Page 293 of Labor of Love

Unfortunately, the interruption came from the very source of my frustration.

“Hey,” I answered. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon. Did everything go all right?”

“I need you to come over.”

Oh shit. I had missed something. I fucked it all up and we didn’t get the property. I could fix this. I just needed time. “Did we not get it?”

“Just come over. We can talk about it when you get here.”

“Of course,” I said. I constantly had to help with things related to the pack. It was my role. I bounced around from place to place, helping wherever I could. There was always some crisis that arose that Tyler needed help with. Mistakes were few and far between, though, and I hated how my gut twisted with anxiety.

“I’ve got to go,” I said. I grabbed my cinnamon roll. No way was I leaving that behind.

“Think about what I said!” Luca called after me.

4

TYLER

Taking over the pack had been incredibly hectic, scary, terrifying. Having that pack then decide to essentially merge with the bear den that also occupied the town, navigating the intricacies of keeping our shifter nature a secret from humans while also not being investigated as that weird town, those had also been distrusting.

But sitting at my home waiting for my mate to arrive so that I could point blank ask them if they were ready to be mine far exceeded the fear I had experienced those other times. I would rather face down a pack of rabid wolves hell bent on taking over my pack by force.

As well as I knew Theo, I did not know the answer to the question that I was going to ask him today, and that terrified me. He could outright reject me, and it was well within his rights to do so, but I had to know. I couldn’t take the longing, the waiting, the pining anymore. I dreamed of him at night. Every time I blinked throughout the day, it was his face that I saw.

The worst was watching him interact with the children. He was so good with them. I longed to see him with our children.

I had spent many long years alone, and I would continue to spend them alone if Theo rejected me, but at least then I would know.

He let himself into the house a few minutes after we had hung up. He often let himself in. This home was just as much his as it was mine.

“Hey, what’s going on? Is this about the property? I looked over all my notes after I talked to you this morning. I was sure I had everything. But if I missed something, we can get it taken care of. Or is this about the centennial celebration festival? If so, we got all the permits. I was going to bring it up next week.”

“It’s not about anything like that, Theo.”

I wished then that I had changed out of my silly suit and tie that I wore. Admittedly, I kept it on because the scent of him still lingered after he tied my tie this morning. It was comforting. I longed for the day that I would carry his scent everywhere with me.

“Take a seat,” I said.

“Tyler, you’re kind of scaring me.”

I rubbed my palms over my trousers, trying to work up the nerve to speak my piece.

“Tyler. Seriously, what’s going on? Is someone hurt?”

“We’re mates,” I said, blurting out the words that the two of us had never spoken out loud.

Immediately, blood rushed to his face, and he turned a deep scarlet. He dropped his gaze and focused on the ground rather than at me.

“Yes. I know.”

“I…” I should have written this down. “A man has needs—” No, that wasn’t what I meant to say. “Fuck, that came out wrong.”

Theo’s eyes went wide. “Did you find someone else more suitable?” he asked. “Because I get it. You got the short end ofthe stick as far as mates go, Tyler, and I’m—I’m doing everything I can to be worthy of the title of Alpha Mate. I’m—I’m—If you want to take a mate that is?—”

“Wait, what? Theo, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“What areyoutalking about?”

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