Page 17 of The Alpha's Heart

He told me that he would mate me when I stopped being afraid of him. Shifters know what they want. They rely on their instincts. Bishop’s size and gruff demeanor might’ve thrown me off my first night in Hickory, but everything’s changed since then.

The only thing I’m afraid of now is losing him.

He’s my fated mate. The other half of my soul. He does things that make me think he feels the same, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel our bond stretching thinner, the wall between Bishop and me growing higher and higher as the days pass.

And then he brings me beignets. I worked myself up, believing he was sending me home to River Run… and he’s feeding me.

What am I supposed to do about thatbutcry in frustration?

Bishop has an answer. Nodding at the plate, he says, “They’re for you. I got them special. Please, Sofia. Eat them.”

I take another bite to placate Bishop, then set the plate down. Brushing my shaky fingers against my jeans, I look past the earnest expression in his eyes. “You wanted to talk to me?”

He frowns a little when it hits him that I’m done with the dessert for now. I still ate some. A whole beignet, plus that last bite, so it’s not like I refused him. Maybe I should have. Maybe then I’d finally know where I stand with this male…

“Yes. Sorry. I just wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

He nods. “Instead of spending the day in the den, I’m gonna give you a full tour of our territory.”

Ourterritory. Hope sparks inside of me. My wolf wags her tail. Bishop’s been very careful

Canari says I need to show you around. To make you feel welcome in Hickory.”

Oh. He didn’t want to do it. The Omega badgered him into it.

Of course she did.

My stomach goes tight while my practiced smile stays in place. “You’re the Alpha,” I remind him—and myself. “You have the rest of the pack to worry about.”

“I’m also your intended,” he grates. “And that means you’re the one wolf who needs me the most right now.”

Honestly? He’s not wrong. And I don’t care if Helene’s the way who picked up on my wolf’s confusion. Bishop doesn’t communicate, and I’ve been such a coward—afraid for all the wrong reasons—that I haven’t pressed him on it.

I decide to finallytry.

“But the den?—”

“The den is empty. If a packmate is in need, they can turn to Harris. My Beta served under Xavier.” The last Sylan Pack Alpha. “He knows better than me what he’s doin’.”

I turn into him. I just… it’s instinctive. My wolf hears the hollowness ringing in his voice and wants nothing more than to erase it.

“You’re a good Alpha, Bishop,” I tell him. “A great one. Your pack loves you. It respects you.” I tilt my head back so that I can purposely meet his eyes. The doubt there is obvious. “I’ve spent the last few days watching you with them. You know what you’re doing.”

He lets out a breath. “Fair enough. With the pack maybe. But when it comes to you… I’m doin’ this all wrong, ain’t I?”

“Bishop—”

“Every morning I wake up, I expect you to be gone. For you to realize you deserve better than a broken Alpha like me who can’t get right. Everyone says listen to your wolf, that your best will guide you… but if you knew what my wolf thinks of you.”

“What?” I whisper, stepping closer to him. “What does he think?”

Bishop growls softly. “That you belong to us.”

“That’s because I do.” Haven’t we established that? “You’re my intended, Bishop. One day you’ll be my mate. I want your wolf to see mine as his. That’s how this works.” The wall between us cracks, and I take advantage of that by tapping into my wolf enough to find the nerve to tell him: “We’re fated. It doesn’t haveto be hard. In fact, it can be super easy if you just let me know what you want.”

He lifts his hand, cupping my jaw. The touch is like static electricity. I feel the jolt all the way to my bones, and when he moves his thumb, stroking the height of my cheek, the tingles fade as a wild heat burns me up from the inside.

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