Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
She couldn’t be put off, though. And now he had almost as many questions as her. How the hell was Jayce’s mate already demonstrating heightened abilities?
“Are you mad?” Amber murmured.
“No, Little one. I’m not mad. I’m frustrated because I just got you, and I don’t want to share you. Nor do I want to bombard you with details about the pack just yet.”
She lowered her gaze to his chest. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
He rubbed her thighs over the layers of her dress and her shifts. “No, Baby girl. Don’t think that. You have a lot to tell me, and I want to hear all of it. We all do. Don’t mistake my frustration with the situation as being directed toward you.”
He picked up her fingers and brought them to his lips, kissing them. “Look at me, Amber.”
She lifted her head. Her pulse was elevated, and she was breathing heavily.
“You are the single most important person in my life, and you always will be. There are a lot of customs among Alpha Protectors and their mates that you’re not aware of. Ordinarily I would share those with you gradually, but you’ve been inundated with information, so it’s going to be impossible to ignore your questions. Will you try to trust me to tell you the important parts as we go along?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He kissed her fingers again. “First things first. The mates of Alpha Protectors do speak reverently to their men, and it’s fine to address me as Sir, but most of the time, you will call me Daddy.”
Her cute little brows furrowed. “Daddy?”
“Yes. You may have noticed our size difference,” he joked.
She giggled.
“Well, it’s also in our nature to nurture and protect our mates at a much deeper level than what you’ve witnessed in the valley. We are bossy and overprotective. In time, you’ll grow to understand the dynamic and embrace it.”
“You’re going to feed me a bottle like I’m a baby,” she muttered.
“I’m going to feed you a bottle because my instinct is to make sure you have the best nutrition and because I want to hold you and care for you in ways you’ll learn to crave and expect.”
“You made me a rainbow room. It has strange furniture in it.”
Isaac sighed. “Will I have any surprises for you, Little girl? Or did Jayce’s mate tell all my secrets?”
Amber played with the front of his suit jacket, making him wish he’d taken it off. “She didn’t mean to do anything wrong. She’s scared and confused.”
Isaac nodded. “I bet she is.”
“She came to me, wondering if I was having visions, too.”
“It is unconventional, but I understand, Little one.”
“Please don’t be mad.”
“Amber, I’m not mad. I promise.”
“Will Jayce be mad?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Why is she having visions?”
“I don’t know. I suspect we’ll never know. Many of the recently mated women have a variety of abilities. We think it’s nature’s way of preparing us for something that’s coming. It doesn’t shock me that Jayce’s mate is having visions. Are they of the future?”
“I don’t think so. I think they were all of current events. She could see Rylee here helping you put my room together. She knew that Rylee doesn’t eat many types of food and that her mate doesn’t force her to. She could see other mated couples in their homes, but she didn’t know who any of them were. She assumed you were my mate, and she assumes Jayce is hers.”
“Don’t you fret, Little one. It will all work out. Did she tell you about the clothes your friend and the other Little girls would be wearing?”
“She only mentioned they were pretty. She left out the fact that they were…babyish.”
He chuckled. In spite of the unconventional nature of this mating, she was a true delight, and his heart was overflowing with emotion. “It’s confusing at first, but you will learn to be my Little girl. Mine to coddle and mine to worship. You will submit to me and follow rules that are meant to keep you safe and healthy. It’s a lot to take in at first, but it will all become second nature in time.”
“I’m nervous,” she admitted.
“I know you are, Little one. I’ll do my best to mitigate that. Let’s start by you relaxing in my arms and taking a bottle, okay? You need the nutrients and the fluids. I promise you’ll feel better with something in your tummy. Plus, it will be bonding for both of us.”
“Can I maybe change into one of those new dresses first…Daddy?”
His heart soared. She was so precious.
“I suddenly feel like I’m suffocating under these layers,” she added.
“That’s the best idea in the world, Little one.” He stood, holding her close, and carried her through to the nursery. “I know you’ve seen the rainbow room, but have you seen in the closet yet?”