Tangled

310 Lisa: Humans Have Pheromones?

LISA

Kellan's stare leaves me unsettled. It's been intense ever since our reunion.

I'm grateful for the space he's given me-this whole fated mate business is like being slammed into by a rogue freight train-but there's a whole lot of little things that keep throwing his feelings into the foreground, making it impossible to ignore. Like how he touches me a little too often.

How he watches my every move.

He hasn't kissed me again, but it doesn't make the current situation any less awkward.

"Can't sleep?" he asks, as if us sharing a bed and him lying on his side to stare at me for the past hour is somehow conducive to falling asleep.

"Nope." The word pops out with a little more sass than I intend, but damn it, does he have to

stare at me like that?

"Oh."

And awkward silence again.

"So, why couldn't I just bunk with Dr. Blackwell?" My question breaks the uneasy tension

between us.

"They don't have an extra bed," he explains easily.

"And no empty beds anywhere else? At all? Just-none?"

"None."

"No sleeping bags?"

"No."

"Extra blanket?"

"Not even one of those."

He's lying through his damn perfect teeth.

"You have a couch," I point out. I saw it. I know it's there.

"People come in and out at all times of day. It isn't the safest place to sleep. Better to be in bed."

"Right." Fiddling with the comforter-soft and warm and smelling like Downy-I dare to glance in his direction again, only to be caught by his unblinking gray eyes. "You could sleep on the couch," I point out in a vague mumble.

"I don't want to."

Of course he doesn't. These wolves just do what they want and damn the consequences.

Angh an I want to ha anave, ahout it to then a fit and damand haalaan an tha aanah That

17:09 y

310 Lisa: Humans Have Pheromones?

make an inane sort of sound and watch the ceiling in the darkness. I hate to admit it, but I kind

of like that he's there.

"I hope Ava and Lucas are getting along."

I'm sure they are.

The heated huskiness of his voice has all my lady bits tingling.

Bad Lisa. Bad! He thinks you're his mate and he's being all caveman about it. Don't give in.

I clear my throat, desperate to change the subject from the tension simmering between us. "It's only right to give the newly mated couple their own space, don't you think?"

Kellan nods, his intense gaze softening slightly. "Absolutely. Ava and Lucas need to be around each other as much as possible for the next few days."

My curiosity piques, momentarily overriding my discomfort. "Why's that?"

"The mate bond requires proximity," he explains, his voice taking on a lecturer's tone. "Especially in the beginning stages. It's like... imagine a sapling that's just been planted. It needs constant care, water, and sunlight to grow strong roots. The mate bond is similar." I let out a little hum. "So, they literally need to be in each other's presence? Like, all the time?"

"At first, Kellan confirms. "Their bond will demand that time together. She'll feel wrong and anxious without his sense, and his aggression will increase when she isn't near."

Wow. More reasons this whole mate thing is kind of bullshit. It's a lot less romantic when you suddenly get slapped with the label yourself one day out of nowhere. "Huh."

We lapse into silence, but it feels different now. Less awkward, more... contemplative. I find myself studying Kellan's face in the dim light, noting the strong line of his jaw, the warmth in his gray eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" I venture after a while.

"Anything," he replies immediately.

"What happens now? I mean, with us? With this whole... mate situation?"

Kellan goes very, very still. It's like he isn't even breathing, until he finally talks again. "That's

up

to you, Lisa. I know this is a lot to take in, and I don't expect you to just fall into my arms and live happily ever after. We can take things as slow as you need."

"And if... if I decide I don't want this? The mate thing, I mean."

He's quiet again.

"You aren't going to force me, are you? Drag me into your cave and have your wicked way with me?"

He sounds strangled when he responds, "Of course not."

Hlet out a sigh of relief, my body relaxing into the mattress. The tension that had been coiling in my muscles starts to unwind, but it's short-lived.

310 Lisa. Humans Have Pheromones?

Shit. My eyes widen as I realize how my words must have sounded. "No! I mean, I don't-" I stumble over my words, trying to backpedal. How do I explain that it's not him specifically, but this whole situation that has me on edge?

