“And?”
He halted, turning back to the females. He wasn’t going to be able to escape this conversation. It would be best to get it over with. “She’s not convinced.”
Jaime cocked her head. “But you are, aren’t you?”
“I know she’s my mate. I don’t need the pull of the mating bond to tell me that.” His wolf growled his agreement.
Frowning thoughtfully, Grace tapped her fingers on her cheek. “Something’s obviously blocking the bond. Do you know what it could be?”
“She fears mating,” replied Ryan. “She hasn’t explained why.”
“It’s not uncommon for people to fear it.” Lydia sighed, a grim twist to her mouth. “But I think, having watched you two together, that she does want it to be true. Has she said as much?”
He shook his head. But he believed that Makenna wanted them to be mates.
“Maybe she’s afraid to hope in case it turns out that you’re wrong; she might worry you’ll then leave her.” Marcus slanted Roni a meaningful look. “Some females can get dumb ideas like that.”
“I’m not wrong,” Ryan stated.
“But if you were, would you leave her?” asked Hope.
“No.” Ideally, he would have preferred to avoid imprinting on anyone. But if that was what it took to bind Makenna to him, fine. “She’s mine and nothing will change that.” It had been two weeks since he’d first spoken those very words to her. He’d said them again early that morning when he dropped her off at the shelter. She’d looked no more convinced then than she had the first time. But she’d looked like she wanted to believe him.
Marcus slid an arm around Roni’s waist. “Yeah, but does Makenna know about your parents? If she did a background check on your family when looking for guardians for Zac—”
“She knows,” Ryan confirmed.
“Then she’ll probably find it difficult to believe that you’d consider staying with someone who wasn’t your true mate,” said Marcus.
Ryan inwardly stilled. He hadn’t thought of that.
Frowning, Taryn shook her head. “No, she knows Ryan cares for her.” She raised a brow at Ryan. “You have told her that, right?”
When Ryan didn’t respond, the females all sighed, shaking their heads at him.
“A big problem is that you and Makenna haven’t really had quality time as a couple,” said Shaya. “Both of you have been putting most of your energy into Zac, the shelter, and fighting off Remy. Everything’s been intense and stressful, which doesn’t exactly go hand in hand with a budding relationship.”
“You need to take her on a date,” said Hope.
Shaya’s eyes widened. “Ooh, yeah! You should take her out to dinner.”
“Or for a boat ride,” suggested Lydia.
“Or ice skating,” said Jaime.
“Or on a picnic.” Grace pointed at him, stern. “Make sure you take her flowers.”
“And maybe write her a poem,” said Shaya.
Taryn blinked at the redhead. “Oh, I’m sorry, is it 1953?”
Shaya ignored that. “You could even take her star gazing. Nick did that with me once.”
“Willingly?” asked Ryan.
She swatted his arm. “We’re trying to help you.”
Marcus stepped between the females. “Your suggestions are good ones, ladies, but they’re not exactly Ryan-type activities.”
“I actually already had something in mind,” said Ryan.
Lydia’s brows flew up. “You did?”
“Really?” asked Taryn.
They didn’t have to sound so astonished. He grunted.
Grace waved a hand, impatient. “Well, what is it?”
“Makenna said she’d always wanted to go to an outdoor movie festival,” said Ryan. “There aren’t any local ones so I thought I could set something up here on our territory. We have a projector and a white screen and speakers. I could do a campfire and toast marshmallows and . . .” And why were they now smiling dreamily at him?
Jaime put a hand on her chest. “I think Makenna would really love that.”
“I think I would really love that,” said Taryn.
Grace’s manner turned abruptly businesslike. “Leave the planning of this to us, Ryan. We can set this up. Bring her here at seven. Everything will be ready by then. I don’t think that girl’s had much fun in her life. If she wants an outdoor movie festival, she’ll get one.”
“Wait,” began Marcus, “it won’t exactly be a date if they have our entire pack hanging around.”
“If they went to an actual movie festival they would be surrounded by people,” Lydia pointed out. “The same would apply if they went out to dinner or bowling or something.”
“Making this a pack event will be a good thing for Makenna,” said Grace. “She’s never quite relaxed here. Like she doesn’t feel she belongs.”