Page 126 of Ruthless Alpha Beast

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I should feel more tired than I do when we arrive back at our cabin. My body is still aching, my eyes are weary, and I’ve experienced enough turmoil over these past twenty-four hours to last anyone a lifetime.

But Tara and I just can’t stop talking.

We’re sitting on our porch with a cup of tea, slowly watching the sunrise.

“These have been a weird few days.”

“Mmm,” I nod. “You can say that again. Par for the course around here.”

Tara shrugs. “Hey, I mean, I like it. Story books would be nothing without a little threat and adventure.”

She’s so cute.

I gaze at her for a moment, taking her in.

“What?” she smiles.

“Nothing. You look good, is all.”

She blushes, awkwardly looking away. “I don’t even want to imagine the state I'm in right now. I can still feel leaves in my hair.”

As she begins to weed her fingertips through her hair, it suddenly dawns on me that after tonight, Tara and I won’t need to be married anymore.

Yes, we may have to delay things a little so as not to look suspicious, but technically, the job has been completed.

The marriage has served its purpose.

I won’t need to be forced into a marriage by Penelope, and by the looks of how my shifters were dancing with the witches, I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually formed marriages of their own.

My stomach fills with dread.

I can’t fathom the thought of losing her again, but if it’s what she wants, I’d have to let her go.

“Do I still have leaves?” She asks me, wide-eyed. “I think most of them are gone now, but—”

She’s disarmed by the way that I’m looking at her.

I need to tell her how I feel, but the words won’t come out.

“I look crazy, don’t I?” She says. “You were saying I look good to make fun of me, right? Which is unfair because the only reason you look good is because of your supernatural genes. Hey, if I were a shifter, maybe I’d look good after almost dying too.”

Say it, Jasper.

“What?” She asks again.

Now it’s just getting weird.

“Stay,” is all I manage to say.

She looks carefully behind her, then around at the rest of the cabins. “Is there something here? Are we in trouble again?”

I shake my head. “No, not now, I’m telling you to stay.”

Tara’s confused, and then she laughs. “Jasper, I didn’t exactly plan on sleeping anywhere else tonight. Gosh, it’s not even nighttime anymore, is it.”

She gazes at the rising sun while I’m struggling, like an idiot, to say what I want to say.