Bullied Mate (The Alpha Shifter Collection Book 17) Page 4

  “Don’t be rude, Bethany. It is exciting. Always the chance for a potential mate.”

  Bethany started to cough. “Oh, please. Poppy’s not the kind of person to fall for just any guy. I mean, her mate is probably in this pack, and he’s just shy and doesn’t know how to approach her.”

  Poppy looked at Bethany, who was growing redder by the second. “I better go. I hope you enjoy the food, Mrs. Demon.”

  “Please, Poppy, call me Nicole.”

  She smiled, waved, and glanced at Bethany before heading out.

  Poppy hadn’t gone far before Bethany was hot on her tail.

  “I’m sorry, but you’ve got to tell my parents that you and Klaus are like … you know.”

  She folded her arms and turned to the young girl. “I know what?”

  “Come on, Poppy. I know that you and my brother are … mates.” Bethany shrugged.

  “How did you know?”

  “I … know things. The pack doesn’t see what is right in front of them. They’re always dealing with their own problems, but you and my brother, you kind of have to come clean.”

  “Bethany, I appreciate the advice.”

  She groaned. “You’re not going to take it. Come on, Klaus isn’t a bad guy. Sure, he smells and he’s a boy, but I’ve been told many times girls get over that stuff.” She scrunched up her face. “You’ve got to … have feelings for him, don’t you?”

  “Klaus and I are a little more complicated than him just being a guy.”

  “If this because he bullied you?” Bethany asked.

  Her brows rose.

  “Yeah, I kind of got that memo too. He was a poopy brain to you, and all of that.”

  Poppy chuckled. “Has Klaus put you up to this?”

  “No!” Bethany snorted but wouldn’t look at her.

  “Okay, I’ll take that as a yes. Don’t worry about me and Klaus.”

  The young girl sighed and then turned to her. Gone were the playful tone and teasing glint in her eye. “How can I not?”

  “What?”

  “Klaus is going to be the next alpha. A whole bunch of pack men are coming here. People think you’re single. Even my mom was looking at you as if you’re a target for one of them. If Klaus sees another boy near you, he might do something he regrets.”

  “You’re worried for your brother.”

  “Yeah, he’s a poopy brain, but I do love him. He’s my stupid brother.”

  “I’m not going to hurt your brother, Bethany. I don’t … hate him. I just don’t like him.”

  Bethany pursed her lips and nodded. “Will you take care of him?”

  “I will.”

  Poppy was even more surprised as the young girl rushed toward her and wrapped her arms around her waist. She held Bethany.

  “I like you, Poppy. I think you and my brother are a good fit.”

  Poppy rubbed her back. “I better head back.”

  Bethany let her go, and Poppy waited until she saw her back in her yard, playing with a ball.

  She walked back to her mom’s place, only to come to a stop as she saw Klaus and her mother standing outside the shop, laughing.

  He was everywhere. When was she going to be able to catch a freaking break?

  Rushing toward them, she looked at her mother and kept her distance, in case she scented anything … unusual.

  “Mom, hey,” she said.

  “Oh, honey. Klaus is here, and I sent you up to the house with all those packages.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m here now, and Nicole says thank you.”

  Anna chuckled. “I’ve invited Klaus to have dinner with us.”

  “Right, yes, of course. Klaus. Er, yeah, can I steal him away? I need to talk to him about something.”

  “Yes, of course. I hear my phone ringing.” Anna disappeared into the shop, and Poppy had no choice but to grab his arm and march him toward the small alley, away from prying eyes.

  There were so many pack members. Getting a moment’s peace was not realistic.

  “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  She stopped touching him and turned a glare right on him. “Seriously? Your sister?”

  “You talked with Bethany?”

  “Yeah, she was acting strangely, and then I figured out why. You asked your sister to put in a good word with me.”

  “Well, I didn’t … those weren’t the actual words.”

  “Damn it, Klaus! Why did you even involve her? We weren’t going to tell anyone about this!”

