Page 47 of What a Wolf's Heart Decides

“They do,” Ben said, turning his gaze back to her, a smile playing around his lips. “They balance each other. My dad is like the calm surface of a lake. Not even my mom’s occasional tempests can disturb it.”

“That’s a poetic way to describe how opposites attract.”

The smile turned to a grimace. “My mother put aside her own ambitions for love. Unfortunately, they resurfaced when she had me. I used to think she’d be content with me taking over the bed and breakfast and my father’s ranch. Now I worry she won’t rest until I take over all of Elder Lake.”

The hair on Haley’s nape lifted. She lowered her voice. The turn of the conversation seemed to call for it. “She wants you to be Alpha?”

“No. I don’t know.” He rubbed the back of his head—as if his nape tingled, too.

“That’s serious, Ben. You’d have to challenge Bard.”

He dropped his hand. “I don’t want that. I mean it.”

“I believe you.” And she did. The truth was there in his eyes. Maybe she was naive to think she could read a person by gazing into their eyes, but the mix of anguish and determination in Ben’s made her confident he had no desire to kill Bard.

Because that’s what it would take to fulfill his mother’s ambitions.

He stared out at the valley. “I learned a lot from Max when I trained with the New York wolves. It takes a special kind of person to make a good Alpha.” He shook his head before turning to her again. “I don’t have it in me. It’s not just about the time commitment or the responsibility. It’s”—he seemed to search for a word—“lonely.”

Yikes. He had that look in his eye again—the dangerous one that made her want to toss her reservations out the window and give him a chance.

“I don’t want to be lonely, Haley,” he said.

She tried for a smile. “You don’t have to be. Yes, you were a latent, but you have a rare Gift. I’m sure any number of territories would accept you.”

“You don’t understand. My mother would never forgive me if I left Elder Lake.”

“Then you’ll just have to settle for a local girl, I guess.”

He held her gaze. “I don’t want to settle. I want to be with someone I care about.”

Don’t say love. Don’t say love. It was too soon for that. Much too soon.

She licked her lips, her shoulders tight. “Ben . . .”

“Don’t look so nervous.” His mouth quirked up on one side. “I’m not going to propose or anything.” He tipped his head toward the mountains. “Although this would be a great place to do it.”

Some of her tension drained away.

Without breaking eye contact, he took one of her hands and held it between his. “Just tell me I’ve still got a chance.”

Words stuck in her throat. What about his mother? What about Bard? The territory? “I . . .”

“I’m not asking for any kind of commitment, Haley.” His eyes warmed with humor. “Maybe just three dates or something.”

“Three dates.” She tried to ignore the way his hands warmed hers—and how good it felt. Solid. Like a comfortable blanket.

He nodded. “We can start now. Let me show you around the valley. Are you up to shifting? We’ll move faster that way.”

Deep inside, her wolf perked up its ears. It had been over a week since she shifted, and the beast was restless. The prospect of shedding her human skin and running full tilt across the valley made her blood pound in her ears.

Ben must have noticed, because he smiled and squeezed her hand. “I can show you a lot more in wolf form, including the spot you picked out for your castle. If we include a turret or two, you’d be able to see the whole valley from your bedroom.”

She let her gaze wander to the ledge. Ooh, he didn’t play fair. It was one thing to feed a girl pancakes. But promising her an honest-to-goodness castle? That was downright devious.

Pride was thick in his voice as he continued. “The Ruperts have occupied this land for centuries. Legend has it we were some of the first wolves to migrate from Europe. Family lore claims we arrived before the Spaniards and their horses.”

She jerked her gaze back to him. “Horses?”

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