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Clamping down on my lips, I pretended to look anywhere but at them so they had some semblance of privacy, but it didn’t seem to matter. The way those two looked at each other, it was like they were the only two people in the world. They wouldn’t have noticed me if I put on a sparkly leotard and did tumbling tricks.
Margo’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “I look forward to seeing you later.”
These two were adorable, and I hoped everything they had to say to each other cleared the air tonight. Their planning a run together made me wish Ridge and I were doing the same thing right now. I constantly craved his presence, a craving that warred with my doubts about our connection. Why did I feel something one moment, only to doubt it the next?
My presence completely forgotten, Margo and Clawson parted ways. I tapped Margo on the arm to take her box back. She shook her head and blushed again at being caught in a lovesick haze, but I just giggled. We made our way toward the Montana Pack’s camp, and I focused on the task at hand—helping those in need. Hopefully, before the day ended, I could find a moment to share with Ridge.
As we approached the forest clearing, we discovered a multitude of tents, some with camping stoves sizzling withmouthwatering scents. As Margo and I weaved our way through the temporary abodes, my heart twisted at how little some of these shifters had.
Unsure of where to take the supplies, we searched the makeshift camp. “Over there,” said Margo, drawing my attention to an official-looking woman who appeared to be about the same age as Diana. She was beautiful, with blond hair and captivating green eyes. Her circumstances did not detract from her regal presence at all. Though it appeared she was assigning tasks to the younger shifters who stood next to her, her attention was on us, assessing us cautiously for potential danger.
Margo and I exchanged nervous glances as we cautiously approached the picnic table where the woman was seated. Anticipating that we might pose a threat, she quickly directed the youngsters to go on their way. Though her actions betrayed her fear, her voice remained steady as she addressed us. “Can I help you?”
What had happened to these shifters? Their guarded expressions revealed their deeply rooted mistrust. I couldn’t help the sadness that washed over me as I looked at the woman standing before me. I hated knowing the haunted look in her eyes had been caused by people I’d once considered family.
After an awkward pause, I remembered why Margo and I were there and held out the provisions in my arms. Margo mirrored my movements, matching my deliberately slow pace to appear less intimidating. “Ma’am, my name is Tori Summers, and this is Margo Bogford. We’re from the Northeast Pack. The shifters in town organized a collection and gathered some clothes and bedding.” I glanced pointedly at the boxes in our arms. “This isn’t everything, just some food and a pile of warm clothing. Others will bring the rest up later.”
The woman’s guarded stance softened. “I’m Maria Frost. Isaac Frost, alpha of the Montana Pack, is my husband. We onlysought sanctuary.” A relieved smile came across her face, and her voice filled with gratitude. “Your kindness and charity is an unexpected blessing.” She motioned for us to leave the items on the table. “Oh, this is wonderful. Thank you.”
Several other women seemed to appear from all around us to help Maria stow away the food, echoing her words of gratitude. Once our hands were free, she reached over to shake hands with both of us. “Ladies, this is so much more than we expected. You have the gratitude of the Montana Pack.”
“Oh, no, this is all the Bogfords’ doing,” I said, blushing. “They’re the ones who arranged the collection in town. It’s them you have to thank.”
Margo slapped my arm lightly. “Tori helped,” she said, but it was a total lie. All I’d done was carry a box.
As we walked back to the B&B, I scuffed my shoe against the ground. “I guess I’ll go check on Lola. I don’t want her to think I deserted her.”
Margo gave me a side hug. “I’ve got lots to do. I wish I could go with you.”
After returning the hug, I parted ways with her. As she walked off, I sang out childishly, “Margo and Birch sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”
Margo’s laugh followed me through the woods.
Chapter 8
Ridge
With my fists on my hips, I surveyed the construction site before me. The crew was hard at work laying the foundation for what would soon become a series of new houses and complexes at the edge of Blackwood Creek. As both mayor and alpha, it was my responsibility to make sure everything went smoothly, from securing the permits to overseeing the actual building process. It was also a Blackwood business venture, so I was sinking my family money into the project—a small repentance for how my ancestors had earned their original wealth to begin with. There was no way to erase my family sins, but hopefully I’d slowly rectify the heinous offenses and reframe all the shifters’ mindsets about the Blackwood name. I wanted the guilt to end with me, and for my future children to not have to suffer the way I had. With Tori in my life, I wanted nothing further to tarnish her.
“Gentlemen,” I said to the workers, my voice firm but not unkind. “I need to see some progress here. We’ve got people counting on us to provide them with homes and a safe community.”
I had been beyond fortunate to get a crew working so quickly, and it probably hadn’t hurt that I’d offered large bonuses if thejobs were completed within a set time frame. Money was an amazing motivator, and I had more than enough of it to get things accomplished when and how I wanted. The safety of all the shifters now in my territory wasn’t where I’d try to find a good deal.
The men nodded and picked up their tools, their muscles straining under their sweat-soaked shirts. Knowing I was helping to create something that would benefit so many would have filled me with pride under normal circumstances, and I would have patted my own back.
But today, like so many days recently, my mind was elsewhere.
Tori. My beautiful, strong-willed mate who’d captured my heart and soul. She was all I could think about. Her laughter echoing in my ears, her body pressing against mine…everythingToriwas still fresh in my memory. The mating bond was riding me hard. Without her bearing our mark, my wolf was constantly on edge, but he’d just have to deal with it. I would not push her on something she was still uncertain about, especially when she’d asked for space. That didn’t stop me from wanting to be with her every second. Thankfully, she hadn’t demanded we spend our nights apart. I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep without her scent wrapped around me. It was the only thing capable of calming me.
From what I knew about fated mates, it usually didn’t take much time for them to be bonded and claimed, and the more time I had to give Tori, the more I understood why that was. Every second that passed without claiming my mate burned aggressively in the pit of my stomach, amplifying any crisis I was dealing with. My wolf was frothing at the mouth, ready to tear into anyone or anything who stepped wrong in my direction. It was a constant battle, but Tori was worth all of it. I would be thehappiest alpha in the world when the day came for me to finally claim her, even though it wore me down, second by second.
“Ridge,” one of the construction workers called, snapping me out of my thoughts. “We need your input on this layout.”
“Yeah, sure.” Forcing myself to focus on the task at hand, I walked over to where the man was standing, examining the blueprints he held out. As much as I tried to concentrate on the lines and measurements on the paper, my thoughts kept drifting back to Tori. Her scent lingered on my skin, a constant reminder of what I was missing. The morning was on constant replay in my mind. I wanted every morning to be so blissful.
“Sir?” the worker prompted.
“Sorry.” I rubbed a hand over my face. “I need to go check on something.”
