“And then?”
Aurora steepled her fingers and raised them to her chin. “Good question. I guess the next step is figuring out where I want to go.”
He tried to keep his voice nonchalant, so as not to come on too strong. “Have you thought about living somewhere outside of Salem? Somewhere like here?”
A surprising sound escaped her, which didn’t bode well. “We barely know each other, Grayson. It’s a lot to consider so soon. Besides, a witch living with a wolf pack? That won’t go over well.”
Although she didn’t reject him outright, she didn’t jump at the idea either. “I don’t see why it would be an issue.”
“I know you say I’m your mate, but how would the rest of your pack feel about that? If any of them are like Victoria, I won’t make it through a week without being impaled by eye daggers.”
Grayson groaned. “She can be a bit much, but don’t let her sway you.”
“I can’t think about anything that massive right now, Grayson. Let’s get through this mess before we think about us. In the meantime, we need to be careful.“
Grayson didn’t enter his office until later that morning. Soon after he did, Victoria sauntered in, dressed to be noticed in her tight, red cashmere sweater, skinny black jeans, and high-heeled boots.
“I saw the witch leaving your place with you this morning.”
What the hell? Grayson had dropped Aurora off near the base of the mountain, so they wouldn’t be seen.
He stood and leaned his hands on his desk. “Are you spying on me?”
Victoria rolled one shoulder. “I thought you said it wasn’t anything.”
“Once again, this isn’t your concern.”
“Of course it is. You’re my mate!”
“Damn it, Victoria.” He pounded his fist on the desk. “No. I’ve found my mate, and it isn’t you.”
Shit, he shouldn’t have let her get to him. He shouldn’t have reacted that way. It wasn’t like him, but he was sick of Victoria’s persistence—especially since he now found the one he truly wanted to be with.
Victoria recoiled, and she stepped backward. “What?”
“We don’t all find our mates in our pack.”
“Mate?” Her eyes bulged wide, and her mouth flew open. “You’re saying she’s not just a fling, but your mate?”
He rubbed his hand over his temple and through his hair. “What do you want me to say? You know how this works.”
“You’re picking a witch over me?” She pointed to her chest.
He sighed. “I only want what’s best for you, Victoria. I’ve told you before that we will not be together. You need to move on.”
Tears shined in Victoria’s eyes, and she averted his gaze.
He stepped out from behind his desk and touched her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
She sniffled. “I will be.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
She took a shaky breath. “No. You’re right. I need to wake up and move on.”
“I’m sorry.” He hated hurting her, hurting anyone. “Should we hug it out?”
Victoria forced a smile. “That probably won’t help things.” She glanced out the window. “I need space. Some fresh air.” She turned and walked out of his office, but paused. “I should be happy for you, Grayson. Soon, I hope I will be.”
Grayson returned to his chair and exhaled as he spun to face the mountain view. A part of him was relieved. He had been dodging Victoria’s affection for years. Maybe seeing him with another woman who he just confessed was his mate would finally convince her to look elsewhere for hers.
Soon after, Rafe entered his office. “What’s with Victoria? She rushed by me, looking upset. ”
Grayson rubbed the bridge of his nose. “She saw me kiss Aurora and—” He swallowed before admitting what he’d done to his alpha. “She also saw her leaving my place.”
Rafe arched his brows. “So your relationship has progressed.”
Grayson sighed. “It just—happened.” He frowned. “I told her that Aurora is my mate.”
“Shit,” Rafe said. “That must hurt.”
Grayson nodded. “Victoria said she needs space.”
Rafe grunted. “Let’s hope she runs it off.”
Grayson tapped his fingers together. “I apologize. I know I’ve complicated things.” He hung his head. “It was only one night. We won’t let it interfere with the negotiations.”
“I’m the one who suggested we find our mates. First, I see the trouble with Damon, and now you.” Rafe groaned. “I guess that’s a lesson to me that I’m better off unattached.”
Aurora
Aurora bundled up before she wandered through the village and attempted to distract herself from conflicting feelings. Last night with Grayson was amazing, but it was also wrong on so many levels. She pictured her aunt’s disappointment at hearing that Aurora had slept with her client, damaging the reputation of the network.
Would she be horrified? Ashamed?
Aurora exhaled. Her aunt’s reaction was just one of many things to think about—not only her future in Salem, but her future with Grayson. He said she was his mate. That in itself was mega, off-the-charts insane. He asked her to consider moving up here. Could she do that? Leave everything and everyone she knew to start somewhere new—and with a wolf pack, no less?
As she wandered by the quaint stores, she considered what it would be like to relocate here. What she loved most about the area were all the small business, and a lack of large chains. She explored many that were open to get a feel for the area and the people, including a pharmacy, clothing store, cafe, bakery, hair salon, hardware store, office and stationery store, and a bookstore.
Grayson had mentioned how he offered financial incentives to encourage small businesses to start up here. Now that the resort was flourishing were those incentives gone?
