The Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) - Kiki Clark Page 0,42
Marcus glanced back at him, his lips pressed together. “I always kind of thought it was bullshit actually.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Then I watched Rick—the biggest, baddest, grumpiest asshole I’d ever met—”
Marcus scowled and Nico laughed.
“I watched him fall for Kai so hard and so fast and… I don’t know. I watch them sometimes—Bennett and Kieran too—and it’s like… they really do balance each other out. And they have a unique connection. I think my parents had that too, but I was so young and anxious to get away from the pack that I couldn’t see it for what it was.”
“So you think… you think something draws us to our real mates? That we don’t just choose someone and fall in love like humans seem to do?”
Nico tipped back in his chair, and Marcus stopped himself from scolding him, wanting to hear what he had to say. He’d tried to convince himself that it wasn’t something magical drawing him to Robson, that he’d simply been attracted to him and his wolf had latched on. But the idea had never taken root. Like Nico, he’d seen how the others had seemed to bond quickly and deeply, leaving their bonding bites on each other as well. Not all couples exchanged those, but powerful shifters were more likely to, their animal side especially wanting the visual representation of their mating.
“I think… the stronger the shifter, the stronger the pull, but yes. I think something other than simple attraction draws us to our mates.”
The stronger the shifter, the stronger the pull. That made sense actually. He thought about the sweet looks he’d seen Reesa and Patrick exchanging after the birth of their daughter and remembered feeling that they were no doubt mates, but the intensity of their pairing didn’t seem to match Rick and Kai or Bennett and Kieran.
“Do you want to talk about him?” Nico asked softly, jolting Marcus out of his thoughts.
He shook his head and ground his teeth together to stop himself from releasing the well of feelings bubbling up inside him. “No,” he choked out, “I really don’t. It doesn’t matter how drawn I feel to him, he can never feel the same way.”
“Says who?”
Marcus froze, halfway up from his seat, and then he slowly lowered himself back down. “What do you mean? He’s human. There’s no way—”
“Says who?” Nico repeated, giving Marcus a look that said he was tired of Marcus being deliberately obtuse.
“Nico, he’s not a shifter. He can’t feel the pull—”
“Says. Who?” At Marcus’s frustrated growl, Nico grinned and stood, stretching his body before pointing at Marcus. “Don’t assume shit, man. Two humans may not be able to feel the magical pull of a mating, but who says a human can’t feel it for a shifter? We’re fucking magical creatures, Marcus.” Nico turned and started toward the front door, tossing over his shoulder, “Maybe stop pretending like you have all the answers and go ask someone who knows more about magic than either of us.”
Chapter Eleven
“Here, hold the baby,” Reesa muttered, placing a sleeping bundle in Robson’s arms before he’d even responded, then shuffling out of the living room.
He stared down at his niece’s wrinkly little face and smiled. “Hello, beautiful.”
The front door swung open and Patrick strolled in, smiling at Robson. “Hey, man. How’s it going?”
“Getting in some quality Maria time, so I can’t complain.” He hesitated, then said carefully, “That’s a nice front door.”
Patrick grinned and looked back at it. “Yeah. I told Marcus it was too much, but he waved me off, scented Maria, and left. He’s a man of few words but generous to a fault.”
Robson hadn’t thought he was that quiet, but he took the opening he’d created and ran with it. “Yeah, he seems… nice enough. You guys know him pretty well?”
Opening his mouth, Patrick snapped it shut and looked toward the kitchen. “Hang on one second.” He disappeared faster than should have been possible, and Robson sighed.
“Another thing I missed, Maria.” He leaned down and breathed in the new baby smell on Maria’s head and groaned softly. “That’s the good stuff right there.”
“Are you snorting our daughter’s scent like a drug?” Reesa asked.
He looked up and had to press his lips together not to laugh as Patrick carried her into the living room bridal-style. She was frowning and had her arms crossed, but Patrick was smiling and had his nose buried in her hair. Which… he was pretty sure she hadn’t showered in days, so he wondered how good she could actually smell.