Page 6 of Alpha Wolf’s Arranged Bride (Rose Hollow Wolves #1)

Wrapped in blankets with my back to Rex, I’m so wound up, I can barely breathe. My muscles are practically trembling with built-up anxiety, and my chest is starting to hurt.

I have to calm down. I don’t want him to know how upset I am.

That thought lingers, spinning around my tired mind and torturing my thoughts. I do want him to know I’m upset—I want to scream at him until my lungs ache—but I can’t. Not here. Not in front of Jarrod, Eccles, or Rose Hollow.

If I am going to keep my son safe, then I need to keep my mouth shut. I can take this. I’ll bear anything for Jarrod.

I feel Rex move on the other side of the bed, and my muscles tense up again. The heat from his body seeps across the crisp sheets, and to my shame, my body begins to respond.

No.

Not this.

Even though I’m curled up with my back to him, as far away from him as I can possibly get, I’m still way too close. Heat builds between my thighs as fire races across my body, making my nipples hard.

I focus hard on my heartbreak, the way I felt when I realized he was actually gone. Then the weeks after that, when all of us searched for him, finally coming to the conclusion that he must have left without a trace, and was now an outcast for it.

The elders decided that if there had been foul play or an accident, there would be evidence of it, and they were right. The only explanation for someone disappearing completely was that it was deliberate.

Methodical. Purposeful. And he fucked me before he left, knowing that he was going to leave!

The heat flooding my bones now is of an entirely different nature, and I clench my fists against the sheets so I don’t get up and slap him. There is nothing he can say to make this right. Nothing can erase those horrible weeks of pain and loneliness.

And then finding out I was pregnant… realizing I was truly and utterly abandoned. Completely alone.

My fury slowly turns into pain. The grief and loss I felt five years ago is still as deep now as it was then, and I’m still mourning the loss of James.

And James and Rex are obviously not the same person, so feeling grief for the man I knew is perfectly valid. He’s not coming back.

Even though emotion threatens to engulf me again, I take a deep breath and hold it, slowly letting it out before I take another long breath. Even though my muscles are still tight, I can feel myself relaxing a little.

Even if I can’t sleep, I need to rest so I can be ready to take care of Jarrod tomorrow. The last twenty-four hours have been an incredible ordeal for both of us.

After a while, my thoughts begin to settle. My emotions are still churning in my chest, but exhaustion blurs them, dulls the edge of my anger, and I finally slip into a doze.

When light comes into the sky, my eyes are immediately open to greet it, and I slip out of bed to get dressed.

All I have is my wedding dress, so after I freshen up, I put it on, looking at myself in the mirror.

It’s a simple cotton gown, pure white with wide shoulder straps, a square neckline, and long, flowing skirts.

It could use some embroidery across the bodice, but otherwise, I couldn’t have chosen better.

I do a little twirl, liking how the skirts swish. Looking up into the mirror, I see my own smile, and it hits me in the chest like a blade.

To think I once dreamed of marrying James! I fantasized about this exact moment… now fucking look at me.

Be careful what you wish for—the universe may give it to you!

Wiping angry tears out of my eyes, I hurry out to the main room, where there’s a small kitchenette to put on coffee. Jarrod gets up soon after and staggers into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

“Good morning, Mom. What’s for breakfast?”

“Good morning, kiddo. There’s cereal and bread for toast, not much else.”

“Okay, I’ll have some toast.”

“Did you sleep well?”

Jarrod nods as he goes past me to get the bread. “I was pretty tired. What happens now?”

“After breakfast, we go to Rose Hollow. Our new home.”

“Hey, Mom,” Jarrod says, turning to me after setting up the toaster. “I know this is all weird and scary, but it could be good. They are so mean to us here, and maybe we can make new friends in our new home.”

Warmth glows in my chest as a huge smile spreads across my face, and I give Jarrod a big hug.

“How did you get so wise?”

“I have a great mom,” he says, making me hug him tighter.

“Good morning,” Rex says, coming into the kitchen. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” I mutter, turning away from Jarrod so I can get my coffee and leave, giving a clear indication to Rex that I am not making his breakfast.

“Good,” Jarrod says, turning to Rex. “The bed was nice.”

“You’ll love it at my place,” Rex says, joining him in the kitchen. “You’ve got your own room. I’ve only set it up with a few basics, so you can decorate it as you like.”

“Cool,” Jarrod says as he butters his toast.

I sit at the counter, silent and very uncomfortable as the two of them proceed to get along like a house on fire.

After breakfast, we head off, meeting Dorian and Cody downstairs. My uncle and a couple of others see us out, and I hold Rex’s hand, smile, and kiss him on the cheek just so everyone believes we’re consummated and mated for life.

Mated for life.

Those words echo painfully through my chest, ringing through my bones. As we take the road out of town, I keep my head turned out the window, letting tears run silently down my cheeks.

Rex tries to start a conversation with me more than once, asking about my favorite books, movies, and food, but I only give short, closed answers. Jarrod decides to answer for me, and before I know it, the two of them are in a lively discussion about sports and race cars.

Through my pain, there is a splinter of hope.

Jarrod deserves a dad. That fact is part of what fueled my anger over the years—he didn’t have one because Rex left us. But now there’s an opportunity for Jarrod to have his actual father in his life, and they are getting along so well. I have to support this.

Even as I make that decision, I shrink away from telling them both the truth. It’s a miracle neither of them has guessed by now—especially since I’ve realized they have the same eyes.

All these years, I thought Jarrod’s eyes were shaped like his father’s but too pale in color. Now I know Rex actually has the same amber eyes. The dark brown eyes were part of his disguise.

The drive to Rose Hollow takes a while, and I stay quiet throughout, listening to the boys talk. Even if it makes me uncomfortable, the two of them getting along is the best possible thing for Jarrod.

