Page 13 of Echoes of Us
And for the first time since Arthur Wessex showed up on her doorstep those many nights ago and changed her life, Willow let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, things would be okay.
The mower roared to life beneath her hands, vibrating through her arms as she pushed it forward across the uneven yard. The steady rhythm gave her something to focus on, each pass across the grass cutting through her restless thoughts. Sweatdampened her hairline, the sun beating down, but she didn’t mind. She needed this. She needed to feel useful, strong, and steady.
Halfway through the yard, she cut a line and glanced up to find Talon leaning against his truck parked in the drive, arms crossed over his broad chest. His wild black hair caught in the breeze, his golden eyes locked on her with a mix of irritation and something softer that made her pulse stumble.
Willow yanked the mower to a stop, brushing her damp hair back from her forehead. Sweat beaded at her temple, and a strand of hair clung stubbornly to her cheek. “What?” she shouted over the engine before cutting it off.
“What?” Talon echoed, pushing off his truck and striding toward her with long, purposeful steps. His voice carried that low, commanding growl that made her pulse jump. “You’ve lost your mind, that’s what. You’re out here in the heat pushing a damn mower when all you had to do was call me.”
Willow planted her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. “I’m quite capable of mowing the lawn, Talon.”
Talon stopped in front of her, close enough that the scent of him—wild forest, cedar, and the faint musk of his wolf—wrapped around her like a spell. “I’m in charge of keeping you safe. You think I like seeing you out here working yourself half to death while I’m supposed to be—” He cut himself off, jaw tightening as if he’d said too much.
Willow tilted her head, her lips quirking despite the pounding of her heart. “Supposed to be what? My knight in shining armor? How would it look for the Alpha to be mowing a human’s yard?”
“Willow, I don’t care what anyone thinks.” Talon cupped her chin, his thumb grazing her jaw as he tilted her face toward him. His touch was gentle, but his eyes burned with raw honesty.
“You should,” she whispered, leaning into his hand before she could stop herself. “You’re Alpha.”
“And I would give it all up for you.” His voice broke through her defenses like a blade wrapped in silk. His eyes darkened, full of conviction. “I know last night we said we’d take it slow, but dammit, Willow, I love you. You are mine, and I’m not letting you go.”
“Don’t say that!” She jerked her chin from his grasp and stepped back, her throat tight. “Please.”
“What—that I love you?” His brows drew together. “That you’re mine?”
“No.” Her voice cracked. “That you’d give it all up for me. If you did that, then your father was right.”
Talon exhaled harshly, frustration rippling through his body. He raked a hand through his hair, pacing a few steps before facing her again. “He really did a number on you.” He growled, then softened his tone. “He’s dead, Willow. Gone. And saying I’d give it up for you isn’t about weakness—it’s about choice.Mychoice. He doesn’t get to control that, or us.”
“Your people need you.” She tried to sound firm, but her voice trembled with the ache in her chest.
“And you don’t?” he countered, arching a brow.
Her mouth opened, ready with the easy lie that she didn’t. But the truth was a pulse in her throat. “Of course I do,”she whispered. “But I’m just one person. They look to you for strength, Talon. They need their Alpha.”
He took a step closer, eyes fierce. “You are the most important person in my life, Willow.” His voice dropped to a rough whisper as he wrapped her in his arms. “Stop letting my father control you from the grave. He doesn’t have a say in our lives. He never did. Where’s the woman who didn’t give a damn what anyone thought? The one who made me chase her until I nearly lost my damn mind?”
“Maybe she grew up.” She managed a small, watery laugh against his chest.
He tipped her chin up again, his thumb brushing away a tear she hadn’t realized had fallen. “No, sweetheart. She just got scared.”
Willow’s voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
“I could never hate you.” He leaned in, brushing his lips over hers in a kiss that was soft, lingering, and heartbreakingly tender. “You’re everything to me. You always have been. Without you, the title of Alpha means nothing.” His gaze locked with hers. “Do you love me, Willow?”
Leaning back just enough to meet his eyes, she nodded. “I have always loved you.”
“Then trust me.”
She hesitated for only a heartbeat. “I do trust you.”
“Good.” His lips curved into a grin that made her chest flutter. He gave her one more kiss, quick but full of promise, before turning her toward the house. “Now, go get cleaned up. I’ll finish the grass.”
“What? No, Talon, I?—”
He held up a hand, smirking. “There’s a party tonight, and I need a date.”
“Wait… what?” She blinked, completely thrown.
