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  He scooped up the application and smiled again. “Thank you.”

  Returning to his truck, he browsed through the application. Ah crap! There was a section asking about past crimes, including youth offenses. Something told him he was screwed. He’d still fill out the application and see what happened. If he was lucky, maybe his time in the service would outweigh his youth.

  Cain laid the application on the truck seat and drove home. Something told him Connor didn’t want him back on the job site today. A glance at the clock showed it was nearly two anyway, almost quitting time. He’d been at work since six that morning and would have only been on the clock another hour.

  When he parked at the dorms, he saw Lucas, Finn and Terrell hanging out at the foot of the stairs. He didn’t hang out with them much, but they were a good group of guys. He waved as he walked past, but Finn’s words stopped him.

  “Is it true? Are you mated to Allie Jenson?”

  He faced the younger wolf. “Yeah, I am. Why?”

  Finn shrugged. “Word is travelling through the pack that you claimed her at Lagoona’s, but we all know that doesn’t mean crap.”

  “Allie is mine.”

  Terrell grinned. “Congrats, man. I think we’re all a little jealous. Any of us would give our right arm to be mated. I had hoped mine would be here, but so far she hasn’t shown up.”

  “Don’t give up yet,” Cain said. “I heard more women are coming in a few weeks. Only two, but you never know. One of them could be the one.”

  Lucas looked a little depressed and Cain wondered about it. “Everything okay, Lucas?”

  He shrugged. “All this talk of mates makes me want one, but I know mine isn’t coming.”

  Cain frowned. “Why wouldn’t she? You never know when your mate might show up.”

  “I met my mate a long time ago, but I never claimed her. We were too young and she never showed any interest in me, other than as a friend. I let her go. It wouldn’t have been right to claim her when she didn’t want me.”

  Cain gave the young man’s shoulder a squeeze. “Not everyone finds their mate, Lucas. You should have told her. Maybe you’ll get a second chance. If not with her, maybe there’s another woman out there who wants to spend the rest of her life with you. Plenty of wolves marry women who aren’t their mates.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I guess. Maybe I’ll think about it one day. I’m still the baby of the pack. Well, you know, except for the actual babies. I have plenty of time to settle down.”

  Cain smiled. “I have some paperwork to fill out, but I’ll catch y’all later. Maybe we can go out for drinks one night this week. What are you three doing off work anyway?”

  “I switched days with Hunter,” Lucas said.

  Terrell shrugged. “Still looking for the right job. I put in an application at the fire department last week so we’ll see how that goes.”

  “I just took a day off to use up some of my vacation time,” Finn said. “When I transferred here, I kept my old job. I just work remotely now.”

  “Well, y’all have a good afternoon. I’ll catch up with you later.” Cain turned and hurried up the stairs.

  As much as he’d like to hang with the guys, he had things to do. Like fill out the application clutched in his hand. He hadn’t bothered to ask about the pay rate or benefits because he knew it would be better than what he’d received working for Connor. Not that Connor was a bad boss, but he just had limited resources. Working for the city sounded like a good idea.

  Chapter Seven

  A knock at the door startled Allie from her panic induced internal rant. She went to answer it and was more than a little surprised to see several pack females on her doorstep, including the alpha femme. What the hell was going on?

  Aislinn smiled brightly, a covered dish held in her hands. “Afternoon, Allie. Mind if we come in? We come bearing treats!”

  She stepped back. “Please, make yourselves at home.”

  Aislinn stepped inside, followed by Chloe, Darcy and Jasmine. She’d spoken with the alpha femme and Chloe several times, but she’d never really interacted with the other two and wondered why they were in her apartment. Closing the door, she followed them into the kitchen, where everyone set something on the counter.

  “Are we celebrating something?” she asked.

  Aislinn smiled. “As if you don’t know! Connor called and told me the news. Congratulations on the mating and the baby! I’m so happy for you!”