  “No, that’s not entirely accurate. You weren’t going to tell anyone about this. I didn’t actually get a choice in the matter. This was all on you.”

  “Oh, come on!”

  He shrugged. “What do you want me to do, Poppy? You want me to pretend that I like this and I agree with it? I mean, I can try, but then it would be a lie.”

  “You’re telling me that you want this mating?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “I’m not lying.”

  “Klaus, you don’t like me. You’ve never liked me. Every single opportunity you had to bully me, you did.” She wanted to scream at him, but instead, she had no choice but to keep her voice calm. This was a fucking nightmare of the highest order.

  He took a step toward her. She moved back. They did this dance until her back was pressed against a wall. His hands went to either side of her head, trapping her in place.

  There was nowhere for her to go.

  All she could do is wait.

  “I fucked up big time. I know that. I don’t have any excuse for how I treated you, but, Poppy, know this. I want you. You are my mate, and I will not allow another to have what is mine.”

  Then, the most unexpected thing happened. Klaus slammed his lips down on hers and kissed her, hard.

  ****

  Klaus didn’t want to be at the town square greeting Lionel and his pack. Including the alpha’s son, Greg. But he was, being what his father would often refer to as the perfect host. Keeping a smile on his face and having a firm handshake.

  Holding out his palm, he nodded at Greg, who gave him a smile.

  Nothing threatening or challenging. They were both in the same position, only Greg was a couple of years older than him, a little further along in his training. He didn’t like him.

  “Thank you so much for having us, George.”

  “Come on, Lionel. You know our packs love any reason to party, and well, the sun is shining, life is good, and we can party.”

  The two clapped each other’s backs. They were more friends than opposing alphas.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Poppy standing with her mother. The two wore dresses. Anna’s hair fell down her back, while Poppy had hers up in a ponytail. She was always pulling those beautiful golden locks back. He found it so annoying.

  He’d seen her with her hair down a couple of times. Each time he had, he’d wanted to know if it was as soft as he remembered.

  It was why he … accidentally pulled it in high school. He hadn’t meant to hurt her.

  Nope. He’d wanted to see if her hair was as soft as he imagined.

  “I hope we’re not imposing on anyone,” Lionel said.

  “Of course not. You are always welcome. We do have a room for you to share, Lionel, and as you asked, we have made arrangements for Greg.”

  This was news to Klaus. He remembered Greg staying with them all the other times.

  His father lifted his fingers, and then he saw Anna and Poppy moving toward them.

  No. He didn’t like this. This was so not cool.

  Bethany put her hand in his and squeezed his palm tightly. She was attempting to ground him as Anna and Poppy approached.

  Lionel had lost his mate a couple of years ago. Each time he visited the pack, he usually had this air of sadness that surrounded him. Not anymore.

  The look Lionel gave Anna was one of … ownership?

  “Ah, Mrs. Davenport, we meet again,” Lionel said.

  “Lionel, as I’ve told you many times before, please call me Anna.” She held her hand out, but rather than shake it, he pulled her hand toward his lips and kissed it. “You remember my daughter, Poppy.”

  Poppy smiled and held her hand up in a single hey. That was it.

  “My son, Greg. You have agreed to allow him to stay with you for the duration of our visit?” he asked.

  “Yes, George, our alpha, requested this, and I see no reason to not allow him to stay with us.”

  Klaus wanted to intervene. To pound the fucker’s face in as he moved forward. First, Greg kissed Anna’s hand, in much the same way as his father had done. Then Poppy.

  When he kissed her hand, a growl erupted out of him. His wolf was ready to tear the head off of this man, to kill him. To make him suffer.

  Instead, Bethany began to growl. It was cute, like a baby wolf.

  Everyone turned to her.

  “Sorry, I’m practicing. Getting ready for my turning.”

  There was laughter, and she glared at him. Yeah, he was going to owe Bethany big time for that.

