by Riley, Alexa
“I know all about that pain you speak of, Stone. You remember when you locked me away in this cage? I will be better to you than you were to me. But you will hear Winnie out first.”
I look up into his eyes, and I see that I was wrong in how I treated him. I nod slowly, recognizing that I didn’t do right by him and Gwen when they were going through their mating heat. It seems everything I think is for the best keeps blowing up in my face. What kind of alpha does that make me?
X turns, walking away and going up the stairs. After what feels like hours, but is probably only minutes, he comes back downstairs, followed by Winnie.
“I will be over here if you need me. I’ll try not to listen, but I probably will because my hearing is better than yours,” X tells Winnie, before walking over to the corner of the room and sitting down.
I look to Winnie, and after she takes a deep breath, she looks up, her big brown eyes locking with mine.
“I’m sorry—” I start to apologize, but she holds her hand up to stop me.
“Stone. All I ever wanted was your attention. You were my first memory, my first piece of anything that was good, and you pushed me away. Over the years, I tried to be your friend, and even that was difficult for you. And now you show up, saying I’m your mate and we’re going to be together, but I don’t feel that.” She looks away and whispers, “I don’t know what I feel.”
“Please, Winnie. Let me fix this.”
Her eyes shoot up, locking with mine again. “You can’t just fix this, Stone. You have to prove it to me. If you want me, you’ll wait for me. You’ll give me time—”
“Anything,” I cut her off, but she shakes her head.
“You’ll give me time and space, Stone. I need to figure out what this is,” she says, gesturing between the two of us. “X is going to let you out, but I’m not going with you. If you can’t handle that, then Dominic has offered to keep you drugged until the needing passes.”
She looks away as if the thought hurts her, and the idea of not needing her tears me apart inside.
“Please.” I get down on my knees in the cell, not caring if X watches. “Winnie. Don’t leave me in here. I’ll give you time.” I take a deep breath, closing my eyes and opening them again. “And space, if that’s what you need.”
After a moment, she nods, coming to a decision. “Okay. I’m leaving. X will let you out when I’m gone.”
Her words are like an arrow to my heart, and I don’t think I’ll be able to function. But I can do this. I can stay strong and show her that I’m good enough for her.
I watch as she climbs the stairs and leaves the room, taking my heart with her. I will give her what she wants, but I won’t stop making her want me.
Chapter 3
Winnie
Lying back on my bed, I stare at the wooden ceiling of the attic. How many nights have I lain here, wanting Stone to notice me? Every single one of them. It’s stupid. I should embrace this. It’s what I’ve always wanted, but now it just feels tarnished.
My memory floods with all the times he’s pushed me away over the years. Like I was unwanted. Like I was a stray, as my stepsisters like to call me. It didn’t help that I wasn’t subtle with my crush for the first few years. Anyone with eyes in their head could see I followed him around like a lovesick puppy. If only I was a puppy. Then maybe things would’ve been different.
He only wants me because nature made it so. I wasn’t so much as a blip on his radar before today. I was just someone who got bossed around and was made to follow orders, no matter what I wanted. Stone, my stepsisters, and my stepmother. They were the worst. I thought it was bad when my stepfather was here. But when he died two years ago, things only got worse. I hate it here.
The bitter reality of it all is that if I did become Stone’s mate, I’d be stuck in a pack that never truly wanted me. I’d only be accepted because my pack-mates were made to. My stepsisters have made my life hell. It didn’t help that they got their friends to join in on their little taunts as they picked on me in school.
It seemed like each day that ticked by, my bear retreated more and more inside me. Now I don’t even feel her. At first she clawed at me to have a family, to try to fit in, and to be a part of a den. I craved it, just like I’d craved Stone.
For the past four years I’ve been here, all I’ve ever felt was that I was being tolerated. The only true friend I had at any point was Gwen, and sometimes I wondered if she just pitied me. Maybe she felt I needed a friend more than she wanted to be my friend. Not that Gwen isn’t good to me. She is. She’s been there for me when I’ve had no one else, but I still question it. I can’t stop myself.
I roll over and punch the pillow next to me. Pity party for one, anyone?
When I hear the door to my room open, I inwardly cringe, knowing who’s coming up the stairs. Now I really wish it was just a pity party for one.
“Look who it is,” Trish snaps as she stomps up the stairs. I don’t even wonder why she’s in a bad mood. She always seems to have a reason to direct some kind of hostility at me. Over the years I’ve learned to let it roll off me. There wasn’t a hateful thing they hadn’t hurled at me before.
And there’s nothing I can do about it. Stone’s the alpha, and he put me here. I had nowhere else to go, and no one ever came to claim me. Four years and nothing. Rare my ass. The irony is, now that I’m being claimed, I want to run. The thought makes me want to laugh, but I don’t because I know it will turn into a sob, and the last thing I need right now is to cry in front to Trish.
She stops at the end of the bed and places her hands on her trim, lean hips. I wonder where her other half, Tamara, is. She’s the better half, but that’s not saying much. They are twins but though don’t look exactly alike, it’s pretty darn close.
