Page 82 of Her Big Bad Wolf
“No.”
They all froze and looked up with worried faces.
“Noah’s right. If I’m going to stoop to this big gesture theory, then it needs to be public.”
“And big,” Mason reminded me.
“This I can’t wait to see,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Vanessa
Chapter 21
It felt good to talk things out with Kelsey. Maybe I did need to hear him out and try to understand where he was coming from better.
Could I really just walk away from him? Could I sever our true mate bond and live to tell about it?
Nope. After talking to Kelsey, I was pretty certain I could not.
I missed my mate.
I missed the life we were just starting together.
Yes, it all happened quickly, and maybe I overreacted a bit too. But I was certain that I wanted him and those boys in my future. I had no idea how that could work or what it would look like, but I needed them. After getting a taste of that life, I didn’t want to settle for anything less.
Every part of me screamed to just go to them and tell him.
I wanted to go home.
When I thought about it, home was no longer my cozy little house I loved. Now it was a house in the woods full of laughter, animals, little boys, fresh baked bread, and the man I knew in my heart I was meant to love.
He was still going to be a lovable jackass who would inevitably drive me crazy, but he was my asshole, my big bad wolf. And this time when he huffed and puffed, I wasn’t going to go anywhere.
However, I would make him sweat it out one more night, and then I was all in no matter his stipulations. I had to believe that somehow, we’d find a way to make it work.
When I got home, I was feeling restless. Instead of going for a run, I found some boxes and my suitcase and started packing a few things.
All in,I thought.
He could refuse me, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with that without trying at least. He was mine and he was just going to have to get used to that.
Kelsey had told me the boys were going to a new family. It broke my heart. Somehow, I knew I needed to stop it, I just wasn’t sure how. I was counting on Isaac feeling the same. They needed a home, not just another placement. And I was pretty sure we needed them.
After I’d packed up all I could, I climbed into bed. I was exhausted but feeling much better than I had the last few days. Those had been dark and hopeless, but now that I’d made up my mind and was braced for the most important battle of my life, there was a glimmer a hope.
For the first time in days, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
*****
I awoke feeling more refreshed than I had in days. With my newfound determination I got up and showered, carefully applied makeup for the first time all week, and got ready to go to work.
First, I had to get my mate back. Then, I had to find a way to convince him that we needed the boys in our lives. I wasn’t planning to take no for an answer on either count. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.
The one good thing was that no matter how things went down, I’d have the weekend to recover. If Isaac rejected me, I’d spend the time balled up and crying at my house. But if all wentwell, I’d be spending the weekend curled up with him at home instead.
I got into work early, hoping to catch him and get this over with, but the boys were already there, sitting on the front steps waiting for me when I arrived.
“Boys? What are you doing here?”
