Page 91 of Fated to the Wolf Cowboy

We hung back while the others left.

“Are you okay?” I finally asked.

“No,” she confessed.

“Want to go home?”

“Yes, but I have to face this. Kelsey was right. No matter how terrifying, I have to know what I’m capable of so I can ensure something like that never happens again.”

“I make you weak and more susceptible to something like that happening.”

Was she going to second guess our mating now because of this?

“No,” she said, and it felt like she had just answered my internal question. “You don’t make me weak. You make me stronger than I ever knew possible. That’s a lot of power to control, Brady. I don’t like it, but I’m okay with knowing I can protect you, myself, and our family. I’m not a victim anymore. I don’t have to be afraid. Let them come if they have to. I’ll be ready.”

“That’s terrifying, Tricia.”

She wiped her tears and sniffed. “I know. I don’t ever want to do that again.”

“See, something else we have in common.”

She laughed.

“Do you think Thomas is still going to be okay with me living here?”

“I guess we need to face that head on, too. But babe, if he’s dumb enough to reject you from this Pack. You aren’t going alone.”

“Kelsey said I was always welcome in Westin Pack. Think she’ll keep that promise after this?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know, but I’m a lot stronger than I knew, a lot stronger than they probably expected too.”

My head was spinning with every possible scenario as I drove us to the Alpha house. I had to have faith that Thomas could handle this. But the truth was, until now, I’d never even considered his stance on witches. Right or wrong, it wasn’t something that really concerned me. But now, I was all in for witch protection. No one should ever have to feel less than or live in constant fear because of a special power they were given for some unknown reason. Only God knew why, but who were we to argue with him?

When we finally walked into the house, everyone stopped talking.

“You okay, man?” I immediately asked Luke.

“I did warn everyone it was a stupid idea. But holy shit I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had no free will. It made me feel like her personal puppet. Good call on going after Brady, Syd. I don’t think Tricia would have reacted otherwise, at least not purposefully.”

“Did you feel that root of your power?” Kelsey asked my mate.

“Yes,” she confessed.

“And do you think you could recall it this time without a threat?”

“You really want to test that right now?”

The whole room laughed.

“No,” Thomas said. “We’re good.”

The only thing keeping my wolf sane was the lighthearted vibe around us.

“You’re an idiot,” Thomas teased him.

“I’ve got to agree with him on this one, Luke. That was a terrible idea,” Kyle said.