I promise, my fingers crossed behind his neck, I’m so bringing up Daydie in front of my brother.

‘Anyway, I thought we were going to a club’ I continued, ‘you said dancing.’

Caden chuckled, that deep sound sending shivers up my back, ‘I never said clubbing’ he corrected, ‘I thought you’d enjoy this, plus it gave me a legitimate reason to hold you close to me.’

I shake my head, smiling up at him, ‘that is extremely sneaky Alpha’ I scold.

‘Alpha? I quite like that’ Caden growls, his eyes darkening as he holds my gaze, my body heating up. ‘Maybe that should be my nickname, you can call me that any time you want . . . special attention.’

My cheeks heat as I gape at him, ‘that is not a nickname!’ I stumble, ‘that’s who you are! A nickname is not your title.’

Pulling me tighter, this man’s breath tickles my ear as he dips so only I can hear him. ‘When you say it, it sounds sexy as hell’ he mumbles, ‘makes me want to do all sorts of things to you when you call me that.’

‘Wh . what kind of things?’ I ask against my better judgement.

‘Nothing I can do with an audience Leeway’ he purrs, ‘and a lot of things that require this luscious body a lot less covered than it is.’

I grip the back of his shirt, my knees a little weak, dammit, this man does not play fair!

‘Careful baby’ the Alpha rumbles in my ear, ‘you get any wetter and I’m going to have to kill every unmated wolf in here before pushing into your sweet heat right against that wall over there.’

A whimper leaves my lips as I try to press my thighs together, I am in so much trouble.