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Holden shook his head. “You know we can’t do that. At the moment, he hasn’t broken any laws. And we can’t just kill him for expanding his numbers.”
What did that mean? Was Branson adding to his devoted soldiers? There had been a regular new arrival from time to time, but I hadn’t paid that much attention to it.
“He ambushed you,” I said quickly, worried over the likelihood of a rebellion. I certainly didn’t want Jenna to get caught in the crossfire. “Isn’t that breaking a law?”
Bridger frowned. “It’s too late to act on that. Too much time has passed. It would be better for Holden to look forgiving on that since we didn’t act swiftly—and since there was no actual proof they knew who they were attacking. We just need to observe and be ready for anything now.”
“We can begin preparing for a visit.” Holden looked around the table, his gaze settling on me. “But as long as the Contention is going on, I’d like to remain here. Perhaps we can postpone the visit that long.”
A murmur of agreement went around the table, and I lost myself in Holden’s warm brown eyes. Watching him take charge of the situation and handle it in such a way that was above reproach had me questioning everything I thought I knew about him.
He cocked his head, curiosity on his face, and I wondered what I must look like. Quickly, I looked away, remembering the other three men in the room. But they were already standing. Apparently, the impromptu meeting was adjourned.
“Thank you for your insight,” Bridger said, coming around and resting a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded, a bit overwhelmed once more by the sheer size of these men. I’d grown up around shifters, but these leaders were larger, somehow. Power radiated from them as they left the room, and they were a force to be reckoned with. Branson had messed with the wrong alpha.
The class across the hall was empty when we stepped out. I’d missed the end of the lesson. Hopefully, it wouldn’t put me at a disadvantage tomorrow. It would be just my luck to miss a key nugget that would help me out.
“Can I walk you back to your room?” Holden turned to me.
“Um, yeah. That’s fine,” I stammered, suddenly feeling on uneven footing around him.
“I really appreciate your help,” Holden said as we walked. “The more we know about Branson, the better informed our decisions will be.”
“Do you ever stop carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and just relax?” I asked.
He stopped and looked at me, a faint smile pulling at his lips. “No. It’s my job.”
“So, what do you do for fun?” I didn’t know why I was asking him this. But all we ever talked about was Branson and the Contention. Maybe I was just tired of all of it and wanted a distraction.
“Do you want to have dinner with me?” he asked abruptly, throwing me off guard.
“Yes,” I found myself saying before I had time to think it through. There was no formal dinner tonight, as we had the first competition tomorrow.
The curve of his lips turned into a full-fledged smile, something I’d never seen before, and the sight of it had my heart doubling in speed. God, he really was attractive. It almost wasn’t fair.
Not only did he have the perfect life, but he also suited it perfectly. He was a good alpha—a good man from what he’d displayed since I’d been here. Hell, Branson had been willing to kill me for refusing to participate in the Contention, yet Holden had shown mercy.
While I still struggled to accept that he’d killed my brother, the rational side of me knew it was as good as standard procedure in my world. Holden was strong, powerful, not just an alpha by birth because he’d clearly earned the title. His power drew me in, even as I knew I should maintain a healthy fear of it.
Still, as Holden led me up to the fourth floor, fear wasn’t what made me nervous about being alone with him. My stomach tightened as he rested a hand on my lower back and led me toward large wooden double doors at the end of a hallway.
“I’ll call to have dinner delivered,” he said, opening the door and stepping aside so I could go in first. “Would you like to eat on the terrace?”
I’d been so distracted as we walked through the cavernous mansion that I hadn’t even thought to ask where we were dining. As I walked through the doorway, I gasped.
Definitely not a dining room. It was a massive penthouse-style apartment— Holden’s quarters. I could smell his scent in the air, sea salt and pine. I swallowed as I took it all in.
Straight ahead was a wall of windows so wide I could see the ocean to my left as well as the edges of the forest to my right. I didn’t know what I’d expected Holden’s private space to look like, but the white walls with hints of dark green and rich wood tones suited him perfectly—sophisticated and timeless, with a touch of rugged masculinity.
Two long hallways ran the length of the entire wing, with the center of the space being open to accommodate multiple living areas. There was a full kitchen and dining room, a cozy den with a fireplace and bar, as well as a formal living room. I realized the wall of windows included doors that led out onto a large terrace.
Turning back to Holden, I couldn’t help but gape. “This is insane.”
He shrugged. “It’s a lot of space for just me, but it’s nice to have some privacy.”
That made sense. Lots of shifters lived here on the estate. I bet this was his refuge from the pressures of his life. I looked at him, almost as if I were seeing him for the first time.
