Page 82 of The Alpha's Chosen Fate

The corners of his lips quirked in a faint smile.“I know.I’m just so happy you’re here.”

I was sure my face was red.But if he could say it, I could endure it.

He reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face, the touch sending electricity through me.I didn't pull away.Instead, I leaned into it, savoring the warmth of his skin against mine.

"Thank you, Ivy," Briggs murmured, his hand lingering near my cheek.

"For what?"

"For staying here, with me.For fighting."His fingers grazed my jawline, sending shivers down my spine.There was an intensity to his gaze that hinted at the depth of his feelings.

"Someone had to save your ass.Might as well have been me," I offered, my attempt at lightness falling flat as the gravity of our situation pulled at me.

A chuckle rumbled from his chest, vibrating through the space that separated us.The sound was a balm to the raw edges of my nerves.

"Always so fierce," he commented.

Silence settled once more, but it was a comfortable one.I remained by his side, my demeanor softer than it had been since before our world turned upside down.

Briggs drifted back to sleep and watched over him, thinking about the past.The present.

Our future.

The truth was a bitter pill, but it went down smoother than I would have believed possible just a short time ago.I was more his now than I had ever been.

And he is yours, Rieka reminded me.As Onyx is mine.

It was a reminder that no matter how far I ran, I would never outrun him.Not in any way that mattered.

Still, something inside me held me back.I worried it always would.

Chapter 25

Briggs

On quiet feet, I slowly approached the bedroom.It was late and I didn’t want to wake my mate if she was sleeping.

Working long hours to catch up on pack business was an unfortunate necessity after being laid up for days.It was going much slower than anticipated.

Hopefully tonight was the last late night for a while.For work, at least.My personal life was a separate concern.

It had been a week since I left the infirmary, alive and well thanks to Ivy's instincts and quick actions.

She had risked everything to save me.Surely that meant something.But ever since we returned to the cabin, something felt off between us, like we’d taken a step back instead of forward.

As I drew closer, I could hear the quickening of her pulse, the scent of her anxiety trickled into the air.I paused in the doorway, taking in her silhouette framed against the window.

Ivy gazed out at the moonlit forest, her body tense.I thought getting her back would fix everything, that she would fully accept our bond, especially once she willingly moved into the master bedroom.

But I was wrong.

"Couldn’t sleep?"I asked softly.

She glanced over her shoulder at me and shook her head.Guarded hazel watched until I closed the door then returned to the window.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.“Ivy, are you alright?”

The bond wasn’t giving me much to go by.It hadn’t since yesterday, which was when my own anxiety ratcheted higher than it had been when my mate had been fighting me at every turn.

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