I wish I could say they were ugly with warts and terrible style with frizzy hair. I wish they looked like what you picture when you think of an evil stepsister, but they’re not. Far from it. They both are well over six feet tall and all legs. Thin waists and blonde hair that falls in silky waves. Trish has big blue eyes framed by long lashes, as does Tamara, but hers are a deep green. They both look flawless and are always dressed like they’re ready to walk in a fashion show. If only some of their beauty would rub off on me. Even just a little something would make a difference. Stone always noticed them and never pushed them away or avoided them. He seemed to be that way with most of the pack. Always listening when people had concerns and trying to do what was best for everyone. Not me. I could barely get a word out sometimes, and I was pretty much told to move along or go talk to Gwen if I needed something.
I have no idea what makes my stepsisters so bitter, but they’re great at hiding it in public. They still come off bratty, but not like the total bitches they are when we’re at home and no one is looking. Not that anyone notices when it comes to me. The twins seem to have it all, but looking at Trish staring down at me now, you’d think I kicked her puppy.
“You’re opening that store tomorrow. You didn’t even work today,” she continues, like I skipped out or played hooky. It was my day off from the bakery. Not only that, I’d gotten all my chores plus a few extra finished before I left for Gwen’s today. I’ve been working at the bakery with my two stepsisters for a few weeks now, and she acts as if I was being lazy.
Ruby owned the place and Gwen helped her run it, but since both are knocked up with mates shoved up their asses, they needed some help. I’d volunteered, wanting to make some money in hopes of moving out of here. Then my sisters did, too, when Gwen happened to mention the alpha would be ever so grateful.
I wish I could eye roll their eagerness, but I was just as eager. How quickly things change.
“I’m not scheduled tomorrow,” I remind her, sitting up. I have two days off in a row.
“I don’t give a fuck. I have a date tonight, and I still need to get ready. And you’ll need to go in early because I didn’t have time to do the prep work for tomorrow. Did you wash my red sweater? I
put it on top of the dryer. You better have washed it separately. The color runs and needs to be dried on tumble or it can shrink. If it shrinks, you’re buying me a new one. I swear.”
“It’s hanging up in your closet and is perfectly fine,” I say, cutting off her barrage of questions, which was making my head pound. I don’t care, I’ll take it.
I’m dreading when they find out about Stone wanting me to be his mate. The twins were devastated when they came of age a month back and nothing happened. They had both been sure one of them would be the alpha’s mate. I felt such utter relief when they both came back in floods of tears after seeing him.
I thought one of them might be his mate. Many were shocked Stone hadn’t found his mate already, and I’d been dreading the day. Wait until everyone finds out it’s the bear. I so don’t want to go into town tomorrow.
“Don’t forget you’re working for us in the morning. Wouldn’t want to let the human down, would you?” Trish scrunches her face like the word human has a bad taste. No, I wouldn’t want to let a very pregnant Ruby down and stress her out when I could just go in.
“I’ll go in,” I say, just wanting her to get out of my room. I doubt prep work was the only thing she skipped. I bet the place is a freaking mess. I’ll have to wake up super early. It’s not like I had plans tonight anyway, besides maybe crying myself to sleep.
“Don’t forget the trash,” Trish throws over her shoulder as she leaves my room.
I stand up and make my way over to the small circular window that overlooks the backyard. I stand there for a few moments, just looking out beyond the trees and clearing my mind. After a short time passes, I get a funny feeling, like someone is watching me.
Something moves inside me, like fur rubbing up against me from the inside. I close my eyes to see if I can feel it again, hoping that something is there. Maybe she’s finally waking up, but it’s gone just as fast as it came.
Chapter 4
Stone
“I figured this is where I could find you.”
I turn around to see Dominic behind me, the look on his face somewhere along the lines of pity.
“I just wanted to make sure she got home okay.” I stood at the ridge line of the woods, watching until Winnie walked into the house. As soon as the door was closed behind her, I did a perimeter check of the house to make sure it was safe.
At one point I thought I caught the scent of something else, but then the wind changed and I missed it. I was turning to leave when Dominic called my name, so whatever it was, I must have imagined.
Walking past him, I don’t say anything else. What can I say? My mate doesn’t want me. I’ve let her down by trying to protect her.
“You know you can talk to me.” Dominic’s footsteps follow softly behind me as we make our way back to my house.
I give up trying to get away from him, and we fall into a comfortable silence on the walk back. I decided against driving, needing to be outside and not caged in my truck. Especially after waking up in a cell.
“I’ve failed her,” I finally admit after a few minutes have passed.
“No, you haven’t. You did what you thought was best. She needs time to understand what being mated means. We all know how she’s felt about you for so long. I think she feels as if you were backed into a corner and you had to choose her.”
Anger rushes through me, and I turn, pushing Dominic into a tree, my forearm on his throat. “I always wanted her,” I grit through my teeth.
Dom pulls against my arm, and after I see him start to turn blue, I let him go. “I’m sorry, brother. I’m not angry at you, I’m angry at the assumption that I was indifferent to Winnie, when all along I struggled daily not to take her as mine, even if we weren’t mated.”
