Free Melissa's Acceptance by Becca van Page A

Luke had made love to their mate and ended up claiming her without her really understanding what was happening, there would have been hell to pay. He had a feeling if they had gone ahead and loved Melissa they would have ended up losing her altogether. And that was something he couldn’t have endured.
    With a sigh he turned the water off, dried, and dressed. When he stepped out into the bedroom, the lingering scent of his mate’s cream assailed his senses and his wolf began pushing at him again. How much longer could he continue to hold his animal off? Maybe he and Luke should just let her go home and court her slowly. If that was the only way he and his brother could end up with her by their sides, after a slow, gentle courting, then so be it.
    He entered the kitchen to find Melissa sitting at the table, sipping from a mug of coffee. Luke was nowhere in sight. He let his wolf come to the forefront and used his enhanced hearing to find his brother. When he heard the water running through the pipes he knew that Luke was in the other bathroom.
    Melissa kept her head down, her gaze on the mug she had her hands wrapped around, and he wondered if he’d hurt her feelings by calling a halt to their lovemaking. After pouring himself some coffee, he sat down next to her. He wanted to talk to her and put her at ease but figured it would be better to wait until Luke was there, too.
    Just as that thought finished coalescing, Luke arrived and after getting himself a drink and his brother sat on Melissa’s other side.
    “What do you want from me?” Melissa asked as she lifted her head and glanced toward Luke and then him.
    “You,” Damian answered, succinctly and unequivocally.
    “I was willing…”
    “We want your heart, too, sweetheart,” Luke said. “Not just your body.”
    Melissa frowned as if she was processing what Luke had just said, and then she sat further back in her seat and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. The move was defensive and he wondered if they had just blown any chance they had with her. An ache formed over his heart and it was really hard not to place his hand there and try to rub it away.
    “What do you do for a living?” Melissa asked.
    Damian was glad that she was finally asking questions. Didn’t that mean that she was interested in them? God, I hope so.
    “We are the security for the pack,” Damian answered. “Our jobs are to maintain the security systems and make sure that the boundaries surrounding the property are safe and secure at all times. We set up rotations for patrols and we also make sure that if our Alpha, Betas and queen go out, they have guards with them.”
    “But how do you earn…Never mind.”
    “How do we earn money?” Damian asked the question he thought she was going to. At her nod, he relaxed a little more. Maybe their mate was worried that they wouldn’t be able to take care of her financially. “You have every right to ask. The pack has several businesses around the country and we each get a stipend from the profits. We have more than enough money to get whatever you want.”
    “Shit, that makes me sound so mercenary. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound greedy or snobby.”
    Luke leaned forward, uncrossed her arms from her chest, and held onto one of her hands. “We would never think that, sweetheart. Don’t worry so much, we know you aren’t either of those things.”
    “What do you do, baby?”
    “I’m a kindergarten teacher.”
    Damian smiled. He could just imagine her laughing, teaching and playing with the kids in her care and enjoying every minute of it. His mate had a big heart and he hoped that one day soon she would let him and Luke into her heart, too.
    “Our Alpha was talking about building a school on pack land. The pack is growing and more pups are being born every day. I’m sure if you asked he would be delighted to have you working in the school.”
    Melissa waved a hand in the air as if dismissing his idea and his stomach felt like it