As I pulled onto the main road, I tried to push Tim’s words out of my mind, but all I could imagine was punching him in his arrogant face.
I was grateful the drive to the estate was long enough for me to cool off. Liza was already stressed enough. She didn’t need the added burden of seeing me upset over work.
When I arrived, her car was parked out front and she was sitting on the front porch, staring into the koi pond Mother had recently added to the landscaping. She’d insisted that the front of our house didn’t have enoughpizazz,and had consulted with a local landscaper to get their opinions.
I personally thought the pond was unnecessary and over the top, but I didn’t expect any less from my mother. She considered herself the person who set the tone for the rest of Presley Acres.
To be fair, the society women did follow her lead when it came to fashion and home design. It was all a bunch of pandering bullshit, but it gave her something to do while Dad worked in his office all day.
“Hello, beautiful.” I jogged up the sidewalk, leaving my work bag in the car. My hands needed to be free for Liza.
She smiled at me with those full lips of hers that drove me crazy, but there was something troubling behind that smile that made me do a double take. Liza had been deep in thought. I couldn’t help but wish she’d confide in me and let me take some of her burden.
I held out a hand and helped her to her feet. “Are you ready?” She nodded, and I pulled out my phone, pointing to the screen. “This is a map of the grounds.”
Liza squinted. “I still can’t get over the amount of acreage your family owns. It’s hard to imagine.” She laughed softly. “You weren’t kidding about the area being secure. I mean, I trust you, so I knew it was safe to sit on the porch, but it’s definitelysomething else to actually look out onto hundreds of acres, all gated and secure.”
I smiled and almost told her all of it would be hers someday, but I didn’t want to bring up our mating ceremony right now. All I wanted was to enjoy a run with my fated mate. “You see those red dots? Those are the points of entry. The numbers represent the amount of guards at each location.”
“Wow.” Liza’s eyes widened. “Youreallyweren’t kidding about the area being secure.” Her shoulders relaxed, and I could almost see some of the tension leaving her body. She laced her fingers through mine, and I led her to the clearing.
Before we shifted, I needed her to know that she could still depend on me, even though our circumstances had changed. Some things were out of my control, like Castro practically rising from the dead, but I would always protect Liza. There was no question about that.
I pulled her into my arms, kissing the top of her head and taking in the citrus scent of her hair. “You know that I’m always here for you, right?”
She buried her head in my chest and sighed.
“No matter what you’re dealing with, Liza, you can always tell me. I’m not going to judge you or try to change you.” I stroked her back. “I just want to be there for you. Always.”
She pulled away and stared into my eyes. “I know, but it’s not easy putting all of your problems on someone. It’s a heavy load, Ty, and that’s unfair to you.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t want to be more of a burden than I already am.”
Shock coursed through me. A burden? After everything we’d been through, I thought for sure she recognized my commitment to her. With that commitment came loyalty and understanding, even when it was difficult. If her load was a burden, I would happily carry it because I wanted every part of her. “Why do you feel that way?”
Liza shot me a pointed look and gestured to the space around her. “Everything that’s happening is because of Castro’s obsession with me.” She crossed her arms and sighed loudly. “Yes, I know your father has some fault in this, but I’m sure Castro would have tried to kill my parents even if your father hadn’t attacked our pack. I’m the center of this chaos, not anyone else. So, of course, I feel like a burden.”
My pulse quickened, and my wolf stirred. I was pissed. Not at Liza, but at Castro for doing this to her and planting this seed of doubt in her head. As her mate, it was my duty to alleviate her of those feelings.
“Liza, protecting you isn’t a burden to me, and it never will be.” I grabbed both of her hands. “Can’t you see I’m willing to do anything for you? Not out of obligation but because you mean the world to me. I never want to see you in harm’s way, and I certainly don’t want to see you tormenting yourself over the actions of that son of a bitch.”
I stared into her eyes, hoping she could see the honesty behind my words.
“I know, Ty.” She smiled sadly. “But it’s difficult to shake off the feeling of guilt and responsibility when you’re constantly reminded of it every day. I thought Castro was gone for good, but it was all a lie. He tricked us into thinking we were safe, then struck when we were most vulnerable and happy. Everything he does is calculated.”
I squeezed her hands tighter. “You don’t have to feel responsible for Castro’s actions because you’re not.” I needed her to understand. “What you can do is focus on your strength and power. You are so much more than a victim, and I’m here to remind you of that every day.” I stared at her, seeing her power and strength, even if she couldn’t.
She smiled, and some of the sadness faded from her eyes. “Thank you for always being there,” she murmured as she leanedinto me. Liza laid her hand over my heart, and I enjoyed the touch enough to moan as I kissed the top of her head and held her close.
I was glad to see her smile, even though she had yet to tell me about her nightmares. As much as I wanted her to confide in me, I kept my mouth closed and decided not to push it. I was certain she’d tell me when she was ready.
“I’m ready to shift now.” Without another word, Liza stripped, and I averted my eyes from her gorgeous body.
Just knowing that her breasts were exposed mere feet away aroused me. I shook my head, trying to force myself to focus on something less sexual. This wasn’t the time to fuck in the middle of the woods, though I wanted her with every ounce of my being. She needed to run, and I wasn’t going to delay her any longer.
We shifted and ran side by side, our wolves in perfect sync with each other. After a few moments, I let Liza lead, giving her the freedom she so desperately needed. When we stopped at a clearing, I watched as she rolled around on the grass and basked in the sun. There was something joyous in her that I had been waiting to see. Freedom. Happiness.
She had no restrictions, no guards watching her every move, no phone being tracked by an entire security team. Liza was free, and I ached for that to be a permanent situation as much for me as for her.
Moments like these reminded me why I’d do anything to keep her safe and comfortable, and also caused an ache in my gut when I thought about the terror she was living through.
