Page 55 of Plus-Size Bullied Mate

“I don’t know either,” she says dryly, but the subtle twitch of her lips betrays her.

That gesture, paired with her light teasing, feels like a more significant step forward than it should, but I soak it in while I can.

At this rate, even the smallest and faintest pleasant moments between us are more like milestones. It gives me hope at least.

“I’m letting that slide, but not for your sake,” I murmur to Dominic as I point at him.

He chuckles, taking immense pride in being a leech for the time being.

We eventually eat in relative quiet as the storm seems to swell once it gets even darker.

By seven, the wind is working hard against the house, and the lights have flickered twice but have held on both times. With the constant movement outside, it makes the territory harder to read than usual, but it’s still ingrained in me anyway, like I’m tied to the very land I’m meant to protect.

Once the kitchen is clean, I stand by the window above the sink and watch as the tree branches sway with every hard gust.

I can’t catch any sounds or external stimuli that would tell me what I need to know, but something inside me seems to be cataloging everything in the background anyway. Then it hits me.

Something is wrong, even if I can’t see or hear it.

I go still at once to try and feel it out.

Dominic looks over from the couch, and the moment he sees my face, he’s up without a word. That easy posture is gone as he slips into the other version of himself I’ve worked with for some time now. I trust it completely when things stop being comfortable.

“What is it?”

“There’s movement coming from the northern border. Maybe even the eastern pass between Delmont and us.”

He stands not far from me, focused on what that could mean. “Hayes?”

“I’m assuming.”

“How many?”

“I can’t be sure from here.” I’m already moving to the back room as I grab my jacket. “More than one.”

For as subdued as Hayes has been ever since our fight, he’s never slick enough to keep his movements hidden. Part of me wonders if he wants me to know that he’s here, just for the sake of it. If I’ve learned anything from his actions in the last year or so, it’s that he cares more about how his actions look, rather than what they earn him.

He may be strong and have an alpha title, but against the rest of us, he can’t win. That’s exactly why he doesn’t fully commit to anything. Not when absolute loss would tarnish his reputation in Wraith Peak.

If he half-commits, he half-loses, and he can continue to the next attempt.

But he can try all he wants. I’m watching.

Before we can leave, Tessa is up and giving me that look she gets when she wants more details and won’t take no for an answer. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a disturbance in our territory,” I say, because I don’t lie to her anymore, and I’m not going to start now. “Hayes has been testing our borders, and it’s likely him out there.”

“Then I’ll come with you.”

I look at her, and she looks back with a slightly raised chin, which means she’s already anticipated the argument and has chosen her position on it. “I’m not useless. I know the territory, especially the northern border.”

Something in me shifts at the idea of her thinking I’d assume that of her, but I force myself to focus. “I know you’re not useless.”

“Then why can’t I help?”

“Because Hayes went after you once already,” I tell her, keeping my voice level and even despite wanting to treat this with more sensitivity. “If his pride is still wounded from before, then he could be using this as his chance to get back at me. I’m not stopping you because I don’t believe you’re capable… I’m just not underestimating how he might try to use you.”

I catch as her expression changes subtly, like the argument she was building has encountered a reason she can’t dismiss as easily as she’d like. She knows I’m right, and I can see her trying to find a way around it.