I grabbed the door handle as Ty jerked the steering wheel, pulling the car over to the side of the road and putting it in park. His chest heaved as he tried to keep his emotions in check, but his anxiety was palpable.
I couldn’t hide my surprise at his reaction. I watched him with wide eyes. Whatever was bothering him had to be major.
He twisted in his seat to face me, still gripping the steering wheel with his left hand. “Before I tell you everything, I need you to know that you will always be my choice. Period.”
Shit. What was he talking about? I pulled on the seatbelt to get some slack, shifting my body so I could tuck a leg underneath my ass. I wasn’t prepared for anything serious, but Ty’s preface had me scared out of my damn mind.
“I had a conversation with Dad… well, a couple of conversations.” Ty paused and rubbed his forehead. “Dad suggested I take a temporary mate for the time being.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“He knows we’re not ready to mate yet, but in order for him to pass the alpha powers to me, there has to be a mating ceremony, and I can’t have a ceremony without taking a mate.”
I stared at Ty as my brain processed his words. Now it was all making sense.
Ty turned away from me, staring down the old country road as if he saw a solution to all of our problems within his grasp. “He’s suggesting that I take a temporary mate, just long enough to transfer the power. Then, when we’re ready, I’d take you as my mate, instead.”
In an instant, my rage peeked its head out. Without me having a moment to try and control it, my fangs extended as an ugly flare of jealousy and possessiveness came over me.
I opened my mouth to speak, but the animalistic growl that escaped my throat sounded nothing like me. “You can’t take another mate. Why the fuck is your father in such a rush to marry you off? You’re not ready to take me as a mate, but he thinks you’re ready to be alpha?” My breathing became erratic as my heart rate elevated. “I thought it was all water under the bridge when it came to him slaughtering my pack. Apparently, though, he still sees me as the daughter of his enemies. Dominic is willing to marry you off to the first slut who’s willing so he doesn’t have to look me in the eye every day.”
Ty stared at me, his eyes wide with surprise. Instead of arguing with me, he did something completely unexpected. He reached out and cupped my face. His voice was gentle, not defensive. “Liza, look at me. You’re fine. I’m here with you, and you’re safe. There’s nothing here that can hurt you, and I’m not going anywhere. You’re my mate. Not anyone else.”
His words washed over me, slowing my heart rate, the sensation of his warm hand on my face providing a type of solace in the midst of my unraveling. I absorbed the waves of calm that emanated from his body as I breathed in his familiar scent.
I melted into him, my forehead pressing against his chest while I blinked away the tears that had gathered in my eyes. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close, whispering soft words of comfort until, eventually, all the tension dissipated from my body.
I slumped in my seat, exhausted from my unsolicited transformation. A groan shuddered from my throat. I was drained.
Ty unbuckled me and pulled me onto his lap as I buried my face in his neck, attempting to recover and calm down completely.
“Is this what happened last night?” Ty asked, barely above a whisper.
I nodded. “It scares the shit out of me. I don’t like the way it makes me feel so out of control. Plus, when my wolf comes forward partially, it’s almost painful, but I can’t stop it unless I calm myself down.”
“What triggered this kind of reaction last night? Did you hear from Castro again?”
I hesitated. Ty and I were finally having a genuine moment together without arguing or worrying what the other was thinking. If I told him the truth, it would generate additional tension between us, and I wanted to enjoy the moment.
I lifted my head and locked eyes with Ty. His brows were furrowed, his mouth drawn tight in worry.
He was truly concerned for my well-being, so I decided to be honest. “When you texted that you were staying at the estate last night, such raw anger I’d never experienced before consumed me. I couldn’t control it, and before I knew it, my anger was feeding off the anxiety I experienced when my body started to shift against my will. It wasn’t a pretty sight.”
Ty sighed. “So, it was my fault. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not your fault. I should have been able to control myself and manage my emotions better. You aren’t responsible for me being what I am. It’s the wolf within me, and for better or worse, it’s who I was engrained to be.” I sighed. “It’s a lot tougher being an omega than I expected. It’s probably for the best that I go back on my suppressants because these bouts of rage might only get worse. I don’t want to hurt someone, Ty.”
Ty’s hold on me became tighter. “I’m so sorry for not coming home and avoiding you. We have to do a better job at communicating or things won’t work out between us.” He loosened his grip and stared deep into my eyes. “I want this to work, Liza.”
“Weshouldbe more open with one another, even if we think we might upset the other person. We were kind of thrown into this relationship by fate, but it’s up to us to maintain a healthy bond.”
Instead of saying anything, Ty bent his head and kissed me. It was long, passionate, and possessive. His tongue danced with mine in a way that made me forget all my pain and sadness.
When he gently nibbled on my lower lip, I sighed, and my wolf growled with longing.
After hearing the bullshit about Ty taking another mate, my desire to have him was the only thing on my mind. Pushing on Ty’s chest with both hands, I hoisted my body up and over him to straddle him. I lowered myself down, grinding against him slightly, just enough to let him know I was in control.
I placed both hands on his face, taking over the kiss, my tongue lapping against the roof of his mouth. Ty growled and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me down harder against his growing erection.
