Page 5 of The Alpha’s Forced Plus-Size Mate (Silverfang Creek Wolves #3)

As a werewolf, most of my injuries healed so rapidly that I didn’t have to deal with the pain for long. I was more than used to stabs, scratches, and bites. But there was something humbling about the pain from sleeping on the cold, hard floor as a grown man—werewolf or not.

I had been in that exact spot since Naomi went to bed, and my back and neck aches were worsening every passing hour. No matter how many times I shifted or how often I stretched, there was a constant throb.

But it was worth it, I decided, to keep her safe.

After all, a good Alpha did everything he could to ensure the safety and happiness of his pack and his mate. I would never let Naomi come to harm. She might not appreciate it now, but she will. I’m sure of it.

Natalia brought me a pillow and a blanket, and I tried to make the most of the situation, pretending I didn't feel my hip bone and shoulder digging into the floor. Damn. I should have chosen a plusher carpet for the pack's boarding houses.

Eventually, I managed to find sleep, turning in the night like a chicken on a spit whenever my bones protested. It definitely wasn't the best sleep of my life, but it was sleep nonetheless. Something told me that I was going to need all the rest I could get to keep up with Naomi, who seemed poised to run at any second.

Waking up outside Naomi’s door felt right in a way I couldn’t explain. It’d feel even better to wake up in bed with her, but one step at a time. Protecting her wasn’t just instinct; it was a necessity. She didn’t want me here, sure, but I couldn’t trust anyone else to keep her safe. Not when I knew the kind of threats that lurked outside these walls.

Fate couldn’t take her from me if I never let her go.

I stretched, rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness. The morning light filtered through the narrow window at the end of the hall, painting everything in muted gold. It gave the otherwise dreary boarding house a sort of dreamlike air, but I wasn’t feeling very dreamy myself. My wolf stirred, restless and irritable from the interrupted sleep, but I shoved the feeling down.

I felt the other wolf nearby before she spoke, the pack connections buzzing. “Good morning, Alpha.”

Pushing myself to a sitting position, I turned my head to see Natalia padding past in slippers and an oversized hoodie. Her hair was tangled like she’d slept in a windstorm. She barely spared me a glance as she yawned, covering her mouth.

“Morning,” I grunted, standing up and brushing off the back of my jeans. I needed a shower, but that would have to wait.

“Sleep well?”

“Fuck no.”

I could see her stifling a smile, which annoyed me, but I let it go. It wasn’t Natalia’s fault I had chosen to sleep on the carpet like a teenager at a sleepover. She and Penny were some of the more vulnerable of our wolves, and this was the most relaxed either of them had ever been with me. I don’t exactly give off a friendly air, so I’m not trying to ruin it. I need the pack to see me differently if I want them to follow in my footsteps and feel comfortable really putting down roots and starting families.

Natalia disappeared down the stairs, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the closed door in front of me. Naomi’s scent seeped through the wood, that perfect mix of cinnamon-spiced cherries, something uniquely hers. It called to me in a way nothing ever had before.

I reach for the handle before stopping myself. Hm. She’s my mate; I have every right to just open the door and enter. But I would bet that Naomi wouldn’t enjoy that one bit. Instead, I smooth out the wrinkles in my shirt and pants before dragging my hands through my hair, trying to give it some semblance of neatness.

Not like I needed to impress her—the way Naomi has reacted to me, I could be the hottest guy on the planet and she’d still slam the door in my face. But I wasn’t about to face her looking like a total fucking mess.

Once I was as presentable as I was going to get without a real shower, I raised my fist and knocked.

For a moment, silence answered. Then her voice filtered through, groggy but sharply annoyed. I could just imagine her on the other side, warm from sleep and discombobulated about where she was.

“Who is it?”

“I’ll give you one guess. Let me in, Naomi. I’ve been out here all night.”

Another pause. I could picture her standing there, debating whether to let me in or tell me to go to hell.

“No one asked you to do that, especially not me.”

Oh well. I asked permission, and she took too long to answer, so I took matters into my own hands. The door creaked as I pushed it open, stepping inside without waiting for her permission. Probably not the smartest move, but I wasn’t here to win points for politeness.

Naomi was sitting up in bed, her warm brown curls forming a wild halo around her face. She was wearing some oversized t-shirt that slipped off one shoulder, exposing smooth, sun-kissed skin. She blinked at me, those sharp eyes narrowing in instant suspicion.

Oh. She really doesn’t like me. I suppress a smile. I sort of like it. She’s feisty. Spicy. A challenge.

“What the hell, Danny?”

“I wanted to check on you.” I kept my voice low and calm, even though her gaze was razor-sharp.