Aurora continued to picture setting up a small store here. Ugh, why? She shouldn’t think about fantasies like this. Her home was back in Salem. She couldn’t just uproot and leave everything because she’d spent one magical night with a shifter and was having some sort of identity crisis.
She needed to be rational. Think with her head and not how wonderful it felt to be in Grayson’s arms.
That was it. To finish this assignment without jeopardizing it any longer, she had to stay away from him. No more dinners with him, no more romantic walks to the village. She would only see him in his office and discuss matters on a professional level.
If he gave her one of his smoldering looks from behind his desk, would she be able to refrain from jumping across it and into his arms?
Possibly not. In that case, she would insist they leave the door open.
Grayson texted her that afternoon. Can we meet up for dinner?
Although she wanted to see him, she’d spent the last several hours convincing herself of what she had to do. We shouldn’t, Grayson, and you know why.
I do… But I miss you.
Her heart panged. The way he looked at her as if she was the only woman in the world for him was something she never thought she’d find.
She typed I miss you, too, but deleted it. No need to encourage what she was struggling against herself. Instead, she typed, We have to wait a little longer.
After a quiet dinner alone in her room, thinking about how she could have been spending it with Grayson and then spending the night with him, she regretted her decision. Although she knew it was the right one, it didn’t make the evening any less lonely.
It did give her time to think, though. Although she’d come to the mountains hoping to get her assignment over with so she could return to Salem, that was before she’d met Grayson. Now that idea filled her with dread.
It was time to make some decisions in her life, and that started with calling her aunt. After discussing the more recent developments with the assignment—leaving out the part about Grayson—she added, “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Aunt Colleen, but I
’ve decided that this is my final job as a mediator.”
Her aunt didn’t reply for several heart-pounding seconds. “Aurora, we’ve all had difficult assignments. I know the wolves are tough, but—”
“No, it’s not this one assignment. It’s something I’ve been feeling for a while. I need to go out on my own and find a path that’s right for me.”
“I see. What do you want to do?”
She sighed. “Maybe I should keep my options open. Live and work someplace new.”
“Are you coming home?”
The idea of leaving Grayson and going back to her unfulfilling life in Salem burned her soul. After knowing someone as amazing and considerate as him, how could she ever go back to a life without him in it?
“I’m not sure.”
“Let me know when you decide. You always have a home with me and the coven.”
“Thank you, Aunt Colleen. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Aurora.”
After the end of the call, Aurora exhaled. That had been something weighing on her chest for some time. It was a relief that she finally explained it to her aunt. All she had to do was finish this one final job and then her future was hers.
Grayson
The early morning sun drifted like patchwork through clouds. Grayson aimed his skis downhill for the first run of the day, seeking distraction before he went to work. It didn’t help. He skied tight turns through moguls, which took all his concentration. Once he navigated to wider trails between a section of pine trees, the hotel where Aurora stayed came into view.
After Aurora had turned Grayson down for dinner last night, he chose to go hunting in wolf form. It pained him too much to yearn for her, knowing she was nearby, but being unable to get close to her.
Hunting for rabbit only warded off the longing for so long. Once the thrill of stalking and capturing prey subsided, the anguish returned.
Grayson didn’t return home until late that night. When he opened the door, he caught a hint of her scent remaining. It lingered on his sheets. He held the pillow and inhaled her fragrance, a sweet torment because he couldn’t have the real thing in his bed.
That morning, he’d attempted to shake off the brooding and head into work, but it clung to him like the first flakes of snow clinging to trees.
The next few hours ticked by—until an unexpected surprise changed his outlook. Aurora stepped into his office, changing his mood like the sun breaking through a formation of clouds.
“Aurora.” He couldn’t keep the awe out of his voice.
He stepped out from behind his desk. Her fragrance wrapped around him, as comforting as a warm blanket in front of a fire after coming in from the cold. He closed the door. The last thing he wanted was for Victoria to see them together.
She bit her lip. “We should keep it open.”
“Why?”
She rolled one shoulder. “It would be better.”
He exhaled and lowered his voice. “I don’t want Victoria to see us. She’s been keeping an eye on us much too closely—and she’s not happy about it.” He stepped behind Aurora and lifted a strand of her silky hair. After it fell through his fingers, he pushed her hair aside to kiss her neck.
She stepped away and turned to face him. “That’s exactly why we shouldn’t be doing this.”
He raised a hand to caress her cheek before he lowered it, barely able to resist the urge to touch her. “We’re alone in here. No one can see us.”
“Still.” She shook her head. “We talked about this already. We can’t sneak around—especially now that people are getting hurt. We need to keep our distance from each other.”
His wolf moaned. An ache spread like wildfire. “You don’t want to be with me?”
“I do.” Her lips tightened into a determined line. “But not like this.” She gestured around them. “Maybe when this is all over, we can find a way to make it work.”
Grayson sucked in a breath through constricted lungs. The air felt too thin, the oxygen lacking. His mate was pushing him away.
