Taken by the Alpha Wolf by Bonnie Vanak Page B

on that
particular telepathic email, all he got back was a static buzz of
noise, as if the data connection between them fizzed out. Etienne
touched her hand.
    “Cyn? What’s the deal? I can’t read you. You
shutting me out?”
    “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.” She
brushed at her pants.
    The jeans were crisp, new and designer, he
noted ruefully. Of course. Her wealthy Miami family had wealth and
fully embraced the human world.
    Etienne came from a family as rough and wild
as the bayou.
    Their worlds were galaxies apart. Yet ever
since meeting her at Bourbon Street bar during Mardi Gras last
year, Etienne had known Cindy was his mate. They’d shared meals,
exchanged letters and phone calls, but she’d balked at commitment.
He’d resigned his commission in the Navy, set up a nice little
house for her, with plenty of room for all the babies they’d have.
And then, because she needed time, he’d given her space. Until now.
Until finding out her life was endangered. Then all his protective
male Draicon instincts rushed to the surface.
    No way in hell was he leaving here without
her.
    “You need to go, Etienne. I can take care of
myself.” Challenge sparkled in her gaze. “And my father won’t be
pleased if I took off with you.”
    With one hand, Etienne grasped her round chin
and lifted her gaze to meet his, fierce and glittering. “You’re my
draicara, my destined mate, chere , and what is mine I take,
and keep safe.”
    He paused, struggling with his rising temper.
“Maybe your father thinks I’m beneath you because of my Cajun
roots, but I don’t care. Biology rules.”
    Cindy’s expression softened. “Etienne, I’m
not a snob and neither is my father or anyone else in my pack. I
don’t want to mate you because I’m not ready.”
    “Get ready, chere . Because we don’t
have a choice.”
    She gave a deep sigh, shifting against him.
Aware of the warm, soft female flesh pressed against him, he felt
an instinctive pull, the thrill of the chase giving way to a
sharper, more urgent need.
    “We’ll make it work,” he insisted. “Besides,
it’s past time for me to settle down. I need an heir to rule the
pack after me.”
    He imagined them conceiving the longed-for
heir. He was on top of her, moving slowly, oh so slowly as he
watched her eyes filled with dazed pleasure.
    “I want you to have my babies, Cyn,” he
whispered, his arms tightening around her. Etienne pressed a soft
kiss to the nape of her neck. Needing to touch her, put his claim
on her. He’d always been respectful and courteous in the past, but
now…
    The urge to mate howled through him. Beneath
his pants, his groin tightened. Oh man, if he kept this up, he’d
have her on the ground and naked in a minute. He leashed his animal
(down boy) and stepped back.
    “I want you too, Etienne.” Her voice was
barely a whisper. “But the timing’s really lousy. Just give me
another two months.”
    Etienne touched her soft cheek, marveling at
the silky texture. “Tell me the real reason, chere . You’ve
enjoyed the times we’ve spent together. I want to make you happy.
Why are you avoiding this?”
    “You wouldn’t understand.”
    “Try me.”
    She glanced at his brothers, a frown creasing
her brow.
    “Gabe, Alex, mon freres , give us a
little space.”
    He watched as they strode deeper into the
thicket of shrubs and trees, Gabriel tossing a concerned look over
his shoulder.
    “Tell me,” he urged.
    Cindy sighed so deeply, her breasts rose and
fell. He tried not to notice, pinned his attention to her face,
keeping eye contact.
    “I need time to adjust. To your world,
Etienne. It’s not like you think…”
    Damn, could this hollow ache in his chest get
any worse? “Adjusting to being in a Cajun family, instead a wealthy
one?”
    “Stop making assumptions. This is difficult
for me to leave. My life is here. I love my family and this is hard
on my parents. It’s hard for them to let go.”
    When he’d taken tea, sweet mercy,