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The tears slowly subsided as I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. For now, that was all I needed—his presence, his warmth, and the knowledge that I wasn’t facing this battle alone.
Chapter 16
Ridge
My heart ached as I held Tori in my arms, her tears soaking into my shirt. The thought of her feeling so lost and alone infuriated me. I wanted to kill the man who’d raised her. Slowly.
Right now, though, all I could do was to be here for her and comfort her. I hated seeing her cry like this when she always tried to be so tough. Despite my anger toward her so-called father, I was sick over the fact that she’d been attacked and nearly taken from me right under my nose in town.
There had been an increase in traffic throughout town between the construction companies I’d employed and the new shifters arriving in town almost daily. Right now, it would be easy for the hunters to gain access to Blackwood Creek without us realizing. All they had to do was sit on the outskirts and join a group as they came into town. Hell, who was I kidding? With all the unfamiliar faces in town, they could easily move around Blackwood Creek.
“Listen to me, Tori.” I needed to make her understand that just because the man who raised her would turn on her, it didn’t mean that anyone who truly loved her would ever turn her over to the hunters. “You thought your brother Kyle hated you, but he doesn’t. He did everything he could to protect you, even whenyou were on the run. That should prove to you that not everyone will just flip on a dime like your father is capable of doing. Most relationships are not conditional.” As I gazed deeply into her eyes, I willed her to believe me. “Would you ever turn on me and sell me out to your father to be supposedly cured?”
Her eyes widened, and she recoiled, shaking her head vehemently. “No, never,” she said, filled with disbelief at the suggestion. “I would rather get caught and tortured first.”
“See?” I said softly, stroking her hair. “That should be proof that some relationships are immune to that level of betrayal. I would sooner die than hurt you in any way, and I would never let anger or vengeance get in the way of loving you for the rest of my life.”
The tension seeped out of her body as she calmed down. I rocked her softly, pressing tender kisses to her head every now and again.
“If you want,” I added gently, “maybe Kyle could walk you down the aisle while you ride a unicorn.”
Her lips lifted at the corners, but if she really wanted a unicorn, I’d find her one, even if it was a horse with a prosthetic horn. I could picture it so clearly: Tori, in a white dress, walking down the aisle toward me on her brother’s arm. She’d be a vision, even if she wore a sack. All I could see was how perfect we were for each other, how we completed each other.
I’d never really given a lot of thought to marriage—it was a human concept, after all. As a shifter, it was always the mated bond that meant more to me. But the image of Tori walking down an aisle in a beautiful white dress, then sharing our vows, promising to love, honor, and cherish each other in front of everyone, made my heart swell with desire.
Tori snapped me out of my daydream with a scoff. “Kyle still doesn’t seem a hundred percent on board with me marrying amonster.” She rolled her eyes. “He’d be so horrified if we hadlittle shifter kids running around as baby wolves. That would be like the ultimate nightmare for Uncle Kyle.”
I couldn’t help the surprise and thrill that ran through me at the mention of Tori and me having a family. I hadn’t really thought about having children before. Only now that she’d said it did I realize how fiercely I wanted that with her.
I also realized that even though it had been mentioned in the context of a joke, this was the most I’d heard her talk about our long-term future as a couple since I’d accidentally disclosed we were fated mates. I tried to keep my excitement at her words hidden, not wanting to alarm her.
Despite my efforts to conceal my reaction to her words, Tori was quick to pick up on it. She swiftly backpedaled, saying, “I was just thinking of ways to torment my brother. So, down, boy.” She waved her hand dismissively. “There’s no talk of litters.”
Seeing Tori’s smile return and her mood lighten after the fear brought on by her father’s message gave me relief. I was not leaving Tori’s side for the next few days. My heart had nearly stopped when Kyle called to tell me Tori had been attacked. I was sick and tired of nearly losing my mate. It was becoming an all too common occurrence, and I needed to put a stop to it.
“Try and get some sleep, little wolf,” I said as we got comfortable in the bed. “The witch pills are great for healing your physical injuries, but there’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to put everything into perspective.”
Tori yawned and wiggled, settling under the comforters and curling up into my body even more. As I held her close, I thought about what I needed to do to remain by her side and protect her. I waited for Tori’s body to grow heavy against me as she finally drifted off to sleep, then stayed a little longer until I was sure she was in a deep sleep before slowly untangling myself from her.
I headed downstairs to my office, grabbed my laptop, and returned to Tori. Overkill? Maybe. But the hunters had alreadyproven they could access the manor. If I wanted to keep her safe, I needed to double down on security. Re-vet all the employees working in Blackwood Creek, and everyone else, for that matter. If even a sweet old librarian who’d lived in our community for decades could double-cross us, we had to be cautious of everybody.
As I came back into the room, Tori stirred slightly. I leaned down to kiss her head gently. With a long inhale, she calmed down and fell right back into a deep sleep. I moved to sit in the corner of the room so the light from my screen wouldn’t wake her.
It was early morning before I finally closed the laptop and climbed into bed. I would have kept working, but Tori’s sleep had become fitful, and she tossed and turned under the comforter. The moment I slid between the sheets, she relaxed, smelling my scent, touching my skin. I had to be close to her.
I barely slept, constantly checking to make sure she was still comfortable and asleep. My mind wouldn’t shut off, the thoughts of amping up our security still going through my mind. If Blackwood Creek’s security had been compromised even once, I had a lot of work ahead of me to protect my mate and everyone else.
After only a few hours’ sleep, my phone rang. Hurrying out into the hallway, I answered the call, not wanting to disturb my still-slumbering mate. It was the alpha of Clawson’s family’s old pack, the Southwest Pack.
The other alpha greeted me with respect. “Good morning, Ridge. I’ve spoken to Clawson about your invitation to join forces in Blackwood Creek. We should be with you in a matter of days.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Your support means a lot to us.”
“We’ll do everything we can to add to the town’s defenses,” he continued. “Our plan is to contact any smaller packs weencounter along the way. Though I have to warn you, the hunter attacks have increased, so we’re not sure how many smaller packs are left in the States at this point.”
Though I was already aware of the situation, hearing it from him only made me feel more disheartened. “Thank you for the information. We appreciate your help and solidarity.”
“Of course, Ridge. You have our loyalty. Stay strong.”