Is this how Damon felt when Sophie had run from him? It felt like Grayson’s insides were made of glass, and someone had come along and smashed them all with a sledgehammer.
“Grayson? Are you okay?”
He blinked at her.
“You’re not saying anything.” She watched him from worried eyes.
You’re my mate and I don’t want to lose you.
He ran his hand over his jawline. “I know you’re right—but I don’t want you to be.”
“I’m sorry. I know this may be difficult with the whole mate aspect. Trust me, it isn’t easy for me either. But there’s a reason you asked me up here, and we must focus on that before we can consider anything else between us. It’s the right thing to do.”
The right thing. That’s exactly what he should be doing—not pining for his mate. He swallowed the desperate yearning, forcing himself to get his head straight. He was beta of a wolf pack, and their safety should come first.
“You’re right, Aurora.” It took all his strength to formulate the next words. “I won’t touch you unless you tell me it’s okay.”
Her expression turned dour. She appeared to be just as unhappy with that statement. “Good.” She pursed her lips. “I came here for a reason. To tell you some good news.”
“Oh?”
Her eyes brightened with hope. “The Sacco pack is ready to discuss the proposal.”
Chapter 10
Grayson
Something didn’t feel right. Although Aurora was excited by the progress, Grayson couldn’t shake the sense that something was off.
It’s just the anxiety caused by your mate denying you, he told himself.
That made sense. Nothing had felt quite the same in his body or mind since Aurora first stepped into his office, and he’d been adjusting to the wild, animalistic urges since he’d first caught her scent.
He walked Aurora to the border, searching for any indications that something was wrong. There was no movement on the snow-covered grounds before them or in the forests beyond. No scents out of the ordinary. The mountain air smelled fresh with the hint of the morning dew still lingering. The sky itself was a bright blue overhead while dark gray clouds hovered in the distance.
So why the unease?
It had to be him and the distress of parting with his mate.
She beamed at him. “Wish me luck.”
Instinct drove him to take her hand. “Don’t go, Aurora.”
She furrowed her brows. “Don’t be silly, Grayson. That’s why I’m here.” She squeezed his hand. “This is a good thing.”
When she released his hand, his fingers lingered, unwilling to let her go.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She glanced at their surroundings and then kissed his cheek.
His skin tingled with heat. His wolf rumbled with pleasure. “I’ll wait here,” he declared.
She tilted her head. “It might be awhile. I can come to your office when I’m done.”
His jaw twitched and lips tightened into a hard line. “I’ll wait here.”
Hearing his words, he knew he sounded crazy. What was he turning into—a possessive, paranoid shifter?
Grayson prowled the border line, pacing back and forth, as he waited restlessly for Aurora to return. He wouldn’t be able to breathe with ease again until his mate was beside him once more.
Aurora
Aurora crossed over on a path leading to the Sacco meeting lodge. Resisting Grayson’s touch had been more difficult than she expected. But with the Saccos willing to talk, this might lead her and Grayson one step closer.
Closer to what exactly?
She bit her bottom lip. What future she and Grayson could have together was still murky at best. At least with the negotiations behind them, they could start to figure out their path.
The dark wood of the meeting lodge came into view. She was getting ahead of herself. This was the Sacco pack she was talking about. They had
n’t been easy to work with thus far. Over the past couple of days, they must have come to their senses that the Franconia pack had offered them an attractive option. Lars did call her back saying they were willing to discuss the deal, which was more promising than anything she’d accomplished yet.
Once inside the meeting space, she addressed Kane and Lars with a friendly greeting. Kane regarded her with a frosty look. She brushed off his gruff demeanor. Typical alpha.
“I was glad to hear from you,” she said with a smile.
“Were you now?” Lars’s brow rose.
“Yes.” Something seemed off. “You said you were ready to talk about the proposal. It’s quite a generous offer.”
Kane and Lars exchanged grim glances.
Kane walked over to a table with the folder. He picked it up and tossed the contents across the floor of the lodge. “The deal is off.”
She blinked. What was going on? Her pulse skyrocketed. Something was very wrong. “Why?” Her voice was a rasp.
“We know you’ve been deceiving us,” Lars accused.
“Deceiving you? What are you talking about?”
“You come here pretending to be one thing—a mediator. You said you would help us come to an agreement we could both live with. You claimed to be a neutral party.” Lars leaned closer, his eyes churning an eerie ice blue. “A lie,” he spat. “You’ve been sleeping with their beta. You’re biased and not to be trusted.”
Her heart raced and seemed to slip down to her feet. They knew. Somehow they found out. The more they stared at her, the more constricting her ribs felt tightening around her lungs.
“It’s not like that,” she defended herself.
“No more lies.” Kane raised a meaty index finger.
“We know.” Lars’s eyes widened. “You’re not only sleeping with Grayson—you’re his mate.”
The Wolf and His Forbidden Witch: A Howls Romance (White Mountain Shifters Book 2) Page 9
