Page 57 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha

brYN

Two more days passed. Night and I were still inseparable.

After the first time I’d intentionally shifted, Night had me practicing connecting with my wolf so my interacting with her would be second nature.

And when he wasn’t coaching me or offering advice, the two of us were having sex, which I didn’t mind at all.

I floated on cloud nine for the most part, but after the realization that Night didn’t want to claim me, I sometimes teetered on the edge of total despair.

Self-doubt, combined with my wolf’s unmet need for Night to claim me, had almost overwhelmed me.

I tried to convince myself that I was just missing some crucial aspect of mating and claiming traditions.

I had, after all, lived as a human for twenty years; maybe there was something I didn’t understand, or maybe my wolf and I still had a few kinks to work out about our bond.

It was all so confusing.

I knew that part of the problem was that I couldn’t think straight. Being close to Night, inundated with his scent and his touch and his kisses, was too distracting. I needed some time to talk through my insecurities with Violet and Tavi. They would be able to tell me if I was missing something.

Night and I lay next to each other in bed. We’d had sex in almost every room of Night’s house—especially the shower. We were sated, content, and enjoying each other’s closeness. Eventually, I turned on my side toward him.

“Night, can we talk?” I asked.

He turned to face me and pulled me close. “Of course. You can talk to me about anything.”

I hesitated for a few seconds, uncertain how to start. “I…I think I’d like some to have some girl time with Violet and Tavi.”

“You want to leave?” I wouldn’t have thought that the powerful Alpha, who could scare the pants off anyone with just one look, could pull off puppy eyes. His frown tugged at my heartstrings, but I needed to stay firm.

“Not for long,” I rushed to assure him. “Just for a few hours. I…I miss them, and I want to talk to them.”

Night continued to frown. I thought for a second that he might say no, and if he did, would I have the strength to ask him again?

I didn’t want to leave his side either, but my unanswered questions were tearing me up inside.

I didn’t want to be stuck in a constant state of uncertainty about Night or the way he felt about me. It was far, far too painful.

Eventually, Night sighed, and I heard the yes in that sigh before he spoke the word. We got dressed, and Night walked me to Violet’s cabin.

“I’ll be with Dom,” he said. It was only the fifth or sixth time he’d assured me of that. “If you need anything, I’ll be a short distance away.”

I chuckled and touched his cheek. “I know, don’t worry. Time will pass by so quickly, you won’t even notice I’m gone.”

“Ha. Not a chance of that.” He kissed me once, briefly, and then again more deeply. When he pulled away, my eyes felt heavy, and desire began to kindle deep inside me. He licked his lips, his eyes glowing. “Are you sure you want this?”

Oh, but it was so tempting to say no so he could carry me back to bed.

I forced myself to nod and gave him a smile.

“I’ll see you soon, Night.” I hopped up to kiss his cheek, and then I quickly went inside, avoiding those large, warm hands before he could kiss me again or otherwise tempt me away from my goal.

Tavi and Violet were waiting for me at the dining table.

I had seen Violet a few times since Night and I had mated, but I hadn’t seen Tavi since the day Night rescued me from those ferals.

So when Tavi hopped onto her feet, almost knocking over her chair, I rushed to meet her.

We embraced tightly, and Tavi was already emotional.

“I missed you so much!” she cried. “I thought Night was going to keep you all for himself like the selfish prick he is.”

I giggled. I had never noticed what Tavi smelled like before, but she had a really fresh, sweet scent.

It was like maple syrup with a hint of pink peppercorn.

I committed the scent to memory and then pulled back.

It was amazing what my new power could do for me—how I felt like I now knew Tavi and Violet and Night even more than I had thought was possible.

“I want to know everything!” Tavi said, pulling me to the table.

I glanced at Violet, who wore her trademark, knowing smile. There was no way I could tell Tavi everything, not with Night’s mom only inches away. But I did share the things I felt comfortable telling.

“I’ve never felt so good in my life,” I said.

“Night is amazing. He’s so wonderful to me, and he makes me feel like I’m meant to be with him.

It’s kinda crazy to think that just a few weeks ago, he and I could barely stand each other.

” The woman I had been before felt like a past life, a shadow of the person I had become thanks to Night and my wolf.

I had never believed that love was in my future, but I had been so, so wrong.

