His Mating Mark Read Online Free Page B

pine. He smelled wild, and she knew that he would be a danger to her heart, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from wanting to see him again and getting to know him better.
    Their hug lasted far too long, and she slowly lowered her arms, letting him go. He gave her a lopsided smile and kissed her forehead. He walked toward the front door, and she followed him as he stepped out. It was starting to get dark, and she was a little scared, but she didn’t want him to know her fears, not yet.
    “Be safe. I mean, drive safe.” She hoped that he would get home before it became too dark out. She didn’t want anything to happen to him.
    “I will. Don’t worry.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek before walking to his truck.
    She watched as he drove away, then quickly shut the door and locked it. Walking around her house, she locked up, getting ready for what the night normally brought. Wolves.
     

Chapter 3
    Josh drove back up the mountain, heading toward home. He knew he needed to take things slowly, and he would, but two years was way too damn slow. He knew that Nicole would need time to heal after her ordeal that night, but leaving her alone for this long was just damn foolish. He wondered if listening to his brother was a good idea. They should have approached her before now.
    He remembered that night, even though he hadn’t been there. He relived each detail through his other pack mates. His brother had run to him and told him about meeting their mate. He shook his head even now, wishing that he would’ve been the one to meet her first. He wouldn’t have bitten her, marked her. He would’ve waited until the right moment, but it was too late. Time could not be reversed.
    His truck hit the gravel driveway, and he held his breath, watching his older brother and Alpha walk out on the porch. Gabe sat in one of the chairs, kicked up his black boots against the railing, and took a long drink from his beer. Gabe stared at him, and Josh knew that this conversation wasn’t going to be pretty. He had ignored his calls while he was with Nicole. He jumped out of his truck and walked up the steps leading to the porch.
    “Where have you been?” he asked, arching his brow.
    “Nowhere.” He didn’t want to tell him that he had seen their mate or that he had cooked her dinner and spent a few hours watching her. He didn’t want to tell him that he was already falling in love with their woman. His brother had given him a direct order, but Josh couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
    “ Where have you been? ” His words were harsher this time, and Gabe slammed his boots on the ground. Josh couldn’t back down. He knew that. He had to lie even though he hated doing it.
    “I said nowhere.” Gabe walked over to him, and Josh stood his ground and prepared for a fight. Gabe couldn’t hold back his temper. His brother had gone from calm to angry, and he knew the moment it happened. It was the night he bit Nicole. Everything had changed that night.
    Gabe got closer, moving into his personal space. The wind blew at that moment, and Josh cursed his luck. His brother had the best sniffer around, and he was the best fighter as well. That’s how he was able to be the Alpha of their pack and keep his coveted position. It only took a moment for the scent on his clothing to register. Gabe’s face changed. Once suspicious, he was now angry, and Josh took a step back, needing a minute to gather his thoughts before blood was drawn.
    “You touched her. Her scent is all over you. Why?” He cocked his head and waited for Josh to answer.
    “I saw her in town. I actually noticed her scent first and followed it into the grocery store. Once I saw her. I just wanted to spend some time with her.” He kept his voice low, not wanting to upset Gabe further. Even though he was the younger brother, he tried to show respect to Gabe. He went against direct orders by seeing Nicole, and he knew that there might be a punishment. “Gabe, we’ve waited a