Vulfen Alpha's Mate Read Online Free PDF Page B

the goddess with dual natures. I am a man, as you see, but I am equally a wolf. It is a gift we have been given.”
    Ellie felt ridiculously like apologizing. He acted as if being called a werewolf was almost an insult. She certainly didn’t want to insult three werewolves—no, vulfen—in her own living room. Lord knows what damage they could do with tooth and claw.
    But, really, they seemed quite civilized, all standing and waiting for her to respond, not acting beastly at all.
    “Are there many…vulfen?”
    Valeri looked to Rylek, who inclined his head.
    “Yes,” Valeri said, “there are three Russian Clans, and around the world there are many more clans.”
    Ellie cleared her throat, not sure how to word her next question.
    “Will you show me your wolf?” she asked Valeri.
    Rylek made a brief, arrested movement, and then was still.
    Valeri came forward slowly and transformed himself. Ellie was surprised to note that his wolf was also somewhat stocky and a bit smaller than Rylek in that form, as was the man. He was a dark
     
    golden color, very unusual for a true wolf, she thought. It would be easy to tell the difference between Valeri and Rylek, even in these furry bodies. He barked once, making her jump, and waved his bushy tail before changing back into Valeri.
    Ellie licked her dry lips.
    “You both came back wearing clothes,” she said, confused. “Is that normal?”
    Rylek spoke up. “If we are overcome by emotion, or injury, we may sometimes change too quickly, and the clothing shreds. However, under normal conditions, clothing is not destroyed by the change so long as it is made of a natural fiber.”
    “How can that be? Why should it matter what the clothing is made of?” she asked curiously.
    The men exchanged glances, and their shrugs to one another made
    Ellie think that none of them could or would answer that question. “The change is a natural process and does not destroy things
    belonging in nature. Or some clans simply say, the goddess wills it so,” Rylek said. It was clear, for him, that was answer enough.
    “Won’t you sit down,” she said politely after a moment and didn’t
    know whether to laugh or cry when all three men sat.
    At least they were well-behaved legendary beasts, she thought a little wildly. And Valeri didn’t have fangs anymore, so perhaps they would calm down now and allow her to convince herself that she had been experiencing some strange hallucination. After a lifetime of good sense, it really was too much to ask that she just suddenly start believing in creatures from a fairy tale.
    Even seated, the three broad-shouldered men made her extra long sofa look like a child’s miniature. She was not a small woman, but they made her feel positively tiny in comparison.
    She was beginning to relax in their presence, but even so, she couldn’t take her eyes off them. Under her scrutiny, the third man moved uncomfortably, jostling Valeri and earning himself a quelling glance from Rylek.
     
    “Ellie, I would like to formally introduce my seconds to you,” Rylek said carefully. “Valeri Sidarov you know already, and Miros Reitn, both trusted warriors, charged with the safety of all within my rule. They will be trusted also with the protection of my mate should I fail.”
    Unspoken was the thought that if Rylek failed, it would have to be in the most extreme circumstances. A man like this, a leader and an Alpha, would never leave one of his own undefended. He would fight to the death for those he loved.
    Both seconds stood again, and went down to one knee before her, bowing their heads. They didn’t rise again immediately, and Ellie had the strange feeling that they were waiting for her to do something. She looked at Rylek helplessly.
    “They offer their lives for yours,” he said softly, and it came to her mind that he had done the same for her only moments ago. “It would be acceptable for you to touch their heads briefly, or even to kiss their foreheads, to