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She laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. What about looks?”
I shrugged. “I’m not really picky there, but I guess if I had to get specific, I like a woman with curves. Bright eyes, nice hair, dark blonde if I’m really being picky…”
I trailed off, realizing I’d practically described the woman sitting across from me. Hoping she hadn’t picked up on that, I shoved a piece of French toast in my mouth to shut myself up.
“I think that’s great, Garrett. Thank you for humoring me. I have a lot to go on now.”
I nodded. “Awesome.”
We ate our breakfast, and thankfully Jess moved on from what I wanted in a mate to what kind of food I’d like to see on the menus. That, I could answer easily.
“Meat and potatoes are always good,” I told her. “But I can be adventurous. Sushi, ethnic cuisines—there isn’t much I don’t like.”
“Good, good,” she murmured, taking notes once again.
After we finished eating, she excused herself, saying she had lots of work to do with only four days remaining until the women arrived.
How had the time flown by so fast? Only four days… it was probably best if I didn’t think about that. I shoved the thought away and threw myself into my work, desperate for a distraction from the inevitable.
8
JESSICA
After all the hard work and preparation, it was finally here—tomorrow was the official start of the Contention. The fifteen contestants would arrive at nine in the morning, and I didn’t know how I felt about meeting them.
One of them would become Garrett’s mate. I’d tried my best to squash my little crush, but it was still going strong so far. I hadn’t seen him since our breakfast in his office three days ago, hoping I could get my head on straight, but the distance hadn’t kept him out of my mind.
Blowing out a heavy breath as I pushed open a door leading out a side door on the eastern wing, I tried once again to relax. To let go of my anxiety. The crisp evening air made me shiver, but it wasn’t enough to distract me. What I needed was a run to clear my head.
Determined, I made a beeline toward a path leading into the forest. It had been far too long since I’d let my wolf out to play. Maybe that would do the trick. As I crossed my arms over my chest, warding off the chill, a voice drifted on the light wind.
I paused, turning my head to see Garrett, Holden, and Katie—another council member from Holden’s Contention—speaking as they walked along a path further north. Garrett said something that caused the other two to laugh, his charming smile making an appearance. My heart beat faster, my breath catching in my throat. Why did he have to be so damned handsome?
Still, as I continued watching, I noted the tension in his shoulders. He wasn’t the same carefree man I’d known only weeks ago. My stomach twisted. That was my fault. Even though he’d been joking about it lately, I still felt guilty that I’d thrown him into this situation.
I tore my eyes away and hurried along the path.It’s for the best. How many times had I told myself that? Yet I still struggled to fully believe it. It didn’t matter, though. This Contention was happening, and I was going to do my very best to ensure he ended up with a good woman—the right woman.
As I slipped into the shadow of the woods, I inhaled deeply, attempting to clear my mind as I prepared to shift. Garrett’s familiar scent—leather and pine—filled my nose, overwhelming my senses.
Shit, had he seen me and followed me into the woods? I quickly stripped out of my clothing, tossed it aside, and let my shift take over, wanting to get away as quickly as possible. I simply wasn’t in the right state of mind to see him right now.
I fell to all fours, my bones cracking and breaking as my body broke and reformed. Fur sprouted along my spine then spread out over my skin, an itchy sensation that I could never quite ignore. My jaw ached as my teeth elongated, canines splitting my gums. It was over in less than thirty seconds, and I stretched into my wolf form, my heightened shifter senses nearly overwhelmed by the sounds, scents, and sights around me.
Garrett’s scent was even stronger now, the sound of his footsteps crunching on the ground. I took off into the woods, hoping he hadn’t caught sight of me watching him earlier. I hadn’t made it far, though, before I heard him gaining on me. He’d shifted, too, and was following me.
Without thinking, I picked up the pace. His wolf was much larger and stronger, and he’d catch me in no time if he really wanted to. But I’d come out here to clear my head and get some space, not to frolic in the woods with Garrett. I darted forward, pushing my thoughts aside to focus on how powerful I felt in my wolf form, and I put some distance between myself and Garrett’s golden wolf.
As fast as I was, though, he was much quicker.
I swung my head to look behind me, catching sight of him a dozen yards back, his golden wolf practically glowing against the dark backdrop of the trees with my enhanced vision. My heart thundered as he charged forward, coming straight at me. He veered slightly to the right at the last second, but his powerful canine body still grazed my side as he ran by.
He looked back at me, and I could have sworn his wolf was grinning. Then he lifted his muzzle skyward and let out a reverberating howl. The sign of a wolf leading the charge in a pack run. He wanted me to follow him.
Nerves warred with excitement. When was the last time I’d run with another wolf?Far too longwas the only answer I could come up with. And I’d never run with Garrett before.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and I picked up my pace, following closely on his heels. He veered this way and that, choosing a random path through the woods that he seemed intimately familiar with, unlike me. I trusted his guidance, and eventually, my nerves began to dissipate. Not only was this a good way to release tension, but it was fun. Really fun.
Garrett doubled back, circling around me, trying to engage me in some game as he lunged forward, feinting to one side before diving the other way. He nipped at my leg, and I yelped in surprise. He wanted to play? Okay, then. It had been far too long since I’d let loose in wolf form, and I was loving it.
