Thirty- six

Say something. Anything.

"So that was, uh...." Harper began.

"Awful." I put my head in my hands and groaned.

Harper chuckled and I shot him a glare. 

"Well, not awful. You're sitting here with me, are you not?! With your dad's permission." Harper glanced at me and smiled. Well, that's one way to look at it!

"I guess," I mumbled because it was true. Although the dinner was unbearable and one of the most awkward gatherings I have ever been to, my dad had, somehow accepted Harper.

"What do you think got him?" Harper asked me.

"What?" 

"What do you think convinced him, that I am serious about us and not just taking advantage of you?" Harper sneaked a glance at me.

"I don't think you have even me convinced yet." I kept my face as straight as possible. Teasing him had become one of my greatest past times lately, and I never let go of any opportunities and this one was just too damn good to pass.

"Really?" Harper asked nervously and ran a hand through his hair.

I sneaked a glance at him, to see he was already looking at me. I couldn't help but smile and chuckle at his uneasy attitude.

"You're evil, you know that." Harper chuckled, finally catching up to me.

"Oh! Says the big bad wolf." I laughed and shook my head, glad that we were bickering once again and simultaneously avoiding the elephant in the room.

"But seriously, what do you think convinced your dad?"

I bit my lip as I thought about it. "I think he was finally convinced when you told him that you loved me and would never hurt me." I sneaked a glance at Harper as I said those words. My heart had soared when he had said those words and the confidence with which he said them made everyone believe that he meant it.

"I mean it." Harper looked at me for a minute longer and then looked back at the road. I felt his hand latch onto my own and he slowly entwined my fingers with his. Heat crept up to my cheeks at the simple gesture. 

It was weird how simple gestures like this still made my heart thud in my chest and made me blush.

It was really hard to believe that he had never dated anyone before. He always knew what to say and he did the exact things I would expect a man, who knew the ins and outs of a relationship, would. Because, after all, small things and gestures, like holding hands and planting kisses on the forehead were what mattered in a relationship. Small gestures that proved that the other person cared about you and was happy you were there; small gestures that showed that you were wanted and maybe even loved.

"How is the pack so rich?" I asked him, eyeing the rich leather seats of his car. Now that I think about it, everyone in the pack seemed well off and lived affably.

"The money pours in from other packs. Packs from all over the continent pay us tributes. It has always been like that because we are the white wolves." 

I nodded. "But how is every damn wolf so rich?"

"Contrary to what you believe, we wolves practically run the city." Harper sneaked a glance at me and smirked. He was relaxing and his pupils were slowly turning back to the green orbs I loved to look at.

I raised an eyebrow in question as if to say really.

"The pack funds every wolf who wants to start a business. It looks like we wolves have a knack for business because every investment blooms. Every wolf is allowed to pursue whatever profession he/ she wants. Everyone except the higher-ranked wolves, of course. Wolves are board members in the municipality and practically oversee everything that happens in this town. Some of us are even in the police force."

Wow. "You guys are everywhere."

Harper nodded. "We are."

I gulped nervously. I was really surprised that I wasn't unsettled by this fact. At least not as unsettled as I would have been a few weeks ago. Nor does this fact unnerved me much.

Silence reigned and an uncomfortable tension developed in the air between us due to the events that had happened during the dinner at my house, a half hour ago. This topic loomed over us like a dark cloud and it would be better if we talked about it. I would rather do it now, rather than postpone it and increase the chances of it being more awkward.

"I'm sorry for what my sister said back there," I said hesitantly.

"We both know I deserved it." Harper chuckled darkly but I could see his grip on the steering wheel tighten. 

I couldn't deny that he didn't deserve it he must have seen it coming. I knew I did. That was precisely one of the reasons why I was nervous about the dinner tonight. Some girl was bound to lash out sooner or later at him, it was just my bad luck that it was my sister who did the lashing, and that too, in front of my family.

I looked out of the window, trying and failing to make out the scenery zooming past us. It was clear where we were headed, the woods because that was the only place he could transform and run. 

Harper probably got the message that I wasn't going to deny his statement. "I'm sorry for the way I acted too." His voice came out small and unsure and I turned to face him, giving him my full attention.

"What?" 

"Being a white alpha, my wolf does not like to be disrespected. It just wanted out at that moment and every second I stood there, in front of your sister, it was becoming harder for me to control him."

"I don't blame you for that, Harper," I said softly.

"My wolf just couldn't take it, especially when I realized that your sister was mated to a normal wolf. You didn't tell me about that."

"I didn't know she was mated to a werewolf before today. I caught a glimpse of the mating mark on the base of her neck. She seemed horrified that I had found out about it. She has no intentions to tell us about her mate today." 

The fact that Emily was mated was a real blow to me. I have always been close with her and we used to share secrets all the time. I could understand that she couldn't disclose to me that her boyfriend was a werewolf, but she could tell me that she was serious about him. This revelation hurt me and her behavior tonight unsettled me.

"Maybe, she wasn't ready for anyone to know about it. I mean, you aren't ready to tell anyone that your mates with a werewolf, are you?" Harper chuckled.

I chuckled, in an attempt to hide the hurt that was blooming in my chest. "No, I guess not." I looked down in my lap as a question formed in my head. 

"What exactly happened when Emily kept, um, insulting you, Harper? I mean, you got all authoritative and I had this weird urge to bow down to you." 

"Like I said, my wolf didn't like it one bit that someone was disrespecting him. He just wanted to rip Emily's head off and I was having a really hard time controlling him. I just wanted her to know that she was beneath me and that I could control her if I wanted to. I used my alpha tone on her so she would submit to me. In my rage my compulsion powers got mixed with my alpha powers, resulting in everyone feeling the power and authority I was radiating. That's why everyone bowed to me and Emily, being mates to a werewolf whimpered, as she realized that my alpha wolf was in control."

I nodded weakly, awed by this explanation. "Why didn't I bow to you? I mean, I could feel the power in the room and authority rolling off of you in waves, but I didn't bow. I somehow fought against it."

Harper smiled at me, pleased with what I said. "Because you are my mate and therefore, my equal. My alpha position doesn't work on you and I wasn't consciously compelling you, so even though you felt the urge to respect me and accept me as your superior, you were able to fight it." He squeezed my hand, which made me look into his eyes. "It means that the bond between us is getting stronger each day."

I smiled at how satisfied and happy he looked. I was happy too. Who wouldn't? My mate bond with Harper was strengthening and I couldn't be happier. It just made me wonder how it would feel like when he would accept me as my mate and how it would feel when he would finally mark me. 

"You still need to shift?" I asked him because he looked calmer now and less restless.

"I do. I need to go for a run." Harper sighed and looked at me apologetically.

"I want to go with you," I said, hesitantly, wondering what he would think about my request. It sounded weird to my ears. He planned to run in his wolf form, how would I even be able to accompany him?!

"You want to ride me?" Harper smirked. Immediately, vivid images of me riding Harper filled my brain and I choked on my spit.

I gaped at him as I felt my cheeks flush at his sexual innuendo. "I-I, n-n-no...."

He laughed hard at my response and I hid my face in my hands, mortified at my wayward thoughts and the fact that he knew what I was thinking about.

"You can ride my wolf." He smirked and winked at me.

I smiled excitedly at the thought.

Harper parked the car a few minutes later, at the edge of the forest. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car.