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As they left, I let out a groan of relief, dropping the act. Brett scoffed beside me, clearly unimpressed. “You can make your human wedding as over-the-top as you like, but don’t forget that claiming is what truly matters in our world, Tori.”
I glared at him, my patience worn thin. “Brett, you do not know the first thing about what I want. Alpha posturing and wealth mean nothing to me. Ridge is everything I could hope for and more. So, for the last time, leave me alone. Besides,” I continued, my voice firm and unwavering, “Ridge has shown time and time again that he’s the strongest, most capable alpha I’ve ever met. He’s not just about flaunting his power; he genuinely cares for his pack, and that’s something you lack. Maybe you could take some notes. Learn from him.”
Brett’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressed into a tight line. But before he could say anything to counter my statement, I held up a hand. “Save it. I appreciate your help today, but you should really focus on your own affairs. I am not interested in anyone but Ridge, so you can set your sights on some other girl.”
Admitting my feelings for Ridge out loud surprised me, but I did not back down. I knew, deep down, that our bond was stronger than any superficial attraction Brett might have for me. He didn’t want me because of any genuine attraction, only to hurt Ridge. If I had taken him up on his flirting, he’d certainly lavish me with attention…until the novelty of having Ridge’s woman wore off.
“Fine,” Brett said, his tone cold and dismissive. “If that’s what you want.”
“Thank you.” I tried to keep my voice steady despite the anger roiling inside me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do.”
I turned away from him despite knowing better than to turn my back on a wounded alpha. While I may not have wounded him physically, I knew my words had cut deeply. I walked away with purpose, leaving Brett behind.
I still couldn’t believe how easily the words had flowed from my lips, but there was no denying the truth in them. My feelings for Ridge had only grown stronger, and he was everything Iwanted. I wouldn’t let anyone, not even a persistent wannabe alpha like Brett, come between us.
As I walked away, I could feel Brett’s eyes following me, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of looking back. He was already nothing but a bad memory. My thoughts were consumed with Ridge, the idea of our future together, and the love, passion, and loyalty we would share as mates.
Chapter 14
Ridge
“All right, I want the renovation done as soon as possible,” I told the foreman on the phone, trying to sound nice but also laying down the law. I ignored a pang of excitement at the thought of Tori’s reaction to her new tattoo parlor in Blackwood Creek—a space truly her own, tied to our life here together.
“Understood, Mr. Blackwood. We’ll work fast and efficiently for you,” the foreman said before we ended the call. I hoped he was right.
The moment I hung up, I caught the sound of the front door closing, and my blood pressure picked up at the knowledge that Tori was home. Her scent filled the air, drawing me like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t wait another second to be with her, so I left my office and hurried downstairs to find her in the kitchen.
“Hey, Old Yeller,” she greeted me with a teasing grin, and I smiled back.
“Missed you,” I said, looking her over, hungry just to clap eyes on her. But then another scent hit me—Longtail.
My inner wolf snarled, ready to rip apart any rival alpha who had dared to come near my mate. I fought to keep my wolf under control, forcing myself to remember that Tori was more thancapable of dealing with Brett herself. And she clearly had, or she would’ve called me for help.
“Everything all right?” Tori asked, concern etched on her face. She watched me struggle and stepped forward.
“Fine. I just smelled Longtail on you.” I hoped my voice didn’t betray the battle raging within me. “Don’t worry about it, little wolf. I trust you.”
I didn’t trust that fucker, though. Whatever the opposite of trust was, that was how I felt about Longtail in regard to Tori multiplied by ten.
Her eyes softened, and she seemed to understand what I’d left unsaid. She knew I was struggling to hold back my protective instincts, especially when it came to her.
“Let’s get dinner started.” I tried to shift focus from my internal turmoil to more pleasant things. As we cooked together, the domesticity of it all filled me with a warmth I hadn’t realized I’d been craving. This was the life I wanted with Tori—simple moments like this, shared between us. Cooking, cleaning. And raising children? I could only hope.
“Tell me about your day,” I said as we chopped vegetables side by side.
“Training was intense, but I’m glad Kyle’s on our side now. I invited him to stay here with us, but he insisted on staying at the B&B.” She twisted her lips. “Guess he needs his space, especially with an alpha shifter like you around,” she added with a teasing smile. Her honesty and openness endeared her to me even more, if that was possible. The more Tori spoke, the more my wolf and I took pleasure in the sound of her voice.
“Can’t say I blame him,” I chuckled softly, shaking my head at her candidness. If I were Kyle, I wouldn’t want to stay with me, either.
“Are you still reluctant to trust Kyle as much as he is with you?”
“Look, Tori.” I paused to choose my words carefully. “As long as Kyle is committed to protecting you, I have no issue with him. And truth be told, I don’t think he’s a threat to this town.”
But at the end of the day, Kyle was still a hunter. It would take a lot for him to earn my trust. Though hell, I trusted him a lot more than Longtail, so that was something.
She sagged with relief, and it warmed my heart to know my words had put her at ease. We continued cooking, the tension between us dissipating as we fell into a comfortable rhythm.
As we sat down to eat dinner, Tori began to recount her visit to Margo and Clawson earlier in the day. “I swear, I couldn’t get out of their house fast enough.” She laughed and shook her head.
