Page 31 of Wolf's Providence

“Not just me,” I reminded her.

Willow rolled her eyes, but I knew she was more than aware that there was something more happening here.

“You okay?” I asked her.

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “I don’t know how to live with…this. This connection. Doesn’t it feel like it’s too much to you?”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. Was she rejecting the bond? Panic flared within me at the thought of what wouldhappen if she succeeded. “I know it’s a lot.” I kept my voice calm and measured. “But I’m here, you’re not alone. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes searched mine, and for a second, I saw the flicker of vulnerability. She was scared. Scared of what this bond meant and scared of how it could change her life.

And if I was honest, I knew she was scared of me. Of what I was capable of.

“I will never hurt you again,” I told her, moving until I was standing right in front of her, looking down at her. “I can’t promise you much in this life, Willow, but I promise you that. Never again.”

Her breathing was shaky, but she never pulled away. The tension thickened between us, less about fear and more about everything else that remained unspoken between us.

“I never blamed you,” she told me softly, her gaze dropped to the floor. “But…”

“But you don’t trust me,” I finished her sentence. Reaching out, my finger slipped under her chin, tilting her head back so she had to look at me. “I will earn that back. I’ll fight for it, for you, every damn day.”

I saw the battle that played out inside her, felt her struggle through the bond that tied us, as she struggled between her heart and her head. I knew she wanted to believe me. I could see it in the way she looked at me, in the way she never pulled away from my touch. But I could also see the hurt, and I knew she needed to work through it all.

Letting my hand drop from her chin, I stepped back so I wasn’t crowding her, giving her her space. Knowing that she needed it. This wasn’t going to be easy. I knew that, but I meant what I said. I wasn’t going to lose her. I’d come so close to losing her that I wouldneverlet that happen.

“You need time,” I told her, “and I know that. When you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.”

“You’re leaving?” I felt the spike of worry through the bond, and it almost made me smile.

“I’ll be here,” I assured her. “We have a lot to figure out, and I also need to know who was chasing you. Hunting you. There’s still so much we don’t know.”

“I need to go home,” Willow whispered, almost apologetically. “I have the art studio, my home, my friends.”

“Then you’ll go back to Whispering Pines.” It wasn’t ideal, but some time and distance between me and pack couldn’t be bad.

I saw her swallow. “And…where will you be?”

“With you.”

I could almost feel the relief she tried to hide. She wasn’t ready to let me in completely, not yet, but she wasn’t willing to let me go either.

And that was enough. For now.

TEN

Caleb

I sat in the chair,in the corner of the room, saying nothing as Willow made her case to leave Blackridge Peak to Doc.

“I want to go back home,” she told him, her voice calm but firm. She stood a few feet away from me, arms crossed, her gaze steady on Doc, purposely not looking my way. Her whole stance was daring him to argue with her, and I hid my smile behind my hand as I knew that he would.

“No.”

Willow’s eyebrows shot up, glancing at me once, but I said nothing, and she looked back at Doc. “What do you mean no?” She took a deep breath. “You can’t just say no.” Her tone was getting sharper. “This is my life, it’smydecision.”

Doc shot me a look, but I remained silent. Did he think I was going to go against her wishes? Had he learned nothing? This was Basic Female 101. I wasn’t going to say a word.

I watched him try to temper his words. “You’re not ready, Willow.” He tried so hard to sound patient. I wondered if he knew he was failing? “You’re still learning how to deal with all…” He waved his hand towards me. “This.”

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