  Allie groaned. “I’m not mated to Cain. Yes, he claimed me and bit me, but that doesn’t mean I have to give in to him.”

  Chloe frowned. “Bit you?”

  “It’s a tiger thing,” Aislinn said. “Some species, mostly male cats, feel the urge to bite their mates. From what I’ve researched, wolves used to do it, but the practice kind of died out over the years. It’s a bit barbaric if you ask me. If Connor had tried to bite me, I’d have smacked him on the nose.”

  Allie laughed. This was why she loved her alpha femme.

  “So, you don’t want Cain?” Darcy asked. “Because I’ll totally take him if you’re throwing him away. That man is H-O-T hot!”

  Allie’s inner wolf grumbled at the thought of the other woman getting her paws on Cain. Just because she wasn’t sure she wanted him, didn’t mean someone else could have him. And if her thinking was slightly skewed, she wasn’t about to admit it.

  “If you’re having a baby together, doesn’t it make sense to accept the mating?” Jasmine asked.

  “Maybe,” she mumbled. “But do I really want to be with a man the rest of my life just because we have a child together? Shouldn’t there be more than that between us?”

  Chloe arched a brow. “And how does he make you feel? You had sex so obviously he turns you on. Desire is half the battle. Or are you worried it’s going to fade away?”

  She shrugged.

  “How did it make you feel when I said I’d take him?” Darcy asked.

  Allie locked her lips together and Darcy smirked.

  “That’s what I thought. You don’t want to like him, but you do. You’re just too afraid to admit it. What is it about him that has you running scared?” Darcy asked.

  “He’s just so… overbearing. And rude. And he doesn’t believe a woman should work if she has a mate!” Allie narrowed her eyes. “He got me fired from Lagoona’s then said he was glad.”

  Jasmine winced. “Okay, subtle he isn’t, but can you really blame him? I mean, I went to Lagoona’s for a job when I first got here, saw the way the clientele manhandled the waitresses and turned around to walk right back out the door.”

  “No one else would hire me.” Allie shrugged. “It was that or the strip club.”

  The women all shuddered.

  “I love working with Matt,” Chloe said. “But if I hadn’t needed a job when I first came to the pack, I probably wouldn’t be working right now. Because of some differences Michael and I had, I was forced to take care of myself for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I’d been doing that before Michael, but I kind of understand a man’s need to take care of his family. It’s archaic to some extent, but it’s just the way they’re programmed. And shifter males are way worse than human ones.”

  Was Allie really just blowing things out of proportion? Was Cain just being a typical male? Her father had loved the fact his mate worked by his side, but maybe most couples weren’t like that.

  “So you’re saying what? I should ignore him and keep working?”

  Aislinn nodded. “At least, until the baby is born. You may change your mind and want to devote all your time to your child. I work with Connor, but that’s only because Cassie keeps the kids when Alisdair isn’t in school.”

  Allie had to admit they brought up good points. She couldn’t imagine how crazy her life would become after the baby arrived. She’d heard they slept little and demanded constant attention. Having never really been around any, except for pack gatherings, she didn’t know much about them. The thought of motherhood terrifie
d her. What if she was a bad parent?

  “You look scared shitless,” Darcy said.

  “Because I am,” Allie admitted. “The idea of bringing a life into the world, of being responsible for someone other than me, it’s terrifying.”

  Chloe smiled. “You’ll do fine. Trust me; it will come naturally to you. All right, so it doesn’t come naturally to all women, but you’re a shifter. I think it’s part of your DNA.”

  Allie nodded.

  Aislinn uncovered one of the dishes on the counter, producing a chocolate cake with a white glaze. Allie’s mouth watered. She’d missed lunch and the cocoa smell had her wanting to take a bite. Or three.

  The other covers came off, revealing a veggie tray, a cheese and cracker tray, and some of those tiny sandwiches they had at parties. Allie couldn’t think of what they were called. Everything looked wonderful.

