Page 17 of Wedding for My Werewolf

“All right, I understand the need to fulfill your responsibilities. Evening then. I’ll come by around five.”

The thought of his isolated cabin, tucked away in the forest, eased some of her anxiety. No prying eyes. No bounty hunter lurking in the shadows. Just trees and distance between her and anyone hunting her. Her relief was immediately followed by guilt. He was giving her his protection, and she was hiding the truth about why she needed it.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I know this isn’t… ideal.”

“It’s practical.” He shrugged, but something flickered across his features—too quick to read. “For both of us.”

She extended her hand, determined to keep things professional. “So we have a deal?”

His big hand enveloped hers. The contact sent a jolt through her body, like touching a live wire. His skin burned hot against her palm, and her breath caught in her throat. His golden eyes darkened, pupils dilating, and his grip tightened for a fraction of a second.

She yanked her hand back, fingers tingling where they’d touched. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she fought to keep her expression neutral. The room suddenly felt too small, too warm.

“I’ll see you tomorrow evening then.” Her voice came out steadier than she expected.

He nodded, his face unreadable. But something in his stance had changed – a predatory stillness that made her pulse quicken.

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to suppress the warmth blooming there.This is business, she told herself. A mutual arrangement for protection and convenience. Nothing more.

But as she turned to leave, her skin still humming from his touch, she knew she was lying to herself.

She hurried back towards Garrick’s mansion, keeping to the shadows as she watched for any sign of Rick. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly prickled and she cast a nervous glance over her shoulder. Two golden eyes glowed in the darkness beneath a tree.

Eric.

He must have realized that she would have turned down an offer to escort her back, but he was still following her. Watching over her.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and she could have sworn the shadow beneath the tree nodded.

When she got back to the mansion, she packed everything she owned into her small backpack. She left out a change of clothes, then carefully tucked the bag back in her closet and went downstairs.

Garrick was in the study, his massive wings folded neatly behind him as he pored over a stack of papers. He looked up at her entrance and smiled.

“You look better.”

“Thank you.” She twisted her hands together nervously. “I need to tell you something. Eric has asked me to be his m-mate.”

Dark eyes studied her face before he nodded.

“I see.”

“I want to keep working for you. I know this is a live-in position,” she added quickly. “But Eric wants me to live with him so I was wondering if maybe I could still?—”

“Work for me?” Garrick’s stony face softened. “Of course you can. I thought it would be more convenient to have someone here, but you’re doing such an excellent job that I don’t think it’s necessary.”

She sighed with relief.

“Thank you.”

“And congratulations. On your mating.”

She knew she was blushing, but she managed to stammer out another thanks. He nodded, but she couldn’t help thinking thathe didn’t believe her story at all. Pretending to be mates was going to be even harder than she’d anticipated.

CHAPTER 7

Eric sighed as he approached his mother’s house, already dreading the upcoming conversation. They’d lived in a much smaller home when he was a child, but she’d convinced his father to build them a new house when his father became Alpha. Like everything else his mother touched, it gleamed pristine and perfect in the morning light, but it had never felt like home. And the conversation ahead promised to be anything but perfect.

The front door opened before he reached the porch. His mother stood there, elegant in her cream sweater and pearls, her dark hair swept into an immaculate updo.

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