Page 157 of Fated to the Wolf Prince
“Shit, Liza. Why don’t you let me hold that for you?”
She rolled her eyes and grinned, her mischievous charm warming the room like a crackling fire. “That would be too easy. Now, tell me if this looks centered.”
As I considered the picture she had printed off, memories flooded my mind, melding with each pixel. We’d taken the selfie the night I took her to the steakhouse. The aroma of sizzling meat and the clinking of glasses replayed in my senses. I took it as a good sign; a promising message etched into the fibers of the photograph. She wanted us to be the centerpiece of her living room, a constant reminder of our connection. That had tomean something. It was a glimmer of hope shining through the fragments of uncertainty.
She hadn’t given up on us, not even when I’d mentioned the possibility of taking a temporary mate. Sure, she’d been pissed and channeled that energy into fucking my brains out. Liza had been so hot for me the night before, telling me exactly what she wanted and moving my hands where she needed them to be. I’d loved every second of it.
“That’s perfect. Right there.”
Liza nodded and passed me the frame, then hammered the nail into the wall.
Things had been a lot better between us since our moment in the mountains. When she had partially turned and I had witnessed her losing control that way, I’d tried to remain calm. What Liza didn’t know was that I had been freaking the fuck out inside.
As the son of an alpha, I’d seen a lot of weird shit in my lifetime, from exhilarating hunts to mesmerizing pack dynamics. But amidst all those experiences, one thing had always held true: the complete and undeniable transformation that occurred when someone shifted. There was never an in-between. Seeing only fangs and claws mixed with Liza’s beautiful face had been fascinating and perplexing. If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t like it. It meant Liza had no control over her wolf, which wasn’t a step in the right direction for us mating, either.
I’d concluded that this wouldn’t be the last mind-boggling situation I’d experience with Liza. She was an omega, and other than what I knew from rumors and myths, I had no clue what she was capable of. The shock I’d seen in her eyes last night led me to believe that she didn’t fully comprehend her true identity, either.
Liza climbed down from the step ladder and backed up to admire her handiwork. “Looks good to me.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist. “My face looks nice hanging on your wall.”
She eyed me coyly. “Your face looks good in lots of places.”
My wolf stirred at her innuendo. Liza’s body was almost more than I could stand, and if I could, I’d spend every second of every day naked in her bed with her. Of course, that wasn’t possible, considering I had a ton of work to do for Keller Enterprises while also trying to save my family and Liza from Castro.
We still hadn’t heard anything from him, which had me on edge. Liza noticed right away, and it had been a relief to share my feelings with her.
As if reading my thoughts, Liza turned and wrapped her arms around my neck. “What’s on your mind?”
I sighed. “Fucking Castro.”
Liza’s face softened. “You’ve got to give yourself a break. You can’t worry about him all the time. When he’s ready to make a move, he will. Until then, we just have to wait.”
“I’m not a very patient man.”
“Yes, I know.” Liza giggled and stood on her toes to kiss my cheek. “But you’re doing your best, and that’s all anyone can ask for.”
I watched as she turned and walked to the kitchen. Talking to Liza had been exactly what I needed. We’d spent so much time frustrated with one another, and I could tell that she was happy I was confiding in her again.
As Liza pulled two plates from the kitchen cabinet to make lunch, a smile spread across my face. She was everything to me, on every possible level. Liza was sexy as hell, and her body drove me crazy, but her mind and spirit were magnetic. I found myself dying to talk to her to get her opinion and insight on everything.
We might not have fallen in love yet, but we were certainly on our way toward it.
After we ate, I left Liza to work on her laptop. She had scheduling and accounting items to attend to, and I knew she’d be safe with one of my bodyguards right outside her door.
I texted Dad to let him know that I needed to speak with him. Not surprisingly, he’d responded that he was working at home.
I found him behind his desk, as always, working up a storm.
The dark circles under his eyes had turned almost purple, and I wondered if he was getting any sleep. If he was half as worried about the Castro situation as I was, I assumed he wasn’t getting near enough the amount of sleep our family doctor had prescribed. For that matter, he wasn’t even supposed to be working more than half a day, but I didn’t dare point that out.
He was so engrossed in whatever was displayed on his computer screen that he didn’t look up until I was sitting across from him. “Oh, Ty. Didn’t hear you come in. What’s the latest?”
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “If you’re referring to Castro, I’ve got nothing. You?”
He sighed. “Nope. Nada. That son of a bitch is going to make us sweat it out, isn’t he?”
I scoffed. “He’s definitely in no hurry to give us a clue. I’m sure he’s laughing it up in his secret lair.”