  Poppy had pulled her hand away from Greg’s lips. Which was good.

  Now he had an overwhelming need to claim her. To make her his. He felt completely overwhelmed.

  His father kept glancing at him, and he had to play it safe and cool. Not let anything bad happen.

  He was perfectly in charge of himself. No one else.

  The meeting came to a quick close, but he was expected to take Lionel back to the house with his family. To enjoy dinner.

  “Why don’t Anna and Poppy join us for dinner?” he asked, making the request quickly and painlessly.

  He didn’t want Greg to be going to their home, eating their food, and flirting with his woman.

  Poppy was his, and he didn’t like the way Greg was looking at Poppy. She didn’t belong to him.

  Mine!

  He was going to kill anyone who dared to take his mate from him.

  “That sounds amazing,” Bethany said. “So totally awesome. Can they, please, Mommy, please? Daddy, please. Please, pretty please.”

  Yeah, he was going to owe Bethany big time. Like super big.

  Bethany didn’t stop until their parents chuckled and then extended a dinner invitation to Poppy and Anna.

  “I’d love to,” Poppy said, speaking up first.

  “Of course, I would love to,” Anna said.

  Before long, Anna was with Nicole, chatting away as they headed back to the house. Lionel was with George.

  He stood with Poppy, Bethany, and … Greg.

  Bethany let go of his hand and took both of Poppy’s, pulling her along for some attention. “We’re going to have so much fun together,” Bethany said.

  Poppy didn’t complain as they skipped together, leaving him with Greg.

  “Hey, man, long time no see,” Greg said.

  They shook hands, and Klaus knew he was squeezing his hand tighter on purpose. He held him tightly as well. After letting go, they walked side by side, but this was different. He’d never had a hatred of Greg before, but as they walked with Poppy in front of them, he did. One glance at Greg and he saw the other guy was admiring her curvy ass.

  Now he wanted to tear out the dude’s eyes. This wasn’t good. He felt his wolf getting close to the surface.

  A dominant need to claim Poppy swept over him. He had to have her.

  “So, er, is she … taken?” Greg asked.

  “Who?” Klaus asked, being a dick on purpose.

  “Poppy. I don’t remember ever seeing her before. She is … hot.”

  Klaus’s hands clenched into fists. “I don’t know.”

  “You’re the alpha’s son. Shouldn’t you know everyone who is claimed and who isn’t?”

  “I don’t make it my job to know who is fucking who and that kind of stuff.” No one was fucking Poppy.

  Arriving at his home, Bethany was a lifesaver, grabbing Greg and dragging him inside the house, leaving him outside with Poppy.

  Just him and Poppy. Alone.

  “Are you okay?” Poppy asked.

  He ran his fingers down his hair, nodded, and shook his head. “Yeah and no. I don’t … maybe.”

  “Do you want me to make an excuse to leave?” she asked. “I can come up with something.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. I…” It would be just his luck to have Greg make some excuse to see her home.

  Poppy nibbled on her lip. “What … are you … can you handle this?”

  He looked back at the house and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t … know. How are you … handling it?”

  Poppy sighed. “There aren’t any single females here, so I’m good.”

  He smiled and took a step toward her. “But if there were?”

  “I don’t know, Klaus. I … I’m not trying to make this hard for you or anything. This is all new to me.”

  “You could give me a chance,” Klaus said.

  “That’s the thing, I could give you a chance, but the moment our parents find out. Then … everything will be up to them.”

  “Exactly, and then I don’t know how to deal with them, and it becomes this whole big thing.”

  “So, how about you and I try this out in secret?” Klaus asked.

  Being in secret had to be better than nothing at all. At least, that was what he was convincing himself would be better than nothing.

  “I … I… Do you think that would work?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “I have no idea. All of this is so new to me. I don’t know what to think.” She rubbed at her temple.

  “Then let’s agree to take it a day at a time,” he said.

  “A day at a time?”

