Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
He shook his head a little, the firelight flickering across his handsome face. “What a mess. Is he sad that he didn’t grab a trophy?”
I accepted some macaroni salad. “He won first place.”
Austin leaned away, trying to see my expression. “Get out.”
“Yeah.” I laughed. “They gave out a few first place ribbons for different things. He got ‘Most Ingenious.’ Magical flowers for the win.”
He chuckled softly. “There’ll be no end to his joy at that. He’ll want to go to all the flower shows he can find.”
“Oh no. No way. He’s cut off. I told him so, and I didn’t even feel bad when he hung his head. Attack flowers at a fair? Like...come on.”
Austin continued to feed me, his heart full and his mood buoyant. I couldn’t help but feel bad, though. I’d wanted to give him a chance to be comfortable and relaxed with his friends, and he still couldn’t do that. Not really. Maybe he could smile a little, or laugh, but only because he was in his mate’s presence. That didn’t seem like a good time to me. It seemed too formal for plastic tablecloths and paper plates. It was a steep price to pay for leadership.
Then I realized why his pack must’ve taken his car in stride. Why they’d marveled but not balked at the expensive purchase. He was playing at being down to earth, but was he really? His family had a ton of money. His brother had a car collection. Maybe alphas doing well solidified that image of stability within the pack. It meant the pack was doing well. And that gave people a feeling of security.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, love,” he said, and it was only because of his tone that I opened up and let it all spill out.
When I’d finished, he fed me the last bit of steak, his eyes locked on my lips as I sucked on his finger. He groaned softly.
“You’re killing me,” he whispered, and I smiled devilishly.
When everything on the plate was finished, he dropped it to the side, used his napkin to wipe off his hands and dab my face, and then pulled me in tighter.
“This is how it’s always been done,” he finally murmured. “Being an alpha comes with great responsibility. We put the pack above ourselves. Our family above ourselves. I’m comfortable with it because this is what I know, like I said. This is what I was born and trained to do. But I confess, I do like how loose and unrestricted the gargoyles are. I might slowly change the shifter dynamic in this pack to find a compromise.”
I stood and then bent for the plate. When he tried to stand with me, I put up a finger.
“Let your mate look after you,” I said.
He leaned back, his eyes gleaming, his gaze locked on mine.
I’d had lots of practice looking after a husband, but it had never felt this special. Maybe it was because Austin didn’t expect it of me. Or maybe it was because he pampered me too, and I knew how special it made me feel. I wanted him to feel just as special. Regardless, I felt a happy buzz as I headed over to get sustenance for my mate. I felt a sort of peace I couldn’t remember feeling before.
I got the meat first, deciding he needed tri-tip and also a hot dog. A little variety was the spice of life. At the picnic table, where before it was essentially just him and me, there were now a ton of people, chatting and grabbing food. It was clear they’d mostly stayed clear earlier to let us have first pick.
“Hey, alpha,” a man said before a woman said, “How are you?”
“Hi,” I replied, smiling at them, getting in line.
The crowd parted, waiting for me to go forward.
“Nope,” I said, waving them on. “I’m not a shifter. It’ll make me uncomfortable if I skip the line. Please.” I waved them on again.
“But the alpha needs his—”
“You’re wasting time,” Kace said, walking up. He winked at me and directed a command at the others. “Stop gabbing and get your food!”
The nods and dancing eyes—the closest most shifters got to smiles—made me feel easier about the whole thing.
“You know,” said Isabelle, a shifter I’d known since the beginning, “you make the alpha pair of this territory seem a lot more accessible.”
“Probably a bad thing,” I replied.
“When you’re in his brother’s territory? Almost certainly. Expect a lot of challenges.” She gave me a poignant look. “And when you get those challenges, rock their worlds. Nearly kill them and then heal them, like you did with that enormous gargoyle you got working for you. For here?” She shrugged, waiting with me. “Here, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea at all. Those gargoyles are a bunch of…” Her jaw clenched. “They are a stubborn breed, that’s for sure. When they stop being so stand-off-ish, though, they can be fun. And the basajaunak?” She almost fully smiled. “That one in the bar with the kilt is my favorite. Dave is great, but Kilt Guy is all kinds of a good time.” She pushed my shoulder. “Listen to this: the other day a gargoyle was hitting on me. They’re so laid-back about that kind of thing. I love it. I love that. But my ex, a shifter, got all bent out of shape. We haven’t been broken up for long—the bastard cheated on me. Anyway, I was gearing up to back that ass down, but lo and behold…” She leaned away from me while giving me wide eyes. “Didn’t that basajaun stand up, push through the crowd, and literally throw him out of the bar! He threw my ex out, ass over end!”