Mates: Werewolf BBW Romance (Running With Alphas Book 8) Read Free Page B

minimize it and convince him that his murderous thoughts had been nothing more than a momentary lapse in sense.
    They weren’t. They were a neurotic fixation, one that he entertained on a nightly basis. As far as Hale’s wolf was concerned, Alder was dead the moment he tried to set foot on Halcyon territory. Even the knowledge that Taylor would hate him forever if he killed Alder was enough to dissuade his wolf. Only his humanity and the distance he forced between himself and Taylor, kept him believing that he wouldn’t actually go through with the plans.
    Hale stayed in the cabin while Cammie performed her examination and Lark and Fenix pummeled Taylor with questions. Taylor was still noticeably flustered from their unresolved conversation, but she remained patient and poised, her eyes only occasionally darting over to the corner where Hale lurked.
    After confirming that her back was bruised, but otherwise all right, Cammie shooed Lark and Fenix out to give Taylor a more intimate examination. Hale remained inside, but averted his gaze, his jaw clenching as he heard Taylor moan in distress. When it was over, Cammie decreed that everything appeared to be “structurally sound” and that the pups would be okay. She advised Taylor to stay off her feet for a few days and asked that Hale bring her to the den where they could keep an eye on her. For once, Taylor didn’t utter a single protest about having to stay in the cave.
    After swaddling Taylor in furs, Hale picked her up and carried her outside, where the weather had continued its descent into chaos. Flanked by Lark, Fenix, and Cammie, he began the trek back to his den.
    During the long walk, he considered the ramifications of his confession to Taylor. Ultimately, he decided that he didn’t regret it. He was glad to finally be honest with her and also glad that she didn’t think his behavior had anything to do with not desiring her.
    But it changed nothing. He still had to keep his distance from her.
    Even as he thought this, Hale’s wolf growled low within his chest. He had the nagging suspicion that he wasn’t doing anyone any favors by keeping his wolf on a short leash. He was just setting himself up to snap and lose control in spectacular fashion.

Chapter 3
    T he bleeding had stopped by the second day of the blizzard. Cammie assured Taylor that nothing was wrong, and while Taylor believed her, it did little to assuage her anxiety. The entire ordeal had kicked her maternal instincts into overdrive and she was through with taking her pregnancy for granted.
    By the end of her first week in the den, the snow still showed no signs of stopping. The winds dumped snow into the main chamber of the den, forcing the pack to retreat into the lower chambers for warmth. There was plenty of firewood to last them, but after a few days the fresh food supply ran out and they had to fall back on what was in storage. Each afternoon, Hale led a small hunting party out into the snow-locked valley, usually coming back with enough meat to feed the beta wolves and Taylor.
    For the most part, Taylor tried to take her meals in private so as not to taunt her friends. Thanks to the maternal instincts, she didn’t feel the least bit guilty about gorging on fresh meat while the others gnawed on jerky husks.
    Although Hale was considerate in providing food for her, their relationship hadn’t changed much. Since his bizarre confession, the alpha had remained as distant as ever. Some mornings, he would come to their room and stand by her bedside to stare at her. He never said anything and she couldn’t work up the nerve to admit she was awake.
    Taylor wanted badly to bridge the gap between them, but she had no idea where to start. She wasn’t even sure how she felt about what he’d told her. She felt in her heart that Hale would never kill his brother, especially over her, but that didn’t change the fact that Hale believed that he would. So, as much as it pained her to do so, she let Hale