Page 61 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

For a while, we eat in silence, the tension that’s been building since we left the observatory hanging heavy between us. Finally, I can’t take it anymore.

“They’re going to be mad, aren’t they?” I ask.

Colt exhales, leaning back against the tree, and his expression softens just enough to remind me of the man who held me so carefully last night. “Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he says. “Your mother is going to come at me like a freight train.”

The corner of my mouth twitches in an almost-smile, but I can’t make it real. “You don’t have to take the heat for this. I’m the one who?—”

“Stop.” His voice is firm but not unkind, cutting me off before I can finish. “I know how this is going to go. Your mom’s going to throw every ounce of her fury at me, and I’m fine with that. She can blame me if it makes her feel better.”

I shake my head, guilt gnawing at me. “You shouldn’t have to?—”

“She’s your mom,” he interrupts, his gaze locking with mine. “She loves you. And yeah, she’s going to be pissed, but not at you. Not really. She’ll be mad because she’s scared, because she thinks I’m some no-good drifter who’s going to screw everything up for her golden girl.”

I blink, taken aback by how calmly he says it, like he’s already resigned himself to her wrath. “You’re not a no-good drifter,” I say quietly.

A faint smirk tugs at his lips, but it doesn’t last long. “That’s not how she’ll see it. But I’ll deal with it, Magnolia. This isn’t on you.”

His words send a mix of warmth and unease through me. The way he’s already bracing himself for my mother’s anger—for all of their judgment—it makes my chest ache. But it also reminds me of why I chose him. He’s steady, strong, willing to take the hard hits for me. And that scares me almost as much as it comforts me.

“I just…” I trail off, staring down at the small jar of jam in my hands. “I don’t want them to think I’m throwing everything away. That I’m being reckless.”

Colt’s eyes soften, and he leans forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. “You think they’ll see this as reckless?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “My mom will. My dad…maybe not as much. But they’ve sacrificed so much for us, for me. I don’t want them to feel like I’m…I don’t know, wasting everything they worked for.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “You’re not wasting anything,” he says finally, his voice low and sure. “You’re living your life. And yeah, maybe it’s not the life they had mapped out for you, but it’s yours. They’ll come around. Your dad especially.”

I fidget with the edge of the blanket I’ve spread out, trying to absorb his words. “You sound so sure.”

“I’ve been around long enough to know parents aren’t as hard to crack as they act,” he says, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “And I’ve met your dad. He’s not going to stand in your way once he sees how much this means to you.”

“And my mom?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze locks onto mine, and for a moment, the world feels achingly still. “Your mom’s going to make me earn it,” he says, his voice low and sure, every word wrapped in quiet, unshakable resolve. “And that’s fine. I will.”

It should be enough to soothe the chaos in my head, but instead, it only stirs something deeper. The realization that this man—this complicated, infuriating, impossibly magnetic man—is willing to face down my mother, my pack, my entire world if it means keeping me.

I nod, the movement small and uncertain, but the knot in my stomach doesn’t unravel. It tightens, pulling taut with every beat of my heart. Because as much as I want to believe him—as much as I do believe him—there’s a part of me that knows what he’s signing up for. My mom is more than just stubborn. She’s a force of nature, and Colt…

Colt isn’t just standing in her way. He’s throwing himself into the storm, headfirst and unflinching. And I’m not sure if I’m terrified or thrilled by the thought that he might actually make it out the other side.

We finish the rest of our snack in silence. When we pack up and get back on the bike, the warmth of Colt’s body is a comfort, but the closer we get to the den, the tighter the knot in my stomach grows.

By the time the perimeter fence comes into view, my heart is pounding. Even from a distance, I can see Frankie standing there, her arms crossed, eyes narrow. Colt’s body stiffens slightly under my arms, and I know he sees her too. She keeps her eyes on us as we roll through the open gate, and when it closes behind us, I can’t help but feel cornered.

The bike slows, gravel crunching beneath the tires as Colt brings it to a stop. I reluctantly loosen my grip on him, my heart sinking as Frankie strides forward. Her gaze flicks between us, her expression a mixture of relief and barely concealed anger.

“Where the hell have you been?” Frankie snaps, her voice low but tight with frustration. Her eyes sweep over me, then Colt. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put everyone through?”

I open my mouth to respond, but Frankie’s gaze has already landed on Colt. Her shoulders square, her stance widening slightly—protective, bristling, and every bit the warrior she is for the pack. “And you,” she says. “You thought it was a good idea to take her off on some joyride without telling anyone? What were you thinking?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Colt growls. His posture shifts, putting himself between me and Frankie—not aggressively, but protectively, his instincts flaring. “I needed a filament for the projector; Grant saw us go–”

“Frankie,” I say quickly, stepping forward. “It’s not what you think. I’m fine. We’re fine. I wanted to go. Colt wasn’t trying to?—”

Frankie cuts me off, her sharp gaze softening as it flickers over me. “You wanted to go,” she echoes. “That’s not the point, Magnolia. Do you have any idea what your parents have been through? You up and leave with nothing more than a note… Your mom hasn’t slept, your dad’s been pacing the den all night. They’re terrified something happened to you. And you know how much they depend on you—how much this pack does.”

The guilt hits me like a wave, but before I can respond, her eyes snap back to Colt. Her nostrils flare slightly, her alpha senses picking up on something. My stomach twists as I realize what she’s noticed.

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