Liza’s lips curved into a slight smile. “I could use some boring in my life right now. Sabrina called earlier to update me on the circus in town. She said people are making signs with my face on them, bedazzling them with glitter and all types of decorations.” Liza raised her head to meet my gaze. “They’re even marching on the streets, chanting and demanding to see the omega.”
I hugged her again and pulled her close, not knowing what to say. We had to get to the bottom of this. I didn’t know how much longer Liza could handle all this stress, and I was scared to find out how her omega wolf would respond if she was pushed much further. The estate was supposed to be a refuge for Liza, a place she where she could be comfortable and at ease. Today had torn that security from her, and had turned the estate into her prison.
Liza buried her face in my chest. “I don’t like this, Ty. I’m not fucking normal. I’m far from it.”
I wished I could take away her pain and fear. “I know you’re dealing with a lot right now, but I want you to understand how valuable you are to me. I don’t give a shit if you’re a human, a shifter, a fucking omega, or something else entirely. I will always love and support you no matter what.”
Liza looked up at me, tears brimming her eyes, but she managed the ghost of a smile. She wrapped her arms around my neck as if she was afraid I might vanish. The raw pain that radiated from her broke my heart. I hoped she believed I would do anything to protect her because I absolutely would.
That night, Liza tossed and turned in bed again, her restless dreams keeping her from finding peace. At one point, I propped myself up on my arm and watched her. What troubled thoughts haunted her sleep? Finally, I succumbed to my exhaustion and somehow slept soundly, even with Liza’s limbs swatting my back.
The next morning, a phone call jerked me awake. Cursing under my breath, I answered it quickly, hoping not to disturb Liza.
Bryce’s voice greeted me, but something was off. He sounded tense. “Hey, Ty. I got an email late last night. Maximus Langston is requesting a meeting with you.”
That brute of an alpha only cared about power and stature, and he thought he was a king among wolves. “What the hell does he want with me?”
“Apparently, he has a business proposal for you. I’ll forward the email to you. Let me know how you want to handle it.”
I scanned through the proposal that Bryce sent over and scowled. As much as I wanted the whole meeting proposal to be an obvious waste of my time, it appeared legitimate. Maximus was looking for backers in a business venture. Though I didn’t trust the guy further than I could throw him, I was intrigued and interested to hear what he had up his sleeve. With something between a sigh and a groan, I texted Bryce to set up the meeting.
Setting my phone down on the nightstand, I turned to see Liza looking at me.
Smiling, I pulled her close. “Good morning, beautiful. How about the two of us spend the day together? What would you like to do?”
Liza pursed her lips. “I’d love to go for a run with you, just the two of us.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” I said. “Being out in the forest will help us get our mind off things.” I pulled her to her feet and led her to the bathroom. “How about a shower first?” I winked at her and turned the hot water on full blast.
Liza stripped out of her pajamas. I turned my back, not wanting to attack her, even though I wanted nothing more than to press her into the tiled wall of the shower and have my way with her. If that was something she wanted to initiate, fine.Otherwise, I would be her support person throughout the day, lending an ear when she wanted to talk, or a dick if she wanted to fuck.
While Liza showered, I brushed my teeth and pulled on some jeans and a T-shirt. I had no meetings scheduled for the morning. Plus, we were about to shift, and I preferred to take a shower after the exertion of running several miles in the dirt.
When she was ready, Liza took my hand, and we went down to the kitchen.
Chef greeted us with a smile. “Good morning, Alpha, Mrs. Keller. It’s such a beautiful morning. Would you like to take your breakfast out on the back patio?”
Liza returned his smile. “That’s a great idea, Chef. Thank you.”
Within a few minutes, we were feasting on French toast, crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice as we looked out over the wooded acreage just beyond the backyard. When I was done eating, I sent a quick text to the head of security.
How are the crowds at the front gate today? Any better?
The reply came within thirty seconds.About the same, Alpha. The team is keeping them back from the property, but they’re still lining the streets, hoping to get a glimpse of Mrs. Keller. I would strongly advise that you and she remain on the property today.
I put my phone away and smiled at Liza.
She took a sip of orange juice. “Everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine.” I didn’t want to upset her by bringing up the fanatics again. She was fully aware of their presence. Discussing it wouldn’t make any difference. “Ready for that run?”
Liza nodded and stood, taking my hand, and leading the way down the path to the clearing in the woods. We stripped down and shifted. Liza’s white fur glistened in the dappled fallsunlight, and it mesmerized me. She was gorgeous. Her wolf stood with such grace and strength.
I shook off my thoughts and quickly nipped at her paws in a playful manner, urging her to run with me. We raced through the woods, our adrenaline pushing us forward. The forest seemed to breathe new life into Liza. As we ran, her playful demeanor returned, and she darted around my wolf with a lightness that made my heart swell. The vibrant scents and sounds of the forest enveloped us, creating an atmosphere of calm and freedom from the turmoil just beyond the estate’s gated walls.
Suddenly, Liza stopped, her attention drawn to an injured bird on the forest floor. The poor creature flopped on its stomach, trying to fly, but one of its wings was crushed.
I watched Liza closely, curious about what she would do. Would she cry and allow a tear to heal the bird like she had the rabbit?