  “We thought we’d have an impromptu party,” Jasmine said. “I don’t know you well, none of us really do, and we thought maybe you could use some girl talk and treats.”

  “Everything looks great. Thank you for coming over.” Allie smiled. Who knew, maybe she’d have new friends when this was over. And they’d given her something to think about. She hadn’t been fair to Cain, she realized that now. He’d marked her before they knew about the baby so obviously he cared about her in some way.

  She settled in for what Jasmine had called “girl talk” and was determined to have a talk with Cain over breakfast. It was time to face her future head on. With a mate by her side.

  Chapter Eight

  At nearly nine o’clock the next morning, Cain knocked on Allie’s door. He was late, but he had a really good reason for it. Cain waited a few minutes then knocked again. Where was she? Had she left, thinking he’d stood her up? There was a faint noise on the other side of the door and then he heard the locks turning. When she pulled open the door, he couldn’t stop the smile that sprang to his lips. She was too adorable for words in her sleep tank and shorts with her hair matted and twisted from sleep.

  “Morning,” he said.

  Without a word, she stepped back to allow him entrance into her apartment. She closed the door behind him and went back into the bedroom. Curious, Cain followed her and shook his head when he saw her fall face down onto the bed and snuggle into her pillow. Obviously his mate wasn’t a morning person. He’d have to remember that.

  “Did you forget we were meeting this morning?” he asked.

  “Too early,” she mumbled, not opening her eyes.

  “I’m actually late. By an hour.”

  She groaned and burrowed her face further into the pillow.

  “You know, I had planned to take you to the diner over on Fifth Street for breakfast. I’ve heard they have really good biscuits with sausage gravy, and even better pancakes.”

  He heard her stomach rumble and grinned. She slowly rolled over, cracked one eye open and glared at him.

  “That isn’t playing fair,” she said.

  “Come on, lazy bones. Why are you so tired anyway?”

  “A bunch of the women in the pack came over after you dropped me off yesterday and they stayed until late into the night. It was after midnight when I went to bed.”

  He frowned. “You need your sleep now that you’re pregnant. Did they know about the baby?”

  She nodded. “That’s partly why they were here. They wanted to congratulate me.”

  “You should have kicked them out by ten.”

  “Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me how I should run my life?”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m just worried about you and the baby. I told you how hard it is for a tiger cub to go full-term. You need to be careful, Allie. This isn’t your average pregnancy.”

  “And what if the baby is a wolf?”

  “I don’t care what we have. Tiger, wolf. Girl, boy. I just want the baby to get here safely with all its fingers and toes. It would just make me feel better if you were extra careful, at least these first few months. I think if you can make it to four months, we’ll be in the clear.”

  She sighed. “The doc didn’t seem worried.”

  “Probably figured I’d worry enough for the both of us.”

  She shook her head and rolled out of bed. “I need to shower and get dressed if we’re going out for breakfast. The remote is on the coffee table if you want to make yourself comfortable. Or do you plan to hold my hand in the shower, in case I fall?”

  “Do you have to those gripper things in the bottom of the tub?”

  She growled. “Cain, out! Get out! Get out! Get out! You can wait on the couch. If I even hear you near the bathroom, I’ll throw your ass out of the apartment.”

  It seemed his mate was testy without her caffeine. He hated to be the one to tell her that caffeine wasn’t good for the baby. As he studied her irate face, he realized now was not the time for that conversation. Maybe he’d wait until she’d showered and dressed, and then see if her mood had improved any. Getting upset wasn’t good for the baby either. He’d have to figure out how to protect her without pissing her off. Something told him that was easier said than done.

  With a sigh, he turned and headed for the couch, where it seemed he would spend the next half hour or so while she got ready. He really hoped she wasn’t one of those women who took an hour to get ready. His stomach had been growling for the past hour, but the stop he’d made on the way to Allie’s had been very important. Cain just hoped she agreed.

