I jumped to my feet and stormed across to the door. Of course, she was right. I knew she was right. I should go with her. She was going to my family’s and I was letting her face them alone. Knowing I was wrong didn’t make it any easier to say it, or to go and face them. I shifted, letting bear take over, sand stormed out of the house, feeling frustrated with myself.
“If you’re going to be a big brat and shift to avoid me, the least you could do is learn how to close the damn door!” I heard her scream at my back before I heard the slam.
I grunted and went into the woods, making use of the cave that rested a mile back from my house. I looked around at it, feeling disgusted with myself. Not just my actions, but my living habits. Leila had swept into my life like a breath of fresh air and warmed up my cabin- and my life- in a matter of days. She’d organized stuff and even brought a candle home. The fucking place felt like a home already.
Looking around the cave I stayed in when I was bear, made me snarl. It was filthy. There was even some sort of rotting fruit in one corner. I sat back, resting on my ass, and used my paw to scratch my chin. My bear was furious at me, which wasn’t really that unusual. He was only happy when Leila was near.
I huffed and tried my best to be stubborn enough to sit it out but every second felt like a million years. I looked at my paws and combed out a knot of fur on my leg. Heaving out another sigh, I shook my head and stood up. I just needed to run through the woods. I went down on four legs and ran for all I was worth.
I ran straight back to the cabin. I could feel that Leila was already gone, but it didn’t stop me from throwing open the cabin door, hoping to find her in my bed.
I shifted back and headed to the shower. I’d made a mistake and I was man enough to admit it. For her.
I cleaned myself and got dressed in the nicest button down I owned. I combed my wet hair back and pulled on my cowboy hat before grabbing my keys and getting in my truck.
It didn’t take me long at all to reach the property line of the Long Ranch. I stopped my truck there and looked out at the land. Dad and Alex had been convinced that I’d only cared about the ranch for the money. They’d been wrong. I’d been an ass to Alex and Elizabeth when I found out the ranch was going to Alex, just because he’d knocked Elizabeth up.
Looking back, I realized I owed Elizabeth an apology. Hell, it hadn’t even been Alex’s fault. Somehow, I’d let Dad die thinking that I didn’t care about the family business, that I was a man only concerned with money and material things. I’d somehow hidden how much I really cared about the place.
I shrugged off the feelings that settled heavy on my shoulders and drove on towards the house. Leila was inside there somewhere and I knew I belonged at her side.
I parked and walked to the front door. Without knocking, I let myself in and followed my mate’s scent to the kitchen. She was standing with her back to me, helping Mom do something. She’d covered the sexy little dress with an apron and had pulled her hair into a messy ponytail.
I knew we were bonded to each other already, but seeing her like that hit me so hard in the chest that it actually hurt. I was the luckiest man in the world I just then in that very second realized that nothing else mattered. Alex could keep the ranch. It just didn’t matter. It was nothing when compared to Leila.
CHAPTER 16: Leila
I’d arrived at the party and met Matt’s family without a hitch. They’d all heard of me already, and were expecting me, so it wasn’t a shock. While some of the brothers had questioning looks on their faces, Matt’s mom, Carolyn, was a sweetheart. She’d been eager to have my help in the kitchen and before we knew it, the party had moved there, as we laughed and moved around each other.
Bailey stood between us, watching as we put the final touches on her cake. I’d proved to be an icing wiz and the cake looked beautiful. All of the food was finally ready and everyone was standing around waiting to eat.
“It’s so cool that you know all of this stuff. Mom’s cakes always look so messed up.” Bailey giggled as she bumped me with her hip. “One year, it toppled over! It fell right off the plate and just landed on the floor. Icing went everywhere!”
I laughed, but then shook my head. “Sometimes, the messiest cakes taste the best. Isn’t that right, Carolyn?”
She grinned at me over Bailey’s head. “Sure do. I’ll admit, though, that this is stunning.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but suddenly the air around me felt like it was sizzling electricity. I felt my body instantly responding in excitement and blushed. He’s here. I cleared my throat and rolled my shoulders, before turning around.