Page 6 of Plus-Size Pregnant Mate

I glanced at the mug as he slid it towards me. I'm not surprised that it's made the way I like it, with creamer and whipped cream on the top. I would like to ignore it, but I need caffeine. The desire practically pumped through my body like blood.

I clutched the mug tightly, and after a sip or two, I looked back at Owen. I sighed. "Why did you do this?"

He looked confused. "I know how you like your coffee."

"I'm not talking about my coffee," I said, leaning back in the chair. "I mean this…why did you take me?"

The space fell silent, and I suddenly wondered if I even wanted to know.

Chapter 4 - Owen

I swallowed as she stared at me. Her brown eyes felt like they were looking through my soul as she waited for me to answer her question.

I wanted to tell her because I loved her, and even if we weren't together, that didn't mean I didn't want what was best for her. But knowing Ashley, that would just piss her off.

So, I went with another truth. "You needed me to."

She continued to stare, and I knew she wanted more, but I wasn't going to give her anything.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, knowing it was another message from Ayden. I had probably twenty of them already this morning. Ashley's folks were absolutely losing their minds now that she wasn't in town, and they couldn't find her. And because I took her so far away, they couldn’t connect with her or smell her scent.

I knew the best option was to take her out of Honeyville, away from everything, until it blew over. Or at least until Logan moves on to the next person.

But I had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple. We were missing something, but I didn't know what it was. When they had threatened me all those years ago it was because her mother was sick, and she wasn’t in the right head space. But that was years ago, they didn’t have that excuse now.

I could see why Logan wanted Ashley. It was smart for him, but why Ashley's folks wanted Logan, of all potential mates, didn't make sense. An alpha, I understood, but one that had been married several times before and all his wives mysteriously died was concerning.

Something was missing, and I couldn’t let Ashley return home until we figured it out.

"That's not an answer," Ashley finally said, snapping my attention back to her. "I want a real answer, Owen. You owe me that."

I owed her a lot, but I still couldn't tell her. Not everything.

I sighed. "Ashley, I did this because I didn't want you to marry Logan, and I could tell you felt the same way."

"You don't know me…not anymore," she said, her fingers tightening on the mug. I could see the look of hurt flash across her face, and she was right. I didn't know her as well as I had before, but I had at one point. I knew her deep down to her core, and parts of her were still there.

"You say that, but so far, I've done pretty well."

I made her favorite coffee, which she was drinking. I'd made her favorite pancakes, which she threw onto the floor. If she had remained calm, she’d probably be eating them.

She glared. "Just because you remembered a few things doesn't mean you know me anymore. I'm not the same person I was before."

I scowled because I knew she wasn't the same person anymore. I might not have been around her, but I listened to what was going on in her life. I knew how much she'd changed. I knew I was to blame for it.

Ashley used to be bright, but it had dulled over the years. When her mother got cancer the first time, we were in middle school. I remembered watching her come into class with red eyes from crying so hard. The doctors were sure she wasn’t going to live, but she did.

I know how close she was to her folks and how much all of their lives had changed over the years. I know that sickness was hard, but I hated how much they used it against her. How else would they have gotten her to agree to this?

"So, you're saying you wanted to marry Logan, then. Is that what you're saying?"

She swallowed, and her face paled. She crossed her arms and leaned back. "What I'm saying is none of this concerned you, so I don't understand why you decided to step into it."

I placed my hands on the counter and tilted my head. "I stepped in because I knew what type of man Logan was. And you don't need to be his next victim."

Her nostrils flared. "You don't get to act like some prince in shining armor, Owen. You need to tell me more, or I'm going home."

I couldn't help the smirk. I leaned back and crossed my arms. "By all means, go for it. Let's see if you can find your way home."

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