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“Look at me, Darcy. Look at me. Take a deep breath. It’s fine.”
He tapped into his wolf, feeling the energy of his alpha flow through him. Darcy’s face went from one of fear and pain to relief as he slowly put her wolf to sleep. She collapsed on the ground, thanking him.
“Thank you so much. Thank you,” Darcy said.
Carl rushed toward his wife, holding her in his arms, kissing her head.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know you didn’t, baby. I love you.”
Gage took a step back. He watched them together, how happy they were. His job was complete. He left without another word.
People stopped him to ask questions, and he made sure to give them the right attention.
“Doesn’t it get boring constantly being at their beck and call, Grandpa? You have no life.”
“I have a life, son. Being an alpha is an honor. They picked me to take care of them. To watch over them. So they ask a lot of questions. It’s all part of the job.”
Glancing down at the time, he saw it was a little before lunch, and so he went in search of Connie.
The library was busy, and stepping inside, he saw she’d been working her magic like she always did. The main reception no longer had books piled high, and the children were not running around screaming. He noticed art easels were all set up, and five kids were at them, drawing.
Connie was nowhere to be seen. Lana was there though, looking at everything.
“Where’s Connie?”
“She’s upstairs, helping to take care of the backlog of stock. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For … making me hire her again. I didn’t want to fire her, but she was rejected, you know. There was no reason for her to be here.”
“Rejected or not, she was still pack.” Anger filled him. He wanted to punish the woman, but he also knew deep down that wasn’t the way, even though it would be so fucking easy.
Instead, he turned on his heel and made his way to where Connie was. He didn’t need directions. He could smell her.
Chapter Five
Reading the spine of the book, Constance found the place it needed to be and slid it right in. There was a time she used to love doing this. The peace. The quiet. Working at the library had been a fun job for her. Today had been … awful. The kids had been great. Their parents, not so much. They still saw her as the rejected. Someone they didn’t even want around their kids, and it sucked big time.
Lana wasn’t much better.
Tanner was a fucking prick. No doubt about it. She wondered if she had rejected him, whether he would’ve been cast out or pitied.
The lack of equality set her on edge at times and only served to piss her off. This was a fucking nightmare.
She gasped as someone wrapped their arms around her waist.
“I’ve got you.”
She relaxed, realizing it was Gage.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, spinning in his arms after sliding a book back into place.
“I came to see you. It’s time for lunch.”
“Already? Wow.” The time had stretched on and on. She had to stop watching the clock.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying. I don’t like lies, Connie.”
She sighed and tucked some hair behind her ear. “I don’t know. Everyone is…” She felt a shiver rush through her.
All morning, the cold had been seeping to her core, threatening to swallow her whole.
Gage pulled her in close, and the mere touch of him was enough to make her warm.
“They will come around.”
“Yeah? When?” She shook her head. “Ignore me. I’m just … I’m moody, and it’s not your fault.” She pressed a hand to his chest. “You’ve done nothing but be good to me.” She went onto her tiptoes and kissed him.
“I’m taking you out to lunch.”
“I can’t just leave here.”
“You can. I’m the alpha. I’ve got to eat, and you are mine.”
A thrill rushed down her spine as he said those words. Last night, she hadn’t gone back to bed. Gage had kissed her long into the night until she eventually fell asleep. This morning, she’d woken up in his arms, and it had been the highlight of her entire life. She loved being in his arms. Loved feeling him around her.
She put a hand to his chest. “Then I guess I better not argue if this is a direct order from the man himself.”
“You’re damn right it is.” He pressed a kiss to her lips and then took her hand, locking their fingers together.
He didn’t take her by the reception desk to let Lana know. They walked out of the library hand in hand. She was acutely aware of everyone looking at them, watching.
No one pointed, but with their stares, she ended up looking at the ground, hoping no one saw her true feelings.