Kellan sighs, his broad shoulders slumping slightly. "Look, Lisa, I know you're an independent soul. The last thing I want to do is scare you or make you feel trapped."

I narrow my eyes, suspicion creeping back in. "So... does that mean you are going to do it and you're just lying to me now?"

A strange sound escapes Kellan-half groan, half laugh. "No, Lisa. I would never do that to you. Never." His gray eyes lock onto mine, intense and sincere in the dim lighting. "I want you to come to me of your own accord."

The conviction in his voice sends a shiver down my spine. I believe him, I realize. Despite everything-the chaos of the past few days, the whole mate situation being dropped on me like a bomb-I believe that Kellan won't force me into anything. ""Oh," I breathe out, not sure what else to say.

Kellan shifts, propping himself up on one elbow. The movement causes the blanket to slip further down his chest. He doesn't have a shirt on, which is far too enticing for a woman like me. Especially when I'm trying so hard to not fall into his arms. "I know this is a lot to take in," he says softly. "Hell, it's a lot for me too. But I meant what I said earlier-we can take this as slow as

you need."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Of course."

Since he's being so kind as to explain things, I may as well ask all the questions we humans want to know. "What exactly does being mates mean? Like, practically speaking. Is it just... attraction? Or is there more to it?"

"The mate bond is more than just physical attraction, though that's certainly part of it. It's a deep, instinctual connection. Like finding a missing piece of yourself you didn't even know wasRêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

gone."

His words send a flutter through my stomach. It sounds romantic, sure, but also terrifying. "But

what does that mean for us? For our lives?"

"It means we're uniquely suited to complement each other," Kellan explains. "In theory, we should balance each other out-strengths and weaknesses, personality traits. The bond encourages us to be better versions of ourselves."

I can't help but snort at that. "So, what? The universe decided we'd be perfect together and now we're just supposed to accept that?"

The way his voice changes, I can tell he's smiling, even if I can't see it. "I know it sounds crazy. Trust me, I've been grappling with this too. But the mate bond isn't a guarantee of happily ever after. It's more like... a strong foundation. We still have to put in the work to build something on

it."

12:09

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310 Lisa: Humans Have Pheromones?

"Are you going to have problems because you're mated to a human?"

Kellan's body jerks a little, and my breath stops. Damn. I didn't realize the question was such a bomb.

"The pack will accept my fated mate" he says in a nonanswer,

"So, it'll be a problem for you, Undermine your position, maybe?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me, Kellan."

He sighs, "A mate bond with a human is rare, I didn't even realize it at first"

"That's right!" I sit up in excitement. "You didn't know at first. Ava said you find out when you smelled my blood, but I've had so many scratches, and you never knew"

His

grunt is

my only answer for a while. Then, "It isn't just the blood," he says tightly. "I could smell your pheromones."

"Pheromones?" I frown. "Humans have pheromones?"

Kellan's body tenses beside me. "I could smell that you had sex"

Shock courses through my body, and I jerk back instinctively. The sudden movement throws me off balance, having moved too far off the side of the bed, and I flail as I fall.

Just as I'm sure I'm about to hit the floor, a strong hand grabs my arm and yanks me to safety. My body thumps against Kellan's chest with an undignified squeak escaping me.

For a moment, we're frozen like that-me pressed against him, his arms holding me tight. I can feel the heat of his skin through the thin fabric of my pajamas, can hear the rapid beating of his heart. Or is that mine?

"I... you... what?" I stammer, my brain still trying to catch up with everything that just happened. Kellan's arms loosen slightly, but he doesn't let go completely. "Are you okay?" he asks, concern evident in his voice.

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? I'm not so sure" I reply, my voice shaky. I push myself up, putting a little distance between us, but not quite breaking free of his hold. "Did you really just say you could smell... that?"

I'm not a prude by any measure. I'm not ashamed of sex. But somehow, my cheeks are burning He nods, a grimace twisting his features. "It's part of being a wolf. Our senses are... enhanced" "Enhanced enough to smell... Oh my God: Mortification washes over me as the full implications of what he's saying sink in. The heat rising to my checks is so intense I'm surprised the room doesn't burst into flames.