When Leah opened the door, it was just like the day before when she locked eyes with Matthew, the world froze and all that existed were the two them. Matthew didn’t say anything, he just stared at Leah. As the moment stretched out, their bond continued to strengthen, no longer just a feeling between them, but almost as if a physical string connected them and they could grab on and pull the other closer. They were both so absorbed with the other that neither heard the footsteps coming towards them. A hand grabbed each of them and snapped them out of their world, bringing them back into the present.
“Well, now that you’ve spent the last five minutes just staring at one another, would you like to come in?” Leah’s mother knew what was going through her daughter’s mind but she wanted them both to be sure of what they wanted before completely committing to one another.
Matthew gave her a startled look, not realizing they had been lost to their world for so long. “Um, thank you but my father is waiting for us. He also wanted to apologize to you for what happened last night.”
“You can call me Harlow or Ms. Kearney, whichever makes you feel more comfortable. And I’m assuming that you are Matthew. Thank your father for me. While I appreciate the apology, I still wish I hadn’t come home to my children being gone.”
Flinching at her accusatory tone, Matthew continued saying, “My father told my brothers and me to leave you all alone. He told us to let the loner be, that if they were just passing through, then they would be gone by noon today, but if they were planning on staying then they would most likely show up first thing this morning. He said that if you didn’t show up by noon then he would send an enforcer out here but until then, as long as nobody caused any trouble, there was no reason to force the issue.”
Nodding her agreement, Harlow said, “then that’s a smart Alpha. I’ll let you two go then.” Watching as Matthew held his hand out for Leah, Harlow marveled at the difference a day could make. The last time she had seen her daughter so happy had been her sixteenth birthday when she won a co-ed mixed martial arts competition.
Leading Leah to his car, Matthew opened the door for her before heading home. Their drive started in silence, the two just happy to be in the other’s presence but as they got closer to Matthew’s house, they started asking each other questions; their ages, what year they were in at school, what classes they were taking. While they were talking, they silently agreed to save the heavier questions for later, when they had more time to get to know one another.
When Leah had been taken to the mansion the previous night, she hadn’t been able to see the land surrounding the house, just the outer layer of trees leading into a dark abyss, signifying a large forest. In the daylight, she could see that the forest wasn’t just large but rather gigantic. The enormous, ancient trees stood watching over not just the land, but the entire estate. The canopy allowed a patchwork of light to breathe life into the forest floor. Leah was in awe of the woods. She could imagine the area being the perfect home for not just the wolf shifters but their cousins, the natural wolves, and that they would thrive in this environment. Flashes of memories flew through her mind, reminding her of the woods behind her childhood home, the same woods that helped her father steal her brother from her. Just as those woods had a more open and welcoming feeling towards the edges with a deeper heart that called to the nature of the animal inside, so too, did these woods. Leah could see herself getting lost in them for days, letting her wolf reign and living on what she could find within the forest.
Matthew watched as Leah was struck silent and immobile by the sight of their land. It gave him a sense of pride that his mate found his territory to be a place she found welcoming and awe-inspiring. Many of the humans, and even visiting shifters, found the woods to be daunting and inhospitable. Something in Leah’s eye, though, made him believe that she appreciated the emerald beauty, that it called to not just her wolf but also to her human side. Taking a moment to watch her, Matthew could feel their bond strengthen just a bit more as Leah accepted his pack’s territory.
Not wanting to keep his father waiting, Matthew reluctantly said, “My father’s expecting us so we should head in.” He stepped up next to his mate and took her hand, gently steering her away from the woods when she nodded her agreement.
Matthew silently guided her through the house, taking the same route as the previous night. This time, however, she was more relaxed and didn’t feel condemned before reaching their destination, which happened to be the same conference room she had been escorted to the night before. Still holding her hand, Matthew stopped in front of the door in the basement, giving his mate one last look before bringing her before his father.
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