They walked past several men. All of them inhaled as she passed.
“Do I smell or something?” she asked.
“Or something.” Max opened the far door where a woman was stood over a stove. Mary frowned.
“I thought he said there were no women in his pack.” Mary was confused as the dark haired woman turned to smile at her.
“Zeke doesn’t allow women into the pack. I’m Max’s half breed mate.” The woman moved toward Max with a smile. “I’m Jane.”
Taking the woman’s hand, she smiled. “I’m Mary.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mary. I’m sure you’re hungry. Please, sit.” The woman had curves, which gave away her half breed status. Sitting at the table, Mary saw several men looking at them from the corner.
A bowl with three chunks of bread was placed in front of her. “I’m allowed to stay because I’m a half breed, and I don’t want anything to do with the other men. Don’t get me wrong. They’re like family, but I love Max.”
Max had left through the far door to the outside air. She saw Zeke through the glass window on the phone. Mary couldn’t hear a word they were saying to each other.
“Why would other women be a problem?” she asked.
“Haven’t you ever been to a pack with bitches trying to get your man? I tell you, in the human world men are the horn dogs, but in this world, women are the worst. They cannot leave a man alone. It’s fucking infuriating.” Jane sat opposite her, eating some food. “We visited a pack up north in the Rocky Mountains. I went with Max, and the women of the pack were trying to fuck him right in front of me.” Jane stopped eating and fisted her hand. “They think because we’re half breed we’re not worth the male’s time. Those women with their slender hips piss me off.”
Mary smiled. “It was, erm, the men in the pack I was with didn’t like me. I was too fat.” Heat filled her cheeks at the sympathy in Jane’s eyes.
“Honey, there are men out there who like a bit of meat on their women. Max doesn’t even allow me to go on a diet anymore. He banned diets and all healthy food from the house. Max considers his passions the best kind of exercise.”
It was Jane’s turn to grow red in the face.
Smiling, Mary found herself liking Max from Jane’s description.
Glancing to the far wall she saw the men were still watching them. “Why are they staring?” she asked.
“The men stare, Mary. When I tell you men like their women with meat, well, some of the men in Zeke’s pack are the ones who love us women with curves.” Jane started eating.
Feeling their stares, Mary struggled to eat. With only half of it eaten she stood, finished.
Jane stopped her. “Zeke has orders, and I’m not in the dark, Mary. Sit, eat, you need to keep your strength up.”
Sitting back down, Mary picked her spoon up like a scolded child.
“She giving you trouble?” Zeke asked, entering the kitchen with Max behind him. Keeping her head bowed over her food, Mary tried to ignore the warmth his voice created in her body. No man should have that kind of power.
“Not at all. I like her, Zeke. You better be keeping her.”
Mary couldn’t believe they were talking about her as if she wasn’t there. Max seemed to take pity on her as he took Jane in his arms. “Stop matchmaking, woman. You’ve got me to take care of.”
“Baby, I want others to find the kind of happiness that we have.”
Max slapped Jane on the ass. “Come on, you can show me some lovin’.”
The two disappeared out of the door. She noticed the men who’d been staring at her had disappeared as well.
Zeke served himself some soup. Mary ate her own and was surprised as Zeke took two more bowls and ate a loaf of bread with his food.