Page 44 of A Beta Protects

“He did?” Dom asks.

I hand the letters to him. “He signed them days ago.”

“So what does this mean?” Dom asks.

“It means I’m getting divorced,” I whisper, relieved, excited, and confused. But most of all, excited. “It means I can start over.”

14

DOM

Acrack of thunder illuminates the dark sky, and I slow my run to peer up through the leaves as a raindrop lands on my nose.

My wolf grumbles his irritation at the thought of rain, and with it, wet fur.

The rain is welcome to the man because Kira…

Kira does not make it easy to be a gentleman.

Watching her slowly climb the ladder with her ass inches from my face was torture…

Until I saw her lying on the straw, her head twisted my way, and a soft smile curling her sweet, rosebud lips. I will never know how I didn’t lean over and kiss her the way I’d wanted to.

I am losing my ability to keep my distance.

Touching her is automatic, as it should be between mates.

She hasn’t noticed. I hope. But I have.

I keep finding reasons to move closer to her. To touch her, to drag the wild fragrance of her skin into my lungs.

But it isn’t enough.

The signed divorce forms have drawn a line under her and Bryce. None of us believed he would sign them, but the fact he has means Kira is free.

Completely free.

I walked her back to the house, but I skipped out on dinner, a little too pleased at Kira’s disappointment when I told her I wasn’t staying.

I’ve been running since then.

It’s been nearly an hour as I try to chase this need for Kira out of my system. This urge to pin her to the nearest wall, strip the clothes off her luscious body, and put my mark on her neck is building.

My paws trample over sodden grass and leaves as the rain turns torrential, lashing me through the trees. It soaks my fur to my body, making my wolf growl.

But either I run through the forest in the freezing rain, or I stay human, and risk losing the battle with myself.

As I run, my mind turns back to Missouri.

“Take care of yourself, okay?” Kira’s hug surprises me, as does the small square box wrapped with bright blue wrapping paper she pulls from the back of her car.

I hadn’t thought she would turn up to say goodbye before I leave for my deployment.

She didn’t come alone.

Bryce’s lips flatten as he hovers behind Kira.

“Here.” She presses the present into my hands. “It’s not much. Just a few things, so you have something to remind you of home.”

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