  “Yeah, and we learn to trust each other. I prove to you I’m not as big of a dick as you think I am.”

  “That I think you are?” She burst out laughing. “No offense, Klaus. I know you’re a giant one. I was on the receiving end of it all.” She slapped him on the shoulder. “We better get inside before they start wondering what’s going on here.”

  “Yeah, because it is important for them to know every single little detail of our lives, right?”

  “You’re soon to be Alpha,” Poppy said. “You tell me.”

  “I’m not soon to be Alpha. There is a process, and I’m not going to take over from my dad until he’s good and ready.”

  She giggled. “Nervous?”

  “No. Of course not. I don’t get nervous. I don’t even believe in being nervous.”

  He loved to hear her laugh.

  “Sure, Klaus. Keep on telling yourself that.”

  This was progress. It had to be.

  “Come on, Poppy. You’ve got to give me the benefit of the doubt. That kiss was something, and I don’t seem to recall you pushing me away.” He’d tried not to bring it up. Attempted to be the bigger wolf, but when it came to Poppy, that wasn’t him. He needed her to see reason.

  She burst out laughing, but for a comeback, she didn’t give him anything.

  Chapter Five

  Poppy arrived downstairs and came to a stop when she saw a shirtless Greg in the kitchen. She had forgotten they had a visitor.

  Kind of hard to miss though, considering he snored really loud, and their bedrooms were close together. Her mother was already gone. She would open the shop early today. This left her with Greg.

  An unmated male. A man with no female connections.

  She’d heard Klaus growl last night, and her wolf had liked it. Really liked it.

  This made no sense at all. She didn’t like Klaus, and yet, she enjoyed having his attention. The kiss they’d shared had played through her mind so often in the last few hours.

  Ever since she and Klaus had become aware of their mated bond, she had this overwhelming need. Her body was constantly on fire. She had no idea if Klaus felt this way. She was always aroused, and she had to take care of that arousal each night. She’d been able to control herself throughout the day, but with Klaus there all the time, it was impossible.

  “Morning, Poppy,” Greg said.

  She smiled. “Er, what are you doing up?”

  “Oh, I’m a morning person. Always have been. Pancakes?”

  “Sure, yeah, I’d like them.”

  Glancing at the clock, she saw it was a little after seven. She was used to her mornings being her own. Not staring at a partly naked man.

  Imagine Klaus naked.

  No shirt.

  Those rippled muscles.

  She wanted to slap her face. Why was she even tempted to see Klaus naked? This was so wrong on so many levels.

  He was a bully, someone she didn’t even like, and yet, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  “I had no idea you could cook.”

  “Forgive me when I say this, Poppy, but I don’t think you and I have truly met before.”

  “Oh, we have,” Poppy said. “I was a young girl.”

  Greg was never interested in a young girl, and well, she was never interested in any boys. Not since Klaus.

  Her mother had often tried to get her to talk about her crushes and the guys at school, but there hadn’t been anyone. She always tried to avoid talking about the guys at school. Especially with Klaus.

  “So, Greg, what are your plans for the day?” she asked.

  “I was hoping I’d get a chance to hang out with you. Your mom said that you’d be able to show me around. Meet people.”

  “Ah, yes, meeting potential mates and all that.” She kept the smile on her lips.

  Greg chuckled and placed two pancakes on her plate. He grabbed another saucepan and dribbled maple syrup all over them. There was a little too much on them for her tastes, but she didn’t complain.

  He placed the plate in front of her, and she took it, picking up her knife and fork.

  “I heard you recently went through your first transition?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

  “Not fun, huh?”

  “It’s not high up on my list of experiences I care to repeat.”

  “The first time is always the worst. Your body changes. The pain is what scares you. After that first time, it gets easier.”

  Poppy nodded. Her mother had told her the exact same thing. It had been painful, but once she’d turned into her wolf and ran, it had been an exhilarating experience. One she hoped to try again and again.