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Clawson said nothing, and I worried he’d taken offense at Mateo’s words. After taking a breath, he said, “You’re right, Ridge. Mateo, I apologize, I know you meant nothing by what you said. But it should be the hunters who have to pay—they’re the ones forcing our hand.”
Mateo smiled. “No worries,mon ami. I knew it was not personal.”
Clawson continued, “Ridge, if you’re going to pay for it out of your personal account, it’ll look strange. Can’t you make it look like it comes from a fund the town hall has set up for these kinds of contingencies?”
“That’s a brilliant idea. I can get something in motion in the morning.” I turned back to Mateo. “So, Mateo? You in?”
“Count me in,” Mateo said, grim determination coating every word. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Thank you, Mateo,” I said, gratitude swelling. “We’ll need to coordinate our efforts and prepare everything in advance.”
“Understood. Just let me know what needs to be done, and I’ll make sure it happens,” Mateo affirmed.
Stepping out of The Tipsy Tavern, the crisp night air wrapped around me like a cool embrace. With the evacuation plan set in motion and Mateo’s support secured, a sense of relief came over me. However, another matter weighed heavily on my mind. Tori.
“Clawson, I need to take off,” I told my loyal friend, knowing he’d understand. “I want to find Tori and make sure she’s okay.”
“Of course.” Clawson nodded and gave me an encouraging pat on the shoulder before heading off in the opposite direction.
As I walked through the quiet streets, it nagged at me that I had yet to mark Tori as mine. There were so many new wolves roaming around, and the idea of Brett Longtail or anyone else making a pass at her made my blood boil. The desire to claim her was a constant ache, but I had to be patient. It wasn’t about me. It was about Tori’s comfort, safety, and happiness.
Chapter 37
Tori
As I helped the younger shifters perfect their fighting stances, I caught a whiff of an unmistakable scent.
Ridge.
I scanned the area for him. Paws hitting the ground and shifters grunting as they sparred faded into the background as my focus turned to finding my mate. Soon enough, I spotted his tall, muscular frame walking toward me.
“Hey, you,” I said as he pulled me into his arms. His strong arms surrounded me, making me feel safe and cherished. He sighed against my hair, and I didn’t like the tension in his body. He clearly had a lot on his mind.
“You know, Tori, a big part of me wishes it was still yesterday,” he murmured. “When we were still cuddling in bed, watching your favorite movie, and ignoring the rest of the world just to be together.”
I smiled, remembering how his fingers had traced delicate patterns on my skin while we laughed and said sweet nothings to each other.
“I wish for that, too,” I whispered, looking up at him. “But we have responsibilities, don’t we?”
“Unfortunately.” He gave a rueful laugh, brushing his lips over my forehead before letting me go. Even though he was right, I immediately missed the warmth of his arms around me.
“Come on.” I took his hand in mine. “I have to get back to training.”
As we joined the group, I noticed the way some of the younger shifters looked up to Ridge, their eyes wide with admiration and respect. I loved that they valued his guidance and support. He truly was an amazing leader for our pack, and for me personally.
The two of us coached the novice fighters through their drills. Most of them had a good idea of the basics, but it was always worth going over them repeatedly. If you knew how to fight with the basics, you had a far better chance of grasping something more complicated.
I started sparring sessions. For the first one, I picked a shifter who was on the shorter side. I’d purposefully paired him with a larger opponent who, as I suspected, didn’t think his partner was a threat. That was a mistake, and in different circumstances, it would have been a lethal one. It didn’t take long for the larger shifter to realize he’d made an error in underestimating his opponent when he found himself on his back.
We paired the rest of the group up, then stood back to watch them, correcting their form and offering advice whenever necessary. The determination on their faces gave me hope for our pack’s future.
“Okay, everyone,” I called out after a particularly intense sparring session. “Take a breather and grab some water. We’ll continue in five minutes.”
As the group dispersed, I turned back to Ridge. “You’re doing great with them,” I said sincerely, placing my palm on his chest. “I can see how much they look up to you.”
“Thanks, babe,” he said, a hint of pink coloring his cheeks. “It’s not just me. They respect you, too. You’re an incredible teacher.”
“Really?” I asked, and a wonderful warmth spread through my chest. “I guess we make a pretty good team, don’t we?”
