Tuesday Teaser 11/24/15: Sleeping With the Wolf

 I said I was adding a couple of new scenes to Sleeping With the Wolf, and I have. They are fairly short, and they add to the story without changing it. Here is one. I like the idea of giving readers a little hint of what is to come. What do you think?

     With that issue resolved, Taye cocked his head. The voices in the hall were so low even his superior wolf hearing couldn’t make out words. Carefully, he disentangled himself from Carla and walked silently to the door.

     “I hope I find my mate soon,” said Snake. Taye imagined the young wolf with his wavy dark hair spilling loose and wild over his shoulders. “I don’t want to be old when my wolf chooses a mate for me. I want to be young and strong so I can protect her and our children.”

     “Yeah?” Sky challenged him. “Even if your wolf chooses a mate for you, how will you get the woman accept you?”

     “I’ll do anything she wants. I’ll bring her the best horses, or I’ll bring her many deer to feed her family, or I’ll kill her enemies. Then she’ll love me.”

     “My mate will do everything I tell her to.” The complacent note in Sky’s voice made Taye grin and shake his head.

     “Everything?” Jelly asked.

     “Everything. She’ll obey me because I’m the Alpha.”

     “Oh.” Jelly’s voice was low and thoughtful. “But what if she doesn’t agree with you?”

     “Why wouldn’t she? I’ll give her everything she wants. She’ll agree with me because she’ll love me.”

     “Oh,” said Jelly again, doubtfully. “If you say so.”

     Sky muttered something in Lakota. “So what will your mate be like?”

     “I don’t know,” Jelly said dreamily, “but she will love only me. She won’t even notice other men.”

     A low snort came from Sky. “Of course she’ll love you. Mates never love anyone else.”

     Taye caught the faint rustle of a fourth person in the hall outside. “That might not be true,” Quill said in a mild tone. “What if a mate already loves someone when the wolf chooses her? It could happen.”

     Sky’s snort was slightly louder. “So what do you want from your mate, Quill?”

     “Love,” was the instant answer. “I only want to love her, and for her to love me.”

     “And sex,” said Sky. “Like the Chief and the Lu…” His voice broke off and even through the closed door Taye could smell his abrupt wariness. “Do you hear anything? Are they sleeping now?”

     Taye spoke in a growling whisper. “Not yet. Go to bed!”

     The muffled gasps and the scamper of bare feet down the hall made him laugh silently. He remembered trading dreams with his cousins when he was young. In those dreams his mate was always beautiful and brave and loving. He turned toward the bed, his gaze lingering on Carla, asleep in his formerly lonely bed. A smile of wonder curved his lips. His mate was so much better than his dreams. His wolf had chosen well. He was a lucky man. He went to the bed and curled up around Carla’s wonderfully bare body. Sleep caught him with that smile still on his lips.