Page 59 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy

“I love being here too, but it’s time. Plus, now you can come and have sleepovers at my house.”

“You got a house?” Parker asked.

“I sure did, buddy. You three can come stay over anytime. Well, as long as mama says it’s okay.”

They all turned to look at her with big, expecting eyes.

I chuckled. “Not today. It’s empty at the moment, but soon when I get settled in. Okay?”

“Okay. And you promise you’ll still come around and not forget us?” Meg asked.

“Forget you? That’s not even possible. You guys still hang out with Uncle Tim, he doesn’t live here.”

“That’s different. He has Aunt Jessie.”

I didn’t see why that had anything to do with their relationship with their uncle, and I almost blurted out that they’d have Aunt Tricia now too, but I looked up at her and something told me that now was not the time for that.

“I should go,” she said.

“Please stay,” Peyton begged her. “Or at least let me drop you off at a bus station.”

I scowled. “You’re leaving Collier?” I barked, causing the kids to jump back.

“Out,” Oliver told me. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with you, but you can’t just yell at our guest like this every time. I swear, you two are like complete opposites and exactly alike at the same time.”

“I’m not,” I said a little too quickly. “I’m just surprised to hear it.”And trying not to freak out because you just told me my mate is leaving town when I just went and got us a freaking house to start a future together.

I stared at Tricia, but she wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

“This is what you want?” I asked her.

“This is what I have to do,” she told me and, for just a second, I heard the vulnerability in my tough girl’s voice.

I locked my jaw and nodded.

“I’ll take you to the bus station,” I said, without leaving any room for negotiations.

Peyton even started to protest, but Ollie cut her off. I think he was finally starting to suspect that something more was going on here.

Tricia’s eyes were wide, but she didn’t argue as she thanked Peyton and said her goodbyes.

“Can I borrow a helmet?” I asked my brother.

He nodded and when he returned with it, he held onto it just a tad longer than was necessary to get my attention.

“Are you sure about this?”

“I’m fine,” I assured him, reigning back the snap of my tone that would have come so naturally in that morning. I needed him to know I was in control.

“We’ll talk later?”

“Of course.”

I took Tricia’s elbow and led her out the door. Even that small innocent touch sent shockwaves of desire through me. Now was not the time for that though.

Walking out to my bike felt a bit like I would imagine a prisoner felt being led to the guillotine. I just prayed I got a stay of execution.

“You don’t have to do this,” she told me.