Page 22 of Found Objects

My eyes met his, and he held my gaze.

“I can feel this down deep, you understand?”

I did, because I felt the same way. I’d been attracted to other men before, of course, but this felt strange. Different, and more. There was a pull under my skin that I wanted to surrender to, so I nodded in reply.

“Now,” Cole began, his attention back on his cousin, “so you know, I don’t just want to see Merritt occasionally or spend a bit of time with him. I want something much more. And if you were aware of your beast, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Justin frowned, clearly confused.

“Also, for the record—you talk a lot, Justin, but you let yourself get distracted by questions and things that don’t matter when you shouldn’t.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“If you want something, you act. Just because you’re the alpha’s son doesn’t mean we all defer to you.”

“You’re not allowed to go near anything of mine.”

“I promise you, Merritt Baker is not yours. Not at all.”

“Are you serious?”

Not wanting to stand there like an idiot while they talked about me as though I wasn’t there, I took my plate, grabbed a napkin, and left them to return to Narah.

“What was that about?” she asked when I took a seat beside her. “Things look a bit tense between my son and my nephew.”

“I have no idea.”

Her brows furrowed. “I so wish, as cousins, they were closer, but with the way the succession went, I suspect it can’t be helped.”

I nodded, and was about to ask what she meant when she spoke again.

“Oh, Merritt, excuse me a moment, won’t you?” She got up to go speak to someone across the room.

Once she was gone, I noticed the woman sitting on my right, and when I smiled at her, she leaned close.

“I just love your restaurant. I’ve been several times.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“I’m Narah’s sister, Oonagh. I’m visiting from Santa Monica for the winter.”

“I would think you’d want to winter there and come here in the summer.”

“I know, but I miss the seasons.”

I shot her a look like she was nuts, and she laughed.

“Why’re you really here?” I asked.

“Abel has a number of visits with other packs planned, and my sister is hoping to find me a mate.”

“Do you want a mate?”

“I don’t know, and what a refreshing question. You’re not a wolf, are you?”

“No, ma’am, I’m not.”

“I figured not, as you don’t have all of our same obsession with mating.”