As if I’d summoned him through our bond, Ty appeared from the shadows, walking toward me with a soft smile on his face. He hadn’t shifted, but I knew he’d been watching me from afar, keeping an eye on me without intruding on my solitude. He sat down next to me under the tree, his warmth a comforting contrast against the cool evening air. I leaned into him.
“Thought you might be ready for some company,” Ty said gently, his deep voice resonating through my bones.
I huffed in response, amazed at how well he’d learned to read my mind in such a short amount of time. Slowly, I lay down, so my head rested in his lap, the tension in my body dissipating as he instinctively reached out and scratched at my fur.
Always know just what I need, don’t you?My eyes closed as a wave of contentment washed over me.
Ty’s fingers worked through my thick coat, finding all the right spots that made me sigh with pleasure. His hands were large and strong, the hands of a true alpha, yet they moved with a tender touch I’d come to crave. There was an almost reverent quality in the way he caressed me, as though I was something precious and fragile. But we both knew I was anything but fragile.
“Your brothers would probably kill me if they could see us now,” Ty mused, restrained laughter coating his words.
I snorted at the thought of Mason and Michael’s overprotective tendencies. Despite their wildly unique personalities—one an outgoing jock, the other a quiet intellectual—they were united in their fierce love for me, their little sister. Ty and I were mates now, so it wasn’t the same as them busting into the basement while I attempted to make out with a high school flame.
No, this was something entirely different. This was a love I’d only ever dreamed of—one that, despite a shit load of trials, was proving to stand the test of more than just time. His love for me never wavered, even though we struggled to comprehend my Omega tendencies.
“I spoke to Bryce earlier.” Ty’s fingers worked through my dense fur as he interrupted my thoughts. “I told him the stuff he said to Sabrina was inappropriate. He’s agreed to apologize to her.”
With so much chaos and confusion after Sabrina’s altercation with Bryce, there hadn’t been an opportunity to ask her aboutwhat happened. The venom in their words told me there was more to the situation than just two people sniping at each other. And now my curiosity piqued. Tilting my head upward to catch Ty’s gaze, I growled inquisitively.
“Ah, you’re wondering what happened between them?” he asked, a knowing glint in his eyes. “Bryce told me they went on a date. He said it went really well, and he was keen to see her again, but Sabrina has been… indecisive, to put it mildly. She was giving him mixed signals. One moment she wanted him, the next she was cold and distant.”
My ears perked at this information. As much as I hated to admit it, that sounded just like my best friend. Sabrina might appear to be fickle, but she had the ability to fall hard and fast. If I had to guess, she had strong feelings for Bryce, but he had a reputation for being the biggest Playboy in town. She’d be afraid to admit it to him… and herself.
“Apparently, Bryce got fed up with it and told her he wouldn’t see her again until she figured things out. Then Sabrina saw him on a date with another woman, and, well...” Ty trailed off, his fingers never ceasing their gentle exploration of my coat.
A growl built in my chest. Yes, Sabrina could be flighty, but that didn’t excuse what Bryce had said to her.
Ty seemed to read my thoughts because his voice took on a more serious tone. “I told Bryce it wasn’t okay, what he said to her. Sure, Sabrina may have taken a jab at him first, but he went too far. He knows he crossed a line.”
A soft huff escaped me, signaling my agreement, and Ty chuckled, his warm breath stirring the fur on top of my head. His hands continued their calming journey across my body, each touch a testament to our unbreakable bond.
I knew Ty wanted to ask me what was on my mind, but I appreciated him for not doing so. An intense wave of exhaustion washed over me. I was so drained, I couldn’t find the wordsto express how I was feeling. My life had become an intense game of whack-a-mole. Whenever I got a handle on one thing, something else would come crashing down.
Forcing myself to leave the comfort of Ty’s warm lap, I shifted back into human form. I stole a glance at Ty and caught him staring at me as if he’d never seen me naked before. I managed a faint smile and lay down on my back in the soft blades of grass, using Ty’s lap as a pillow once again. He looked down at me, that ever-present concern in his eyes, and all I could do was stare up at him. There was nothing more to say.
The moonlight illuminated his chiseled features, and I stopped to marvel at his beauty. “You know, I should be over this by now,” I said. “But you’re still the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”
His laughter rumbled deep in his chest, his tender caress on my cheek sending shivers through my body. “You’re the only person who can call me that and get away with it.”
I laughed with him, surprised to discover that I still had a place of joy inside. But then the reality of our situation settled over me again, and I sobered. “Gods, I wish all the secrets and danger would just end. I always figured once I found my mate, we’d settle down and live a quiet life together. This is the complete fucking opposite.”
He searched my eyes. “I can’t promise you that there’s an end in sight, Liza. I can’t promise you won’t face any more challenges, but I can commit to be by your side every step of the way.”
He paused, considering something before continuing. “Perhaps something familiar would help you feel better, apart from my lap.” He winked. “I was thinking we could go visit your parents.”
Relief flooded through me. The warmth of family, even if just for a little while, sounded wonderful.
Ty and I went inside to get dressed, with our fingers interlaced as we walked up the steps. A warmth spread through my chest at the thought of spending more time with him. Ty released my hand and turned to face me.
“Hey, I have an idea,” he said, grinning. “Since renting out the country club for you and Sabrina went so well, why don’t we do that again and invite our closest friends and family? Of course, that includes Bryce and Sabrina.”
I blinked in surprise. “That sounds like fun. But is it okay to rent out the entire country club again?”
“We might not manage the entire club at short notice, but definitely the private function suite, and we can take extra security with us. I can’t see it being a problem.” Ty chuckled. “You seem to forget that you’re married to the alpha now. They’ll gladly take my money and cater to us for the evening. Feel like dressing up?”
“Are you kidding? I have a new dress I’ve been dying to wear!”
“Perfect.” Ty planted a kiss on my forehead. He pulled me to my feet, and I pulled on the robe I’d worn to come down to the woods to shift. My heart rate slowed, and I was more settled with Ty beside me. For the first time in a really long while, I felt complete and content.
