Page 208 of Fated to the Wolf Prince
I closed my eyes and hummed, finally allowing myself to relax completely. I was exactly where I was always meant to be.
My limbs felt boneless, and my eyelids were growing heavy.
Ty tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as he whispered, “I love you.”
I smiled as I snuggled closer to him, already halfway to sleep. “I love you.”
My eyes fluttered open, and I tried to make sense of the darkness that enveloped the room. Ty’s chest moved up and down slowly and rhythmically as he slept.
I had no idea how much time had passed since we’d locked ourselves in his room. We’d gone at it like rabbits for a while and then nodded off to sleep.
Ty stirred and opened his eyes. “Hey there, beautiful.”
“Hey, yourself.”
He flipped on the bedside lamp and rolled on his side to face me. Without a word, he reached out and traced the now-permanent teeth marks on my shoulder. “Did we just do that?”
I smiled. “We most certainly did.” I glanced at my watch. “Oh, shit, Ty. They’ve been waiting on us for hours. Should we head down?”
He laughed and pulled me in for a kiss. “Not before taking a shower. Don’t you want to be fresh for your big television debut?”
I scoffed. “Ty Keller, are you saying I don’t look my best?”
He smoothed my unruly hair down with his hand. “You look amazing, but you also look like you were just thoroughly fucked.”
We both laughed, then Ty led me to his large, two-headed shower. I stood under the steaming hot water, and Ty wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. I loved that even after showering, I could smell him on my skin. As I leaned into his kiss, I realized that he still smelled like me, and I loved it.
After drying off and getting dressed, I searched my purse for some mascara and lip gloss, not wanting to look too tired under the lights. As Ty had pointed out, I’d just had the best sex of my life, but I didn’t necessarily want the entire state of Texas to know that.
Ty pulled his T-shirt over his head and smiled in my direction. “Are you ready?”
I nodded and took his hand. Together, we walked down the hall and into Dominic’s office.
My cheeks flamed immediately as I caught the embarrassed look on my parents’ face. Fuck. Had they heard everything? Had I really screamed that loud?
I glanced at the other faces in the room and noticed they were avoiding eye contact. Oh, God. I turned and covered my mouth with my hand when I heard Dominic chuckle over my shoulder.
Mustering up every ounce of courage in my body, I turned to face his smiling face.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
My nerves took over as I took in the camera and the lighting gear. It was one thing to watch Dominic give his speech, but now it was my turn, and I wasn’t sure I could actually go through with it.
I clutched my chest and bit my lower lip. What if I fucked up? What if I forgot what I was going to say and accidentally spilled the damn beans about the Keller pack attacking the Wylde pack?
The future of Ty’s family, and now mine, hinged on this one televised statement. I’d taken on the responsibility, but could I actually follow through?
Dominic patted my arm gently. “It’s okay, Liza. Trust me, I understand your jitters. Just imagine you’re talking into a mirror, practicing for a speech in school. We can all leave if that would make you feel more comfortable.”
“No.” I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary. I need my support system in the room.”
He smiled. “Just take your time. If you forget what you’re going to say, it’s okay to pause. We’re not live. If you make a mistake, we can film it again. Don’t feel like you have to rush. People will be hanging on your every word, anyway, so give them time to absorb the information. They want to see you as someone they can relate to and trust, which they can.”
I stared down at my feet. “What if I’m not convincing enough and they don’t believe me?”
Before Dominic could answer, Nico interrupted from across the room. “All right, people. We need to get this show on the road. I need to get this footage to the local stations in time for them to air it on the eleven o’clock news.”
I sighed. “I guess it’s now or never.” I turned and walked toward the desk, but Dominic reached out and grabbed my hand.