Dominic leans over, putting his hands on his knees and coughing. “You’ve got a funny way of showing it. You sent her away and then kept her at arm’s length for the past four years.”
“I’m the leader of this pack. What was I supposed to do? I have to take care of everyone and everything. The safety and protection of this place falls on my shoulders.” I stand there with my hands stretched out, searching for a better solution. “What was I going to do? Run away with Winnie and leave everyone behind? Because that’s what I wanted to do. And what would have happened if I would have mated with someone else while I was on the run with her? Or she with someone else? Where would that have left us? I had no choice, Dom.”
Dominic stands up and looks me in the eye. He’s my best friend and my beta of the pack. If anyone can tell me what to do, it’s him.
“You have a choice now, Stone. If you want Winnie to be your mate, then you’ll have to work for it. She deserves to be chosen above everything, including the pack. Even if it was for her own protection, you need to make her see that and show her that you’re a good mate.”
I nod my head, understanding what he means. This won’t be a traditional mating, and I need to do whatever it takes to make her mine.
As I walk back to my house, I come up with a plan. I need to make it impossible for her to say no. And I need to make it clear that I choose her, not because I have to, but because I always wanted to.
* * *
I run my hand through the long hair on the top of my head, trying to push it out of my face. Squaring my shoulders, I give myself a little encouraging push and walk through the doors of the bakery.
It’s early, and the bakery hasn’t opened yet, but I saw Dom go by to check on Winnie this morning and he left the front door open for me.
Ruby’s Goodie Basket smells of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and my mate. She must have been the one doing the baking this morning, and both scents are making my mouth water.
The bell attached to the door jingles as I walk in, and I watch as Winnie comes out of the back room, still wearing her apron. “Sorry, we’re not open ye—”
She stops in her tracks when she sees me standing in the front of the store. I feel my cheeks heat a little as I stand there, holding a bouquet of wildflowers I picked for her.
“Good morning, Winnie.”
She blushes and looks away before her eyes come back to lock on mine. “Good morning, Alpha Stone. We’re not quite open yet. Can I help you with something?”
She nervously bites her bottom lip, and I have to keep my growl in check. She’s wearing an old, baggy, gray sweatshirt, a pair of baggy jeans, and a baby-blue apron over it. She’s got her chocolate-brown curls piled up on top of her head and a smudge of flour across her rosy cheek. All of her curves are hidden behind her clothes, but I still see the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I thought it the first time I saw her, even as a cub, that I’d never seen anything more perfect. Nothing changed as time went on. I just never allowed myself to look at her that way. I knew that if I went down that road, no good could come of it. But now that I know she’s mine, I’m looking my fill.
My eyes travel up and down her body, and I can see her hands move in front of her to fidget nervously.
“I picked these for you.” Her blush deepens, and she tucks her chin as she whispers her thanks. I walk over and stand just a few feet from her, holding them out until she nervously takes them from me. My fingers brush against hers, and I feel the charge between us. It takes everything in me not to pull her to me. I just allow that simple touch until she pulls back. “They’re from the meadow where I first saw you, the day Dominic found you. I go there sometimes and look at them, remembering that day and what it felt like the first time I held you.”
She looks up at me, smiling, and then leans back down to smell them. “Thank you, they’re beautiful,” she says, breathing in their scent.
“You smell much sweeter,” I say, reaching out the tip of my finger and tracing her rosy cheek. I can’t help myself, needing the slight contact. “Will you have dinner with me tonight?”
Her eyes pop up to mine, and she hesitates. She starts to look everywhere but at me, and I assume it’s to try to think of an excuse.
&nbs
p; “Please, Winnie. I want to cook for you. Come to my house and let me take care of you. Just dinner.” I hold my breath, hoping for the best, and after a second she takes a deep breath.
“Okay.”
The word is barely a whisper, but it’s a step in the right direction.
I probably shouldn’t press my luck, but I want her to know that I choose her. That she’s the one I’ve always wanted, and she’s the one I’ve always watched.
I lean down and gently sweep my lips across her cheek to her ear. “Tonight, I want you to bring your camera and show me the pictures you took last week of the lake.” I feel her stiffen under me, and I smile. No one knows she takes pictures. It’s her hobby, but she doesn’t share it with anyone. I only know this because I know everything about Winnie.
“Stone,” she whispers.
I move my lips back across her cheek and to her mouth, barely grazing my lips against hers. It’s not a kiss, but a promise of what’s to come.
Pulling back, I touch her chin with my thumb before turning to walk out of the bakery. It aches to be separated from her, but knowing that she’ll be with me tonight makes it a little easier to bear.
Now all I have to do is learn how to cook.
Chapter 5
Winnie
I watch as Stone retreats out the front door of the bakery, taking his delicious smell with him. My hand goes to the mate mark that seems to have its own pulse. When his lips grazed my chin, it was like my whole body came alive. I’ve smelt Stone a million times before, but something is different now. Maybe it was there yesterday but I was so angry and upset that I didn’t notice until I caught it today. Desire? Lust? Smells I’m not accustomed to. Even less so when they’re aimed at me. I’ve caught similar smells before when humans have come into the bakery, but it was always aimed at my sisters.
