Page 41 of Edward’s Bunny

“Yes, in this, I will defy you. You are the leader of the pride, and your mate is a vulnerability to you. If someone found out the depth of your relationship, he could be used against you. Both of you are important, and it’s a matter of pride and security.”

I growled, more so because I knew he was right. Even though I didn’t know where my relationship with Brian was heading, he was my Achilles heel.

“Fine, they are to stay far away and only intervene in an emergency. If I so much catch even a whiff of them, I will take it out on your hide, and you’ll find out why I’m king,” I stated.

“I will take full responsibility and accept my punishment with humility.”

“I’m pulling onto Brian’s street. I need to calm down before I see him. I’ll speak with you later.”

“Yes, Sire. I hope you have a good evening. Please give my regards to Brian.”

I sighed. “I will. And Walter,” I paused.

“Yes, Sire?”

“Thank you for looking out for the pride and me,” I said.

“It’s my duty to protect the pride, and I always have your back, Edward. Always.” With that, he disconnected the call.

I let out a sigh as I pulled up to Hayden and Owen's building. Earlier in the day, they had called me to inform me that they'd spoken with Brian, persuading him to stay at their place. They had granted him full access to their home and framed it as if he was doing them a favor.

I couldn't help but feel grateful for Hayden and Owen's intervention. They had managed to relocate Brian from his cramped party apartment to a more comfortable and spacious living situation.

As I parked the car, I was pleasantly surprised to see Brian running out from the building's entrance, seemingly anticipating my arrival. He must have been keeping an eye out for me. His warm smile and the excited glint in his eyes were enough to make my heart race even faster.

He went around my car and opened the passenger door. “Hey, you look nice,” he said as he slid into the seat.

"Thanks, so do you. In fact, you're absolutely stunning." Brian was dressed in form-fitting black skinny jeans that accentuated his lean frame, a crisp button-down shirt that brought out the color of his eyes, and black combat boots that added an edgy touch to his outfit. His hair was expertly styled, framing his face just right, and his makeup was meticulously applied, highlighting his striking features. The sight of him ignited a spark of arousal within me, causing my cock to harden. I shifted in my seat, attempting to adjust myself discreetly.

“Thank you,” he said shyly.

“Were you waiting long for me?” I asked as I started to drive to the restaurant.

A slight blush tinted his cheeks. “Um, I was early going down. Henry kept me company.”

“You could’ve called me, and I would’ve come early. I… I was ready an hour ago,” I admitted.

Brian laughed. “I guess we were both excited. I’m never ready early, but I couldn’t help but be ready for tonight.”

I smiled at him, and my heart swelled at his words. I was thrilled that the anticipation of tonight was not one-sided.

“Where are we going?” Brian asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“The Garden Bistro. It’s really good. I’ve taken some business clients there, and they have some great vegetarian options. Have you heard of it?”

Brian nodded. "I heard it's fantastic. I've never been—always wanted to, but the timing wasn’t right." After a brief pause, I decided to shift the conversation to keep the conversation going.

"So, how was your Thanksgiving?" I asked.

"It was insane," Brian replied, his eyes lighting up. "The whole brood was there. Oh, and get this," he said, turning to me animatedly. "We had a turkey."

I glanced at him while keeping my eyes on the road. “I thought you didn’t do turkey.”

“Oh, we usually don’t. It was a huge surprise. My dad was keeping his meat-eating a secret, and he finally admitted it to my mom. My siblings’ significant others enjoyed the change, as did the kids. I think it might be a new thing.”

Brian chuckled. "It was like a Thanksgiving revolution at our house. Who would have thought that one turkey could cause such a stir?" He shook his head, still smiling. "But in all honesty, it was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves, even if it meant breaking from tradition. How about your Thanksgiving? How did it go?"

“It was good. It was just an early dinner with Hayden and Owen.” I cleared my throat. “To be honest, I was never big on holidays. I, I wasn’t a very good father.”

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