Lesser of Two Evils by K. S. Martin

long,
predatory strides. Kerry was in the doorway suddenly, with handfuls of lacy and
satin panties.
    “I can’t take these. You have to
take all of this back. Get your money back. It’s not right. It’s too much.”
Tears streaked her cheeks again. His eyes went amber, and she backed away.
“Please, it’s too much. They cost too much, I don’t deserve these or any of
it.” She dropped them when he advanced, and went back to her room. He heard the
lock click. As if that would keep him out. Ethan followed and pulled the pin
from the top of the doorjamb. He pushed it into the hole in the doorknob and
the lock sprang open.
     She gasped and backed away from
him when he filled the doorway. She looked terrified. Ethan stopped and leaned
casually against the door. His goal was not to frighten her any more than he
already had. He did not want to go back to enforcing. He wanted to be a pack
Alpha, have a mate, and have pups. Kerry’s mother had said that Kerry wanted a
house full of them and he knew she was the girl for him.
    “We need to get some things
straight.” He took a gulp of the whiskey in his hand, closing his eyes for a
second, then opening them when he’d calmed. “I bought those things for my
mate.”
    She started to interrupt, but he
put his hand up. “I want you to have them. You are my mate, even if we don’t
see eye to eye yet. It isn’t too much. I can afford it, so don’t worry. I know
that you have money issues, but please let me do things for you. I like doing
things for you. The clothes stay, and I want you to enjoy them. Please don’t
feel guilty for having them.” He took another sip. Its warmth filled his belly.
“Sit. Please.”
    She had backed herself into the corner
of the room.
    “Please?” He pointed at the bed,
and she came to it slowly, watching him. Ethan sat next to her but not close
enough to scare her. “We’re strangers, you and I. I should’ve taken all of this
slower. I never wanted to scare you. I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I
want you to like it here, to like me.”
    She watched him and nibbled her
lip. “I want to, but you’re a scary guy,” she said softly, and he grinned down
at her.
    “Tell you what, I promise we won’t
have sex again until you want to, okay?”
    She nodded.
    “I won’t force you. I want you to
enjoy it, I think you did enjoy it once or twice, didn’t you?”
    “Yes.” She said softly.
    “We can do those things that you
liked again. When you’re ready.” He swirled the whiskey in the bottom of the
glass.
    “I had this idea for a long time
when I was enforcing. I wanted something more. I wanted a family, roots, and a
pack. I haven’t had one for many years. When I talked to your mom, she
described someone that I wanted to get to know. Her words about you were so
sweet and eloquent that I knew, before we even met, that you were it for me. So
I am going to fix this. I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner, because you
aren’t. I want you to like this and me. Tomorrow, I’ll show you around the
hunting area, and I want to introduce your wolf to the pack. We’ll visit with
Thelma, too, and get you on garden duty. Since you are going to live here, I’d
like you to help with the cooking and cleaning. Can you cook?” She nodded. “You
get to fix breakfast in the morning.” He cupped her knee and squeezed, he stood
up. “Goodnight, Kerry. Busy day tomorrow.” He leaned down and kissed the top of
her head. “I hope that’s okay.”
    “It’s okay,” she said, looking up
at him.
    “Good.” The corners of his mouth
lifted, but his eyes were sad. He left her alone, the door clicking closed quietly.
    ***
    She wondered how she could fix
this. She’d caused that sadness in his eyes. Kerry hadn’t wanted for him to
move her into another room. She’d almost liked sleeping with him. Her wolf had
relaxed and she slept better. He was warm, too, and she liked that, liked him
being close while she slept. If he couldn’t have