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“Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Of course,” I said, my mind already racing ahead to all the challenges and joys that awaited us in the coming months.
“Is everything okay?” Kyle spoke, his eyes filled with concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I lied, managing a half-hearted smile. “Just thinking about stuff.”
He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press further. Instead, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You’ll figure it out, sis. You always do.”
His comforting presence helped ease some of the tension, but my thoughts still circled around Jaxon. How could I navigate this new relationship without getting hurt? Was avoiding him really the best option?
I chewed on my lower lip. “It’s just…what if he rejects me, too?”
“Then he’s a fool who doesn’t deserve you,” Kyle stated, squeezing my shoulder. “But you’ll never know unless you try.”
I nodded. He was right. I needed to confront my fears head-on if I wanted to move forward.
Kyle’s hand was still on my shoulder when he asked, “What did Hyde mean when he said you were an alpha? I’ve never heard of a female alpha, but he seemed deadly serious last night when he announced it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and sighed. I really wasn’t ready for this conversation. “I don’t know, Kyle. I’m in the dark too, and it’s not a great place to be. It scared me when he told everyone. I wish he would have waited and spoken to me in private about it. Explained things to me instead of making a big show, then leaving me with the fallout. For now, I’ve decided I’m just going to carry on, business as usual.”
Kyle pulled me in for a much-needed hug. “You’re going to have to deal with it at some point, Tor. You can’t put that genie back in the box, whatever that means.”
For a moment, I just stood there in my brother’s arms where it felt safe, soaking in the comfort. Right here, I was nobody but Tori Summers, Kyle’s little sister. There were no expectations, no side looks. Just me and my brother.
Finally, I collected my thoughts and stood back. “I know, but I figured if everyone saw me just…well, just being me. I thought that might play some of it down. I don’t want to be getting into fights over territory, or who’s dick’s bigger. Let’s face it, I’d lose that one before we got the measuring tape out.”
Kyle fought a smile, but I saw his lips tugging upward. “I’m sorry, Tori. I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you, I swear. You’d win that one all day every day. I’ve met some alphas in town who are whiny, sniveling, dickless pieces of shit. Brett Longtail, for instance. What a coward.”
I smiled despite the confusion swirling in the depths of my gut. “Longtail is a whiny piece of shit. But really, I’m worried how me being an alpha will affect things between Ridge and me.”
Yet again, my gaze drifted to my left hand, where the engagement ring Ridge had given me sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window.
“Hey,” Kyle spoke softly, following my gaze. “You’re really happy with Ridge, aren’t you?”
“More than I ever thought possible.” I smiled genuinely this time.
He sat back and grinned. “Then focus on that happiness. Let it guide you through the tough times.”
I nodded, taking his words to heart. For now, I would concentrate on building a life with Ridge and a successful tattoo studio and working with the other shifters to keep the town safe from hunters. If Jaxon turned out to be another disappointment, at least I would have a strong support system in place. And I knew that Ridge and Kyle would be by my side as we figured it out whatever it meant to be a female alpha.
“Thanks, Kyle.” I leaned against him. “You always know what to say.”
“Hey, what are big brothers for?” he said, ruffling my hair affectionately.
As we continued to organize what was required for the studio, I realized that Kyle was the only person who knew our engagement had been fake. He deserved to know the truth.
“Kyle.” I caught his attention as he sorted through various online tattoo suppliers. “I have something to tell you.”
“Shoot.” He looked up from the laptop in front of him, giving me his full attention.
“Ridge and I…well, we’reactuallyengaged now. Like, for real this time. He proposed yesterday.” I held up my hand, showing off the ring with pride and apprehension, worried about how he would react to the news.
Kyle stared at the ring for a moment before breaking into a grin. “It’s about damn time. Congratulations, sis. If anyone deserves to find their other half and be happy, it’s you.”
“Thanks, Kyle.” Relief filled me like a cool breeze, knowing that my brother supported my decision to marry Ridge. “I’m really happy, and I can’t wait to be his wife, but I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it since you still seem a bit lukewarm toward Ridge.”
“Look, I may not be his biggest fan,” Kyle said with a shrug. “But I can see how much he loves you and how happy he makes you. That’s all that matters to me.”
