still think we need to slow this shit down a bit. Not the dating part, but the happily-ever-after thoughts. Especially you, because it's such a big deal for Lane, and he's being this chill about it…"
"I'm not backing off," I warned him. "I owe it to my brother to make this happen."
He shook his head. "Not saying you should. I'm just saying you need to lower your expectations a bit. Rein it back to tomorrow, man. Not forever. Look, you haven't said this, so I could be totally out of line, but I think half the reason you're chasing her so hard is the opportunity. If Elena accepts us as wolves, then it's a good thing for Wolf's Run. Doesn't hurt that she's beautiful. Doesn't matter that she's older. You want it to be her so you can prove you're right about wolves living among humans. So you can rub it in everyone's face that coexistence is possible."
Slowly, I nodded, because I had thought about those things. And yes, they were a small part of why I was willing to chase this woman so hard, but it was more than that. So much more. I liked how she made me feel, the way she looked at me, and how easy being around her was. I didn't have to worry about being cool or showing off. I just got to finally be me. That was why I couldn't stay away from her.
"Is there a reason it can't be both?" I finally asked.
Seth made a face and shook his head. "Nah, man. Hell, you could be right, and I could be way off base. I'm just saying that this shit ain't gonna happen without a few hiccups, and infecting her would be a deal-breaker. Considering that things between you and her are definitely heading toward naked?" He lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug that said enough.
"Time to pull my head out of my ass," I finished for him. "Nah, I hear ya, Seth. Thank you, Beta."
"My pleasure to serve, Alpha." Then he grinned. "Thanks for not ripping my throat out."
CHAPTER 36
The girls finally went home around one that afternoon. I spent the rest of the day cleaning up the mess they'd made and trying to get ready for next week. I may have glanced out the window every time I passed one, but I wasn't desperate enough to make up some excuse to see my guys again. Close, but I was a little too self-conscious for that.
The simple truth was that I enjoyed their company. I liked how they were all so different, but fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces. This whole thing felt like it was happening so fast, but I didn't really have any room to complain. They were everything I'd wanted, and they seemed to honestly like my daughter. Plus, who wouldn't want five men fawning all over her and being cool about it?
It was strange. On one hand, all the checkboxes were getting marked. Here were these guys who were responsible, financially stable, good-looking, and seemed interested in a long-term relationship. What every woman wanted, basically. Not to mention, Ian had already made it clear that marriage and becoming a stepfather weren't off the table!
On the other hand, there were five of them, they were a lot younger than me, and this was moving supernaturally fast. It was normal for that to make me a little worried. Never mind what my ex-husband would have to say about it when he found out. And he would find out. These things had a way of becoming public knowledge pretty quickly.
But what could he do? I was allowed to live a little. There was nothing wrong with dating more than one guy. In fact, it was common, right? Usually sequentially, and if not, most didn't know the others, and that night with Pax and Trent in the hot tub was definitely outside the bounds of respectable, but so what? Why was it perfectly fine for men to do this all their lives, but women were supposed to calm down and clean up their act by the time they turned thirty?
No, I wanted this. Ashley was right; I deserved this. There was nothing at all wrong with it. They made me feel beautiful, smart, and amazing. I liked who I was when they were around, like I was a little more impressive and a lot more seductive. And foolish. I kept finding myself smiling for no reason. It didn't matter if that