We follow Dorian’s car through the main street of town, and I look around with interest. I’ve never left Eccles in my life, and it’s interesting to see the different buildings and parks.

“It’s pretty,” I mutter, not realizing I spoke out loud.

“Yeah,” Rex answers, startling me. “We’ve had passionate architects and builders over the years. I noticed that in Eccles, there isn’t much decoration.”

“It’s considered a waste,” I say. “A waste of materials and time. But looking at this, I don’t think it’s a waste at all.”

“I like it,” Jarrod agrees. “It feels… friendly.”

I agree with my son, but I don’t say it out loud. We turn through the small streets, still following Dorian’s car, and pull into a nearby parking lot.

“What are we doing?” I ask.

“Heading in to greet the elders, then move on to my place.”

I’m definitely not ready for this, but I get out of the car with my head held high. I have no idea what to expect from these people. We’ve always been their sworn enemy, and I don’t see how that can change.

I take Jarrod’s hand and stride towards the doors, with Rex following behind us. Dorian holds the door, and I give him a nod on the way through.

He’s barely said a word, but he seems nice.

The rest of the elders probably won’t be, though.

We come through the doorway into a cozy room filled with wooden tables and chairs. It’s decorated with pretty paintings of the surrounding landscape and brass fixtures. I’m a bit awed by how decadent yet homey it feels, and when I look down at Jarrod, I can tell he feels the same way.

“Hello!” an excited cry sounds from across the room, and a slightly plump older woman gets up and hurries over to us. “You must be Scarlett,” she says, immediately embracing me and crushing me against her soft body. “I’m Elder Erhart, but call me Celeste.”

“Pleased to meet you,” I answer, a bit overwhelmed.

“And who might you be, young man?” Celeste asks, bending down to talk to Jarrod.

“I’m Jarrod,” he says, holding out a hand.

“Such fine manners,” Celeste says, shaking it. “It’s a pleasure to meet such a gentleman.”

“Come on, Celeste,” Rex says from behind me. “Let us go on and meet the others. These two will want to see their new home and settle in.”

“Of course, of course,” Celeste answers, fussing with her hands as she ushers us towards the table where the others are sitting. “I’m just excited, is all.”

I’m introduced to far too many people, and the only names I can really remember are Celeste, Dorian, and Galant—Elder Morrone. Cody, Rex’s beta, is there as well, sitting at the next table with some younger people.

I try to follow the conversation, but I just end up nodding and smiling at everything they say. I’m tired and emotionally drained, and I have absolutely no idea how this pack works.

Uncle is always talking about power and control. These guys are discussing guild meetings and bake sales. I feel like I’ve been transported to another planet!

Rex wraps up the meeting after one drink, and we head out to his place. The manor is a modest two-story house set in a pretty, overgrown garden. It’s built of dark gray stone, and creepers of vine sneak slyly from the unkempt bushes to spread across one corner of the building.

As I get out of the car, Rex notices me looking at the garden.

“Mother likes it like that,” he says. “She likes spiders and caterpillars. She has tons of butterflies in the spring because she takes care of the small bugs.”

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking it was untidy,” I answer. “I was actually admiring the disorder of it.”

“You aren’t scared of spiders?” Rex asks.

“Not really,” I answer. “Some of them are really pretty.”

And a spider has never hurt me… unlike people, who hurt me a lot.

“So, where is your mom, then?” I ask, suddenly afraid that she lives here and I’m about to have my first meeting with my mother-in-law thrust upon me.

“She went away after Dad died,” Rex answers, unlocking the front door. “When she comes back, she’ll take the small cottage across the block. She wants us to have the big house, but she’ll stay close enough to tend to her garden.”

“Okay,” I answer as we go inside.

I’m not crazy about having my mother-in-law so close, but at least she’s not here right now. I don’t think I could take it.

Rex takes us to the kitchen. I make some sandwiches for Jarrod, and the boys start talking again, making conversation as if they’ve known each other their whole lives. I sit quietly, staring into my cup of tea, wondering how the two of them haven’t guessed the truth yet.

Because it’s too impossible. People are really good at denying facts that are right in front of their faces… or refusing to see something that is really traumatic.

After all of us have had a light dinner, I get Jarrod in a bath and set up his room for him. Cases of clothes have been left for both of us, the beds are made with fresh linen, and there are even some toys and art supplies for Jarrod.

“This is all really thoughtful,” I say to Rex, laying out some clothes for Jarrod. “Did you set this up?”

“No,” he chuckles. “I detect the fine hand of Celeste, and possibly my sister, Rebecca.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a sister.”

The words are out of my mouth before I have a chance to think about them, and I almost laugh out loud.

I know absolute fuck-all about this man!

“It’s okay,” Rex says. “I’ll introduce you to everyone. I want you to feel at home here.”

I don’t reply. I just go and get Jarrod out of the bath so I can put him in his pajamas and then tuck him into bed. I go back to the master bedroom for my own pajamas and choose some soft sweats.

“Okay, where’s my room?” I ask.

Rex gives me a funny look. “You’re sleeping in here. With me.”

I blink at him. “What?”

“Hey,” he says, annoyed. “You told us we had to sleep in the same bed last night. How is this different?”

“Because we were in a public inn, and any of my pack could have seen or overheard,” I grit out. “Now that we’re in our own house, we can do what we want!”

“Scarlett,” he answers, “elders or family could drop in at any time, and we have to maintain appearances for the exact same reasons as we did over at Eccles. I know it’s not ideal, but we should get used to it as quickly as we can.”

My heart sinks, and I rush to the bathroom to get changed so Rex doesn’t see me cry.

I don’t know how this can possibly get worse—but I’m sure it can!

It doesn’t matter how much it hurts me, though. I have to do this for Jarrod.