Tavi sighed, pressing her hands to her chest. “I’m living vicariously through you, Bryn until I find a guy of my own.”

I laughed. “You’ll find him,” I told her, thinking of Dom.

“So, what about your wolf? How has that been?”

I paused. Now that she’d brought up my wolf, the real reason I decided to leave Night’s side came to the forefront of my mind. I took too long to respond, and my silence worried Tavi and Violet.

“Bryn?” Violet asked. “Is everything going okay with your wolf?”

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry.” I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present. “Actually, she and I are bonding beautifully. I’m finally getting used to shifting and listening to her and letting her in.”

“That’s great news!” Tavi exclaimed. “I told you it would be cooler if you were a wolf.” She winked.

I scoffed and crossed my arms. “You can’t take credit for my wolf, Tavi. She’s been with me all along.”

She grinned. It was clear that she had missed our conversations just as much as I had. “Well, I just think it’s funny that only a couple of days after I said what I said, you suddenly find your wolf. I don’t think it’s entirely a coincidence, Bryn.”

I started to respond, but Violet interrupted.

“You mentioned that your wolf has been with you all along,” she said. “Talk more about that.”

I uncrossed my arms as I shifted from teasing to serious again.

“I know that my wolf was lost in my mind after my mother was murdered,” I said.

“But I don’t think she was ever completely gone.

I can think back to moments when I felt pulled in a certain direction or protected in some way.

There are times when I swore I heard a whine in my mind when something was about to go really badly. ”

Violet and Tavi glanced at each other and smiled. “That sounds familiar,” Tavi said.

“Yes. That’s what your wolf is supposed to do, Bryn. She’s aware of things that your human mind isn’t. If she’s got a bad feeling or if she’s pushing you to do something you don’t understand, listen to her. Trust her.”

I nodded. “I’m getting better at that, but there’s something that’s been holding me back.”

“Oh?” Violet set down her tea. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it happened when we were m-mating. Or—I mean, it didn’t happen.

” I stopped, getting flustered. “Night didn’t claim me.

” Each word felt like a mouthful. “Okay, this is really, really embarrassing to talk about, but I have to know because it’s eating me up inside, and my wolf is so upset about it. ”

“Bryn, tell us,” Tavi said.

I took a deep breath. “She’s worried that Night might not actually want us to be his mate, and it’s hard for me not to think that too.”

Violet and Tavi went quiet for a few seconds.

I shivered, shame burning from my face down my neck, my heart beating quickly.

I didn’t like having to admit that I was ignorant about something that was so fundamental to wolf culture, but I hated telling them that some part of me doubted Night’s feelings for me.

It felt like I was betraying him by doing so.

Still, my wolf and I couldn’t stand not knowing.

“Bryn,” Violet’s soft voice encouraged me to lower my hands from my face. She and Tavi were looking at me with empathetic smiles. “You’re not missing some vital part of mating. Remember what I said about your wolf? If she has doubts, you should trust her.”

“But…” My lower lip wobbled. Large, sorrowful tears that I hadn’t noticed building up slipped down my cheeks. “But doesn’t that mean that Night is—”

But Violet was shaking her head. “Neither of us can answer that for you. It wouldn’t be our place.”

Tavi stood up to grab a few tissues and brought them back for me. “Anyone can see that Night would break his own legs if it meant he could do something for you, Bryn,” Tavi added. “But, I mean, I think you have to ask him yourself. That’s how relationships work.”

Oh. It sounded so simple when they put it so plainly.

I had been in my head, so worried that I had done something wrong that I hadn’t even considered that I might be able to talk to Night about this.

Another tear slipped down my face, but I caught it with my tissue.

I wiped my face while Violet stood to get some more tea.

Tavi leaned in while Violet rummaged around in the kitchen. “So, Bryn,” she whispered, “how was it? I mean, like, was it as amazing as those books you’ve been reading?”

My eyes widened.

She giggled. “I borrowed one or two from your room while you were with him. No wonder you were so focused on reading.”

My face warmed, but I pressed my hand over my mouth when it filled with giggles. “I can’t believe you looked through them when I wasn’t here!”

“I looked through them too,” Violet called from the kitchen.

Tavi and I gasped that she’d overheard us.

“Don’t even think about trying to give any more detail than you’ve already given, Bryn,” she called. “There are some things a mother isn’t meant to know.”