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Raising onto my tiptoes, I kissed the hell out of the world’s most wonderful man. I dominated the kiss, nearly laughing that he let me do it. His alpha nature didn’t allow that very often. Usually, he instantly dominated me—and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.
We moved apart, and Ridge smacked my butt. “You should wear your engagement ring to avoid prying questions.”
“Yet another reason to get to the hospital,” I said. “I didn’t want to risk the ring getting damaged or lost, so it’s wrapped up safely in the bag I left at the nurse’s station. I’ll put it on as soon as I have it.”
Nerves twinged at the recesses of my mind. Perhaps it was best to drop the fake engagement act. I no longer needed the alibi if Mrs. Marrow was guilty. After all, this had all gone longer than Ridge had predicted.
The negative voice in my head jumped at the chance to feed my insecurities. And surely Ridge would be relieved to end the charade once and for all. He’d only proposed the arrangement as a quick solution immediately following the deputy’s murder. Time had been a significant crunch factor then.
After things had settled down more, I’d broach the subject with him, then we could plan how we’d call off our fake engagement so neither of us looked bad. I’d sacrifice myself and be the villain in the breakup if needed. It’d make it easier on Ridge since he had to stay here. With everything going on, he couldn’t afford to be seen in a bad light. It felt like the people here were on a knife’s edge, and the slightest thing could tip the balance. Ridge was their leader, and as such, he needed to be here for them. I was a nobody, an out-of-towner with no ties to this community. But as much as it pained me, I’d leave town. It’s what would be best in the long run.
Ridge and I kissed again, and I wanted to weep at the idea of giving up my daydreams of actually being in a relationship with him. I wasn’t an idiot—I wasn’t a suitable match for the likes of a man like him. He was the alpha and the mayor, and his future wife should be someone who could hold him up, have his back, and know exactly what to do in both a political role and shifter pack life. I could never be that woman.
It’d be best if I left town permanently as soon as the engagement ended. That way, he could move on and find the right woman without me hanging around like a shadow.
Not to mention, it’d be too hard to stay and watch him fall in love with and marry another woman. Watching him with another woman would shatter my heart.
When you cared for someone so profoundly and selflessly, you had to do what was right for them.
In Ridge’s case, he would always come first, and I’d always do right by him.
Chapter40
Ridge
Knowing that Tori was going to the hospital to get the engagement ring and put it back where it belonged—her finger—appeased me and my wolf. We weren’t entirely satisfied yet, but that symbol would hold us over until we could actually claim her.
I glanced down at my hard-on and wished I didn’t have to wait until tonight to relieve it with Tori, but she needed a break from me pouncing all over her. Not too long of a break, though.
I had a long, grueling day ahead. That had never bothered me in the past. In fact, I usually relished the challenge, embracing such days with open arms because the work kept me busy and distracted.Now that I had Tori in my life, however, things were different. I wanted nothing more than to hole away in the manor with her for a few days and shut out the world, but my responsibilities prevented that.
After jumping in the shower, I checked on my business and ensured everything was running smoothly. Luckily, I worked remotely and had a reliable team executing the day-to-day operations. I reported in occasionally and stayed updated with all the contracts. Still, that team had been working longer than I’d been alive, as it was a family business. That could be a pain, but having it in my back pocket was nice whenever I needed to call in a favor or pull some strings.
Then, to top it off, I had the regular mayoral duties that had to be tended to each day. There was no slacking off in that position, and I had much to make up for since being gone. It didn’t matter that I had pack responsibilities that were more important at this time. Most of the citizens of Blackwood Creek didn’t know anything about the shifters in town, so they wouldn’t understand me dropping the ball on other town affairs.
I had to juggle all these balls in the air, but I’d signed on for that when I first decided to run for mayor.
I tried to think of the best ways of protecting the shifter population against the potential hunter danger lurking over every shifter’s head. Discovering I’d had a mole in town had been a gut-wrenching blow, and I needed to construct and execute plans without the secrets of the paranormal world leaking out to the humans. Once I became fully aware of the hunters’ tactics and potential plans to battle against us, I could develop adequate protective measures. The best defense was knowing your offense.
The fridge needed to be stocked again. I sighed—yet another thing to add to my never-ending to-do list. I gathered what I needed to make a quick breakfast smoothie. Tori had refused my offer to make her one, saying she needed sustenance, not a detox.
Shaking my head, I laughed at her antics even as I tried to wrap my head around her confession. Tori had trained as a hunter, but then she’d shifted, becoming the very thing she and her brother had been taught to hate. She’d managed to get out, go on the run, and stay out of the hunter’s reach. Thank the moon for that. It still pissed me off to think of her alone and afraid, doing whatever she could to survive. I wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be okay now, but would it?
Tori was still a major target and liability to the hunters, and now she lived in a town that was heavily on their radar. Thanks to Mrs. Marrow, they’d had enough information to infiltrate the town without going in blind. Coupled with Tori’s history, there would be some in the town—the Greenthornes and their followers for sure—who would mark her as a traitor. They would find it hard to trust her, fearing she’d sold us out to the very people who wanted her dead for the secrets she’d divulged.
She didn’t have to prove herself to me. Even before she’d risked her life and freedom to go to the hunter compound to save us, I knew she was worthy. Now she was going against everything she’d been taught to help protect Blackwood Creek from future attacks.
All of that made it harder for Tori to settle here. That was why I needed to work harder to get safeguards in place to protect my mate. I wasn’t alone; others in town would champion Tori, Clawson among them. I know he worried about her feral side, but her skills and tenacity had impressed him, and he’d admitted that he’d never have found us—and certainly not that fast—if she hadn’t been with him.
Chugging my green smoothie, I uncharacteristically put the dirty dishes in the sink without rinsing them and charged for the door. No way would I be able to focus on business or household chores until I understood why my mate was being explicitly targeted.
I needed to talk to Kyle. He was the only one who could give me the answers I needed since Tori wasn’t ready to. Heading to the jail was a two-bird-one-stone deal.
I also had to check in with Clawson. Shifters weren’t my only responsibility. The fact that there had been a murder in town meant we had to ensure it didn’t happen again.
When I arrived at the station, one of the deputies informed me that Clawson was already interrogating Kyle. I headed into the adjoining office to watch through the one-way glass.
“Come on, Kyle, tell me. How long has Mrs. Marrow been a mole for the hunters?” Clawson sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, his voice tinged with annoyance. Clawson didn’t rile up that easily, so he must have been at it for some time.
