Free A Wolf's Oath by Jennifer T. Alli

pastime,
ogling the movements of her mate’s body. The scowl quickly
disappeared as he stood and she once again became fascinated by the
way he moved, the corded muscles of his stomach clenched as he
crouched before leaping off the edge of the roof.
    He landed gracefully on both feet, perfectly balanced and
smiling widely at her. Quickly gathering her scattered thoughts she
watched him approach, cursing her body’s weakness and his ability
to know of it. He knows I’m attracted to
him. Damn it. I’m never going to live this down and he’s just going
to use this against me when he tries to convince me to accept his
claim. What the hell was I thinking standing around here and just
staring at him like some kind of idiot?
    “ Hello sweetheart, is Anna still coming?”
    His question surprised her. She had expected him to at least
make a passing mention of his knowledge of her aroused state. She
sighed in relief and slight exasperation, he seemed to delight in
not doing what she expected him to do. His actions were so unlike
those of the male wolves she knew that she didn’t know what to make
of them. Most of the males she knew were cocky and arrogant,
assured of themselves and their actions while Sebastian seemed
content to remain in the background, unnoticed.
    Though the small cabin now radiated his scent and there was
nowhere she could go to escape him, she was beginning to doubt it
was intentional on his part. During the brief time they had spent
living together, she had come to realize that he would completely
leave her vicinity at the slightest indication that she was
uncomfortable. She reluctantly admitted that having him around
wasn’t as unpleasant as she had thought it would be. The chores she
was forced to undertake to maintain the cabin had been drastically
reduced with him around. He seemed to anticipate what she would
need to do next and have half completed it by the time she arrived.
Despite his helpfulness he never asked for acknowledgement of
having done the tasks for her, apparently satisfied with simply
giving her more time to herself.
    His shyness was rather endearing though she would never admit
that to him. Despite his apparently reserved nature, her siblings
adored him. He never complained when they demanded he join their
games at all hours of the day, making time for their needs
regardless of whatever task he had decided needed doing. The
kindness of his actions was beginning to affect her, but years of
mistrust of the opposite sex among her people was hard to shake
even with Sebastian being as wonderful as he had been.
    “ Erica sweetheart?”
    The endearment pulled her from her thoughts, she still didn’t
want her brother and sister to know the true relationship between
her and Sebastian and he was usually very good about it, only
calling her by that when they weren’t around. Keeping true to his
normal pattern of behaviour, both Dylan and Wyatt were out of
earshot, trying unsuccessfully to climb a tree in the distance.
“Did you say something Sebastian?”
    He grinned, unimaginably pleased that she had responded to
the endearment without even a token complaint. “I asked if Anna was
still coming today.”
    “ Yes. In fact she’s right over there.” She pointed to the hill
that led to their cabin where Anna was quickly making her way
towards them. “I just came ahead to ask you if you wouldn’t mind
keeping an eye on Wyatt and Dylan while we’re talking.”
    “ Of course I’ll do it sweetheart. They’re beginning to grow on
me.”
    She felt a curious tugging sensation in the region of her
chest at another reminder of his kindness and turned away from him,
unwilling for him to notice how much she was affected by him. As
she watched Anna move closer and closer towards them, she was
startled by the surge of jealousy that coursed through her at the
thought that someone other than herself would see Sebastian
topless. “Put a shirt on!” she hissed in admonishment.
    He smiled, pleased at