Page 39 of Wolf's Whisper

She cared. She genuinely cared. She barely knew me, but it didn't matter. She wasn't torn between two people, scaling qualities, gauging who was the better fit. For her, I was the one and only. I had always been. I knew I was.

I recalled how she always stared at me, always lingering in the background, one eye on me, on eye on her own task. How she was always watching out for me, making sure I was okay.

Why hadn't I realised that before? Before all this, before my disapproving look...

She was the one. My mate. Of course, it was her.

And as this realisation flashed through me, another thought quickly followed. Now that I knew she was the only one I truly wanted, I couldn't screw it up. And that thought, it terrified me.

Before, I had the luxury of two people wanting me and me wanting two people. If it went wrong with one of them, I could just gravitate to the other. Like a real coward.

But I didn't want to be a coward anymore. I wanted to do this right. I wanted to be the mate that Ashleigh deserved. And I would prove I was just as perfect for her as she was for me.

Ashleigh. Of course, Ashleigh.

Mine.

I placed both my hands on top of hers, gently pushing them open as I intertwined my fingers with hers. "If I were in danger, you'd come through."

"What if I won't?"

"You will."

She snorted sarcastically, pulling her hands out of mine. Ouch, that stung.

"You're probably better off with Aspen," she scoffed, her head turning to the side as she refused to meet my gaze.

Hell no. Just when I had made up my mind and decided to go hundred percent for her, she was wavering? I wouldn't let her.

I grabbed her hands again, refusing to let her give into the doubt.

"Look at me."

Ashleigh pretended like she couldn't hear me, so I gently squeezed her hands. "Look at me," I asked again, my voice much softer.

Slowly, she turned her head, finally meeting my gaze. Her beautiful blues that were usually filled with sparks, were now brimming with sadness. Disappointment, regret, and guilt were all swirling around in them and just looking at her, made me ache for her.

Knowing I could be so affected by her emotions by just staring into her eyes, I knew I had chosen right.

Mate.

"I want you," I spoke, my voice surprisingly strong and unwavering. With Aspen deep inside the cave, things were all so much clearer. How had I been so confused before?

Ashleigh stared back at me, studying my expression, probably searching for any hesitation. When she couldn't find any, she asked in a small voice: "Why me?"

“You’re my mate," I said, quite surprised. Why not her?

"So is he," she argued, her face falling at the thought of me being with her brother.

"I don't want him."

"Then you’re the first," she bitterly spat out as her gaze fell back to the ground.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She chuckled, but nothing about it sounded cheerful. "I was born thirteen minutes after my brother. Thirteen minutes was all it took for him to have a headstart on me for life."

I silently waited for her to elaborate, not wanting to ruin the moment.

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