Page 25 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy (Cowboys of Collier #1)

Brady

“We could run,” I told her the second we were safely back inside our home.

“Why? Why do you want to run? Your entire family and everyone you care about is right here.”

“There’s only one person in this entire world that I care about and that’s you.”

“Liar. Brady, there are so many people that you love and who loves you. Don’t take that for granted. Not for one second.”

“You’re right. But those people are going to love me unconditionally no matter where I am in this world and even long after I’m gone. You are my number one priority and they’ll understand that.”

She smiled and kissed me.

“What are we going to do?”

“We. I like that. Whatever it is, we are going to do it together. Okay?”

“What if I am threat to shifters? What if I can control your wolf?”

“Can and will are two very different things, babe. Can is just a possibility. Will is your choice.”

“Thank you for standing up for me today and for being so sweet about all of this. I’ve never had anyone truly fight for me the way you did today.”

I waggled my eyebrows at her and grinned. “Did it turn you on?”

I loved the way her cheeks changed to a bright shade of pink.

“Definitely,” she confessed.

“So my odds are favorable towards taking you back to the bedroom and having my way with you?”

She hesitated. “About that.”

It felt like she slapped me with a giant “but”.

“I’m actually really sore today.”

“Because of me? Did I hurt you? Was I too hard?”

She’d seemed to be hanging right there with me the entire time. Sure I might have gotten a little aggressive, but I didn’t think I’d done anything to hurt her.

“It’s not you, it sorta me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s not a big deal, okay?”

“Tricia.”

Her face was splotched in every shade of pink possible.

“Just drop it and go back to the bedroom.”

“I hurt you?”

She covered her face with her hands like she wanted to crawl in a hole and die of embarrassment. What did she have to be embarrassed about? Last night was amazing.

“Last night was sort of my first time and I’m just sore. That’s it.”

I froze and my wolf howled.

Why didn’t you tell me, you stupid animal?

Weren’t our wolves supposed to pick up on something like that? How could I not have noticed? I deflowered her unknowingly? What the hell.

“See, now you’re freaking out. It’s not a big deal. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You should always speak when you’re hurting or not wanting to do something.”

“But now it’s weird.”

“It’s not. I’m just surprised. I never even suspected and I’m sorry. You should have told me.”

“Don’t say that because I’m not sorry. Last night was perfect, Brady.”

I hugged her to me and kissed her. It didn’t need to escalate beyond that. Her touch alone soothed something wild inside me. All I wanted to do was protect her.

It didn’t really matter what I wanted anyway, because before we even had the chance to escalate things, there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Tricia volunteered before I could stop her.

I should haven’t let her go alone. She had been threatened, more or less, and that had stirred up a whole new protective side of me that I didn’t really know existed, or at least it had never felt quite like this before. But her revelation had shook me to my core.

How hadn’t I noticed?

I supposed what was done was done now. I couldn’t take it back and honestly, I wouldn’t want to if I could. It was stupid to freak out over it now.

Voices down the hallway made my wolf stir, but he didn’t seem quite as on edge this time.

“Clear a path!”

“Pey?” What was she doing here?

I started moving but she nearly plowed me over at the door.

“Boys, move that air mattress,” she directed.

Kenneth and Tim didn’t hesitate to jump in to assist her.

I looked out into the hallway to see Oliver and Cruz carrying pieces of my bedroom furniture from the house. There was a line of others behind them while Peyton carefully orchestrated the whole event.

“Stay out of my way, Brady,” she ordered.

“Yes ma’am.”

In the chaos I was able to sneak out and go find Tricia.

“What is going on?” I asked her when I found her and Sydney huddled up talking in the kitchen.

“Hell if I know. Peyton was standing at the door when I opened it and ordered me to stand aside. Then she started moving furniture in.”

“It’s my bedroom suite from their house.”

“I know.”

Jessie walked in carrying an armload of pillows.

“She insisted Tim and I take his set when we first moved in too, remember?”

“Yeah, but they were making room for Parker.”

“No, they were setting us up for success.”

They didn’t just bring over bedroom furniture, but Ridge and Travis walked in carrying a large, solid table for our dining room and various others from the farm wandered in with chairs to go around it.

“Ollie, did you make this?” I asked. I was certain I’d never seen that table before.

“Yeah. It was already in the works on commission, but the buyer had a change of mind and I can’t use it now. So I figured you guys could until you get your own stuff.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Tricia said running her hand across the top.

“Well, you’re welcome to keep it for good if you want too.”

She hugged him. “Thank you.”

Peyton was back in action. “All food in the kitchen,” she directed.

“She bought us food?”

Unshed tears burned my eyes as I walked over to Peyton.

“Mama Pey, you didn’t have to do this. I know how angry you were with me.”

She spun around, her face furious. “I am mad at you. Why didn’t you just tell me? I knew something was wrong, but a mate? Why the hell didn’t you just tell me yourself?”

I cringed, but she hugged me fiercely.

“I was worried,” she said, nearly breaking me.

“I’m sorry. But I’m okay. She makes me okay, and insane too.”

“Of course she does, that’s a what a great mate does.”

She reached out an arm and pulled Tricia into our circle.

It wasn’t long before the kids all cut in too.

“So you get to live next door to Uncle Tim?” Meg asked.

“We do.”

“And you’re our new aunt?” she asked Tricia.

My mate’s jaw dropped as her eyes darted towards me. She just shrugged.

I laughed and gave her a quick kiss.

“Yes, Meg. This is your Aunt Tricia.”

As I looked around the room there were so many people there that I cared about and who cared enough about me to stop in to help. And as word spread through the Pack, more and more arrived with random furniture and things to help fill our new home as they welcomed Tricia in.

There were couches and desks, another bedroom suite and a set of bunkbeds that I knew the kids would love for having sleepovers here. Dishes and food began piling up in our kitchen and soon that giant house was filled with everything we could possibly need.

I’d told her that Collier Pack would accept her exactly as she was. But our family and Pack showed her how true those words were.