  He picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and began flipping through stations. There wasn’t much on at this time of morning so he left it on one of those morning shows. It wasn’t like he was paying much attention to it anyway. If he listened carefully, he could hear the shower running and he knew if she cried out, he would go running to her. Even if she did hate him for it. He’d never met a woman so determined to do everything on her own, in her own way. Usually women loved it when he did things for them. Not that he’d ever cared that much about them. They hadn’t been his mate and had merely been there to scratch an itch. Might sound crass, but it was the truth. No matter how many women his mother had paraded under his nose over the years, none of them had been the right one. And he’d refused to settle for second best.

  When the shower shut off a few minutes later, he was surprised. He’d thought she’d be in there at least twenty minutes, not ten. Maybe she was as hungry as he was. The women he’d known had always loved their showers and baths and had taken for fucking ever to get ready. Was he lucky enough for Allie to be the exception to the rule?

  Five minutes later, she stepped out of her room in a pair of super short denim shorts and a tank that left little to the imagination. Now that she was his, at least he hoped she’d agree to be his; he wasn’t sure how he felt about her flaunting her body like that. It wasn’t like she was trying to pick up a man. Or was she? The sooner they had things settled between them the better he’d feel. Not knowing where he stood was about to drive him insane.

  “That was fast,” he said, rising to his feet.

  She shrugged. “I didn’t bother with make-up or drying my hair. You seemed to be in a hurry.”

  “Allie, if you need more time to get ready, I’m happy to wait for you.”

  “Are you saying I look bad?” she asked, one eyebrow arched.

  “No! I just… I know women like to wear make-up and fix their hair and all that crap. I don’t want you to walk out of here without going through your usual morning ritual.”

  She snorted and moved forward, grabbing his arm and tugging him toward the door. She picked up her purse and keys before propelling him outside. After she’d locked up, she headed for his truck, stopping by the passenger side. He hurried to let her in, not wanting her to stand in the heat any longer than she had to.

  Once she was settled, he walked around the truck and climbed in. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest as he thought about their upcoming talk. Would she want to discuss it on the way to the d
iner? Or would she wait until they were eating? He’d never felt so unsettled before, and he didn’t like it one bit. She’d turned him upside down and inside out without even trying. He wasn’t even sure she was aware of it.

  The diner was busy, but there were still a few tables empty when they arrived. They slid into a booth near the window and a waitress came over, dropping menus on the table. After taking their drink order, she disappeared.

  “So, you said some of the women came over last night. Did you have a nice time?” he asked. “I’ve noticed you don’t hang out with anyone in particular.”

  “You’ve been watching me?”

  He shrugged. “I notice lots of things. You arrived shortly after I did, so I paid attention.”

  “No, I don’t hang out with anyone in particular and, yes, I had a nice time last night. Aislinn and Chloe came over with two other women I haven’t hung out with before. They brought food and we ended up ordering some pizzas, and watching movies, and chatting all night. I’ve never done the whole girl talk thing before so that was interesting.”

  “What prompted their visit?”

  “Connor told Aislinn about me being pregnant and you mating me, so she decided it was cause for celebration.”

  He studied her a minute. “And is it?”

  Allie looked out the window for what felt like forever before returning her gaze to his. She sighed and placed her hands on the table, clasped together.

  “Look. I have to admit, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to find my mate. Never really thought about having kids, except for a fleeting thought here or there. All of this is new to me and happening really fast. But…the girls made me realize something last night. As much as you drive me batshit crazy, I’m drawn to you. If I weren’t, you wouldn’t have gotten as far as you did that night. No one else has made it past a kiss or two, yet I let you steamroll me.”

  “Thanks for the comparison to being run over.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. You hit me head on and I wasn’t prepared for it. Even if I had been, I’m not sure I would have stopped you. I wanted you that night just as much as you wanted me.” She glanced down at her hands. “I’ve thought about that night when I’m lying awake in my bed and, as much as I hate to admit it, I’d like to repeat it. Once wasn’t enough.”