Her lips twisted. “Might I remind you that the only one that has ever done me harm is the man who had me kidnapped—you! I think I can survive a night without you playing guard dog outside my door.”

I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

“For what?”

“Keeping you safe while you sleep.”

Her face went red, and I got the impression that if she wasn’t still in her pajamas, she would have launched herself at me with the intent to harm. Instead, I watched as she fisted her hands in the sheets.

“I told you to leave me alone, Danny!” Naomi snapped, her voice like a whip. “I want to go home! And if you aren’t going to give me that, at least give me some privacy!”

The sharpness in her tone cut deeper than it should have, but I didn’t let it show. My jaw tightened, and I nodded, retreating without another word. She didn’t want me there—fine. But that didn’t mean I was about to stop taking care of her.

I made my way downstairs, shaking off the sting of her rejection. There was the smell of burnt coffee in the coffee pot, the orange light still on even though the pot was nearly empty. Natalia or Penny had set out a box of prepackaged donuts and muffins, but the sight of them just pisses me off. Naomi deserves better. She deserves more, and I’m going to prove to her that I can provide.

Opening the fridge, I grabbed eggs, vegetables, and a pack of black forest bacon. She needed real food, something that would keep her strong. Protein, vegetables, calories, and maybe most importantly of all, fresh caffeinated coffee. I worked quickly, cracking eggs into a bowl and whisking them with practiced ease before dumping and rinsing the coffee pot, refilling it, and starting it anew. Cooking wasn’t exactly my forte, but for Naomi, I’d figure it out.

Plus, who couldn’t make eggs and bacon? I wasn’t totally helpless.

As I set the bacon to sizzle in the pan, Penny appeared, a travel mug in one hand and a half-eaten muffin in the other. Her sandy blonde hair was pulled into a loose braid, and she was already scrolling through her phone like the morning hadn’t just started.

“Morning, Boss,” she said around a mouthful of muffins. “What’s got you playing chef today?”

I glanced at her but kept my hands busy, flipping the bacon with a spatula. Grease popped, hitting my bare wrists, but besides flinching, I ignored it. “I need a favor.”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“There’s still a bookstore in town, right? Get me some bridal catalogs. All the ones you can find.”

Penny paused mid-bite, her eyes narrowing as she processed my request. “Bride catalogs? Did I miss something? From what Nat said last night, Naomi isn’t exactly amenable.”

“She will be,” I said simply, pouring the scrambled eggs into the pan. “Just do it, okay?”

Penny lowered her muffin, blinking at me owlishly. “I—well—okay. Sure, I can do that.”

Satisfied, I nodded. “Good.”

Her mouth opened, then closed. Finally, she just stared at me, clearly trying to piece together whatever crazy logic had brought me to this decision.

“Okay, back up,” she said, setting her mug on the counter. “You have to at least have an idea of what kind of wedding you want. Traditional? Rustic? Boho?”

I fought back the urge to snap at her. Those were reasonable questions—too bad I have no idea what Naomi would like. Then, an idea comes to me, and it just feels right. “A wedding fit for the new Red Canine queen.”

Penny clearly had more questions, but she held them in. “Ah—okay. I’ll do my best, Alpha.”

“Quickly,” I remind her. There was no time to waste.

Penny swallowed and took a bracing drink of her coffee. “You know, she might appreciate being given some time to settle in first. But you’re the Alpha, so if you think this is the right path, I believe you.”

“The sooner,” I repeat, leaving no time for argument this time. “The better.”

The truth was, I couldn’t wait. Every second Naomi wasn’t bound to me felt like a risk. Mates were supposed to protect each other, and if something happened to her—if someone took her from me—I’d never forgive myself. My wolf growled low in agreement, the possessive need to claim her burning hotter with every passing moment.

“The sooner I marry her, the sooner I can keep her safe,” I said, more to myself than to Penny.

Penny raised a brow. “You don’t think this might come off as—I don’t know, a little intense?”

“She’ll understand,” I said, my voice firm. “Eventually. But it’s important that the marriage happens sooner rather than later. Once it’s done, she’ll see that this is for her own good.”

The sound of something clattering behind me broke my train of thought. I turned just in time to see Naomi standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and fury. Her face has gone white, and the hairbrush she had been holding has fallen from her numb hands to the floor.

Fuck. I hadn’t locked her bedroom door behind me. What the hell was I thinking?

“For my own good?” Her voice was strained, like she was forcing the words out through a lump in her throat.

Before I could respond, she bolted, her footsteps echoing through the hallway as she made her escape.

“Naomi!” I called after her, abandoning the pan and the half-cooked breakfast.

But she was already gone.