Page 29 of My Ruthless Alpha

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After some time of driving and bypassing his territory, Beau pulled up to a town about an hour from Colton’s grounds and rolled into the parking lot of a gas station.

The moment I saw Sydney standing there with a single bag over her shoulder, my expression softened, and I felt a swell in my chest.

Even if it had only been a few weeks since the last time I saw her, knowing she was all right and that she had made it there safely was such a relief.

The car was barely at a full stop when I undid my seatbelt and pushed the door open. Beau went to say something but cut himself off before he could, and I was already out of the car in seconds.

“Sydney,” I murmured, watching as the recognition filled her eyes and her tense shoulders dropped.

“Thank the goddess…” she sighed, not missing a beat as she approached with her arms out for me.

I hugged her tightly, feeling both at ease and emotional at the thought of being able to see her again. To have the chance to embrace her and let her know how much her friendship meant to me.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I murmured, feeling better about it all. “I was so worried about you being there still…I couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

“I know…” she said with a heavy, almost shaky exhale. “It was such a relief to hear from you again. I was afraid to be in contact again, but I’m so glad you reached out to me. I couldn’t leave that place fast enough.”

We stayed like that for a moment as I nodded and pulled myself together. I could’ve cried from the happiness alone but knew we couldn’t stand around for too long. Even if we weren’t in Colton’s territory, we were close enough for his betas to close around us.

The two of us shared our mutual smiles as we pulled back, and I glanced at Beau while he greeted her.

For a moment, I almost forgot they had known each other before. In a way, it felt like I was supposed to introduce her to a new person I had just met a few weeks ago.

And while the two of them had never been on bad terms when Beau was still in our pack, I could see the subtle reservation moving through her. She was guarded, which I expected of the best friend who had to deal with me while I struggled to pull myself together again after his rejection.

Still, she smiled gratefully and nodded to him while returning the sentiment.

Even if she was a bit wary about him after everything, I knew she was grateful nonetheless.

“I can’t believe you went all that way and then some while carrying Margo,” Sydney commented, looking somewhat tired from traveling through the woods. “You must’ve been exhausted.”

“I was. I nearly collapsed when I reached Beau’s territory.”

“No doubt. I couldn’t imagine.”

While we talked, Beau glanced around, staying vigilant while he took everything in. It came as no surprise since he had been apprehensive about us being close enough to Colton’s territory to risk causing issues, and I was glad to have him there for extra security.

Given his vaguely concerned expression, I knew he didn’t like the energy of the place, and I didn’t either.

I had the feeling anyone could seek us out at any given moment, and the thought was enough to remind us all that wehad to go. Despite our reunion, we had to keep moving before we could potentially land ourselves in trouble.

Especially with Colton being willing to do anything to ensure I made up for embarrassing him and running away.

The drive back to Beau’s territory was fairly quiet as we sat in the mutual relief of the moment, filling that silence with the occasional update. We talked about Margo, the town, and how grateful Sydney was for the chance to get away from Colton’s pack.

Eventually, we were about to let go of our held breath once we reached the grounds, and Beau dropped us off at where Sydney would be staying.

It was an apartment right in the heart of everything, offering her the convenience and freedom she needed to survive independently.

We made our way inside and found it partially furnished, but with a few new items we grabbed in town, like fresh bedding and some other comforts, it looked more than comfortable.

“So…” Sydney asked with a knowing lilt to her voice as she carefully placed what clothes she had on hangers and put them in the closet while I took the tags off new tops and put them in a pile on the bed. “What’s happened with you and Beau?”

I had the feeling the topic would shift there eventually, and I allowed a small smile to settle on my face. “As much as I tried to resist initially…we slept together.”

An almost sly smile settled on her lips. “How did I know?”

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