Page 83 of Possessive Alpha

She shakes her head. “A few hours away. It’s still in Colorado, so it’s not a million miles away and definitely worth checking it out.”

“And is that what you want? To go to Hardin?” The backs of my eyelids burn at the thought of losing Clara. It’s not so much the distance than her not being around.

We spent almost every day together. If she goes, days, weeks, and even months might pass when we won’t see each other. I know I need to have my own life and she needs to have hers, but it won’t be easy.

She nods. “I think I’d like to go see it. Regan was telling me about the Blackshaws and that I didn’t have to worry about Dayne because he didn’t kill his family.”

And then the name, which had seemed vaguely familiar when Regan told me weeks before, suddenly becomes painfully familiar.

The Blackshaws.

“The cold-blooded alpha…” I breathe as my heart spikes in terror.

No one knows why he killed most of his pack, including women and children. The rumors don’t say why. They’re just sure he did. Regan wants to send my little sister there?

“Don’t freak out,” Clara reassures me, gripping me by my arms. “It wasn’t him. Their old alpha was the one who went crazy. Regan said Dayne would never hurt his family, and I believe her.”

I frown, still concerned about sending my little sister to stay with an alpha with such a dangerous reputation.

Clara briefly hugs me. “I’ll be okay. You put your life on hold watching out for me. It’s time you started living it with Ty.”

“But you won’t be here,” I whisper, telling myself not to cry.

“I know. You have what you need to be happy here, and maybe I’ll find that same thing in Hardin,” Clara says.

“A mate?” I brush a tear away.

She wrinkles her nose. “Not a mate. Which, by the way, you should have told me Ty was yours instead of letting me figure it out myself. I’m not looking for a mate. Just a place that feels right.”

Clara peers over my shoulder, and she smiles. “I think Ty wants to show you something.”

I turn to look. Ty is standing on the back porch, though I’m not sure why Clara thinks he wants to show me anything. His hands are empty.

He catches my eye and raises his brow as if to ask, have you finished?

Clara answers for me. “You’re free to take my sister into the forest and?—”

I slap my hand over Clara’s mouth. “Seriously? You were just going to yell that out loud?”

Her bright blue eyes sparkle in amusement as she peels my hand away. “After your talk of my stained panties in the dining room? Hell yeah.”

Blowing out a sigh, I roll my eyes and drag her into a hard hug. “You are impossible.”

“Impossibly cute,” she corrects me. “I need to talk to Regan about the guy she’s sending from Hardin to pick me up. She said she needed to prepare me. Whatever that means.”

Nodding, I watch her go as Ty approaches, pausing long enough to ruffle her hair. She sticks her tongue out at him and I smile.

Ty snags my hand and tugs. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“I want to show you something.”

“Yes, but what?”

Ty refuses to tell me, no matter how much I press him.

Whatever it is, it isn’t far from the house, and then I realize where we’re going. Back to the spot where I fell into a hole. Only someone has marked out a white square about twelve feet by twelve using string and stakes they buried into the earth.

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