Page 76 of Her Big Bad Wolf

Was I being the asshole in this?

I sighed.

“Give it to me. You need to unload all those emotions packed up in there.”

I snorted. I thought that’s what I’d done the other night when I’d let my guard down and made love to Isaac.

Tears welled up in my eyes. Kelsey reached out and hugged me.

“Mating sucks. What did Isaac do this time?”

I gasped. “You know?”

“Of course I know. Do you really think Kyle could keep something like that from me? He was so surprised by it that he broadcasted that scene in real time. I’m only sorry I didn’t reach out sooner. Elise needed help with little-E and I forgot how exhausting babies could be.”

“You don’t have to apologize for that. I don’t even know if I’m ready to talk about it yet.”

“Mary says you’ve been a hull of yourself the last few days. She’s worried about you. We all are.”

“I’m fine. I didn’t mean to drag my personal shit into work.”

“I know, but we’re only human, well partly at least. We certainly care the full range of human emotions.”

“Lately it feels like it would be so much easier to turn off my humanity and just give myself over to the wolf.”

She shrugged. “Maybe, but she’d just run straight to Isaac.”

I laughed, but it was more like a humorless pathetic noise that escaped.

“Want to tell me about it?”

“What’s to tell?”

“Is he being stubborn and doesn’t want to accept the bond?”

“Oh no. He’s fine with accepting me as a mate—with stipulations.”

She scoffed. “Sounds like him. So what are his conditions?”

“That he remains a ghost.”

Kelsey nodded. “I suspected it was something like that.”

“He acts as if he doesn’t exist, but he does. It drives me crazy. If we went through with completing our bond, then what? I’m just never supposed to talk about him? Never introduce him to my friends? Pretend like his mark isn’t there or that I had a mate but he died? How the hell does that work?”

“It doesn’t. People would find out and they would talk.”

“Exactly. And what happens if I end up pregnant? What if we had a kid, Kels? Am I just supposed to continue on with life with some in the Pack thinking I’m this wanton slut or something? I have a reputation to uphold. People entrust their pride and joy with me every day. I can’t have rumors like that floating around.”

“I understand. People are nosey and Pack gossip is a huge issue. They would talk for sure.”

“He thinks he can just live in his little bubble all alone out there on his farm and never deal with the Pack again. It’s insane. Maybe he needs to book a few sessions with Lachlan because the man is delusional. And he’s a stubborn, pigheaded asshole.”

“I can’t say I disagree. Have you tried to find out why he is the way he is?”

I sighed. “Mary’s told me enough. I didn’t know, and I can’t imagine how hard things were for him growing up, but he’s a grown man now with responsibilities. He needs to hold himself accountable for that.”

“I’ve never seen a more dedicated person. His farm is meticulous and his work ethic is borderline concerning only because he’s so damn good at it.”