Page 23 of Alpha's Second Chance

“Thank you. I’m glad you realize that.” She pointed her finger at me and tapped me on the chest with it. “That’s another thing the clans don’t let omegas do.”

I felt unequipped to have this discussion while my mind was so preoccupied with her safety. She was right though. And I knew it. It was just taking me awhile to adjust my mindset. “They’d say it’s because omegas have heats.”

“That’s what leave is for, or suppressants.”

“That’s a good point.” I rested one of my hands on her lower back. Even when we weren’t in bed, I wanted my hands on her.

“I’m glad you see that.”

“Hey, I’m willing to listen.”

She leaned up and kissed me on the nose. “Speaking of execution, I killed that shifter without hesitating.”

What did she mean? That comment had come out of the blue. Was she upset about what happened?

“I remember,” I said. It had been unspeakably hot. Once I’d shifted back into human form, I couldn’t get the image of Eve ripping into Bull’s thug. She hadn’t hesitated. She’d acted, and got the job done. She really would have been a great soldier.

After the tranq had worn off and I’d been thinking clearly, I’d felt terrible that Eve had been forced to act in that way. I had avoided bringing it up because I didn’t want to make her relive something so brutal. “I’m sorry you had to do that. I wish I’d been able to handle it.”

She tapped my arm with her fist. “Don’t even say that. You might be the Alpha, but they shot you with a triple dose.”

A vice tightened around my chest. A couple days ago had been so close. Eve might be calm about it, but I wasn’t. “If I’d been more aware --”

“Stop. Sure. If you’d worn full body armor, maybe. But short of that, no one could have acted differently. You saved me by leaping up into the car. They’re after me, not you. You didn’t do this. They did.”

I nodded. Eve might be the only shifter in the world that could get me to stop arguing. The clan would say that meant she’s my mate, and the only one made for me. There was no magic involved, not spells or pre-ordained soul mates. Just the fact that most Alphas only found one mate, and that was it. For life.

It was becoming clear to me that Eve was that mate for me. Now she was looking at me with her head cocked. “Are you okay?” she asked.

No way in hell was I going to let the word mate spill out of my mouth. “Yes. Keep going. I’m listening.”

“I’ve been in the legal system for a while now, and I’ve worked with law enforcement officers quite a bit. They always say it’s difficult to kill someone. And they really struggle with it. I know they do; I’ve sat with friends and listened to their stories. But I’m not upset.”

That was a relief. If she had been traumatized, we didn’t have a lot of options for dealing with it right now. “I’d say it’s the bear part of you. We operate more on instinct. Bull’s men were a threat to you, and you acted. Humans spend more time thinking and evaluating. We know that Bull poses a threat, and we want to end that threat.”

I wouldn’t let myself consider that she’d acted to protect me as well. She shouldn’t have had to, but she had. She was tapping back into her bear, which was a good thing, if you asked me. It meant she’d be safer, in every part of her life.

She let go of me and dropped onto one of the barstools. “I don’t want to go to the military base.”

I braced my hands on the back of the chair, my bear still pushing me to stay close to her. “Yeah? Why not?”

“It’s just going to delay whatever’s going to happen.”

As always, her insight was correct. “You’re right.”

Her forehead creased as she looked up at me. “They why did you suggest it?”

I ran my hand through her hair, letting the silky strands flow over my fingers. “Because it’s the safest option for you.”

“Yeah, that is not a consideration,” she said. “Remember, I left at eighteen. I went to college, law school and got a job, all on my own. I appreciate your protection, but I am not someone who needs decisions made for her.”

I get that. I really do. But I also can’t help it. I get that you aren’t my mate. But my mind still thinks of you that way, at the very least, because I am driven to protect you.I just managed to keep a lid on the flood of words that wanted to bust out of my mouth. Jeez. She didn’t need to hear my inner monologue.

She let me brood in silence for a bit.

“Let me think about our options for staying here,” I said. I wouldn’t make her any promises I couldn't keep. I also figured that if I left to go after Bull, she’d be right behind me. “I’ll let you know what I decide.”

She grabbed my hand. “Come on. That chicken has another twenty minutes to go. Let’s go shower.” She stripped her shirt off and let it fall to the floor. “Together.”

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