Chapter Eighteen River

"S o," I heard behind me as I tried to sneak through the back door of the hotel the next morning. "I see you're not staying here very often anymore."

I turned around to see Sam standing in the kitchen, staring at me with his arms crossed.

"Uh… am I required to?" I asked, trying not to look like I was sneaking. "I figured I could just come and go as I wanted to."

"Oh, you can," he said. There was a smirk pulling at his lips. "But I don't allow anyone to sneak around with my wolves, regardless of whether they're paying customers or not."

"I'm not sure what you mean…"

"Don't bother lying. I already know what's going on."

"I don't–"

"Please," he sighed. "Everyone and their brother has seen you and Vince at the cafe. Not to mention on the beach, around his apartment, and anywhere else you two end up."

"How do you know all that?"

He raised an eyebrow in my direction. "I make it my business to know. And Vince is one of my first wolves and a special case. I keep an eye on him all the time whether he knows it or not." Sam marched across the kitchen, getting inches away from me. "You stink like him, among other things, so I know you were just there." He reached out, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "What are your intentions with that boy?"

It looked like I was getting the interrogation whether I liked it or not. I didn't realize Vince had such protective friends, but it was nice to see, regardless. I couldn't fault them for being suspicious. I didn't exactly have the best track record with this sort of thing.

"I… I like him," I said at last, swallowing my embarrassment. "I think he's my mate."

"You either know or you don't," Sam replied. "Mates aren't something you think about."

I nodded. "He is my mate," I corrected. "I can feel it."

"And he feels that bond too?"

I nodded again.

"Hmm," Sam hummed, letting me go. He took a step back, giving me a good once over. "So? What are you going to do about it then?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, furrowing my brows. "We're talking to one another, isn't that enough?"

"For fuck's sake…" Sam shook his head as he grabbed me by the collar and hauled me over to a chair at the end of the stainless steel workbench. "Sit down while I make you breakfast. Obviously you need this whole relationship thing explained."

I sat in confusion as he moved around the kitchen gathering up supplies for a hearty breakfast. I hadn't asked for anything to eat, but I didn't want to interrupt him. Sam obviously had a method. And, judging by the fiercely determined look on his face, it might be unwise to oppose him. Finally, once he'd gathered everything up and slapped a pan on the burners, he turned back to me.

"Do you love him?"

My heart nearly dropped out my butt. That was a terrifying question.

"I… I don't know…"

"Well, you better fucking figure it out," he replied, grabbing a knife and a cutting board before he went to town on some potatoes. "Because you're leaving here in less than two weeks and you told me you have a pack to go home to that needs your leadership." He gave me a stern look. "I bet they wouldn't accept a male pair, would they?"

I shook my head, letting out a long sigh. "No. They wouldn't."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't fucking know!" I snapped, the stress finally getting to me. "You're asking me if I'm going to give up everything I've ever had and my entire future for Vince. As much as I want to sit here and tell you yes, I don't know if I can."

"Why not?"

"There's lots of reasons."

"Like what?"

I stared up at Sam, obviously irritated with his constant questioning. I wasn't sure if he was just being nosy or he was trying to help me. Either way, I failed to see how telling him anything would help me. Then again, I wasn't sure it could hurt me either. I'd been practically dying to share all the things I'd been bottling up inside me for months now.

"You have to swear," I said, my voice low. "That you won't repeat a single thing I'm about to tell you. I want to share it with Vince, but I need to do it my way."

"Why would I tell him?"

"Because you run the fucking rumor mill of this town, Sam."

He opened his mouth to argue, thought better of it, and nodded. "Yeah. You're right." He held out a hand to me, his pinky extended. "I promise I won't repeat a single thing you tell me."

I took his pinky with mine, feeling childish and silly, but it was the best I was going to get. Pulling my hand away I let out a long, heavy sigh.

"There's lots of things you all don't know about me. Like that fact that my family is pretty wealthy."

"Oh, I picked up on that," Sam smiled. "You checked in with a limitless credit card. They don't give those to just anybody. Plus it's not very often that poor wolves check out a room for an entire month. That's a bit extravagant."

"Well, there's a lot more where that came from and I'm due to inherit when I take over the pack."

Sam lifted and eyebrow. "How much?"

"Ten to twenty million. Maybe more. I haven't looked at the paperwork in a while."

Sam's jaw dropped. "Oh… That is a lot more than I expected."

"Yeah." I shook my head. "But it all comes with a price."

"Like being Alpha?"

"That… and I have to get married."

"To who?"

"I don't know. My dad picked her out while I was gone. I haven't even met her yet. But he expects me to straighten up, literally , when I get home and get on with being the Alpha. I have to take a Luna and produce pups. And I can never be involved with another man again. That was our deal."

"Deal?" Sam gasped. "Your father knows about all this?"

"He has since I was in high school. And he's tolerated my… oddity, anyway. That's why this trip happened. He gave me one final year to get it out of my system before I have to come back and claim my birthright." I looked up at Sam, cold fear filling my chest. "If I refuse him… not only will I lose everything, but I don't know what he'll do. The consequences could be dire. I've seen him fly off the handle before and it was terrifying." I turned my gaze downward, staring at my lap as my fingers picked at the fabric of my shorts nervously. "And even if I somehow manage to summon up the bravery to do it, I'm fucking useless out here in the real world."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never worked," I said, shaking my head. "Or cleaned, or taken care of a house, or even myself. I don't know how to do any of those things. And, if I give up being Alpha, I won't be able to change our pack for the better someday. Who knows how many young wolves there are like me who can't be who they are. A life of ease is nice, but making a difference so others don't have to sacrifice what I did feels better. I just… Can I really give that all up just because I like someone? No matter which path I choose, I'm being selfish."

Sam put down the knife he was slicing potatoes with, wiped off his hands, and sat down beside me. He leaned his elbows onto the bench, lacing his fingers as he let out a long sigh.

"I've been running this hotel for a long time," he said at last. "And let me tell you a couple of things. Firstly, no wolf that's ever come to Shifter Grove has been useless. We all have our talents and proclivities that made this community what it is today. Those of us here may not live a life of decadence, but we're at peace and we're free of bigotry. This is the most accepting little town you could ever ask for. Shifter Grove is a safe place for people like you and me."

I looked up at Sam, my eyes widening.

"Yep," he smiled. "That's right. I like guys too. And I got kicked out of my pack for that." He gestured to the hotel around us. "And look at all the good I'm doing here! Hundreds of rogues have passed through these doors and while many of them eventually moved on, they only did so after they were firmly back on their feet and confident they could make it on their own. And even more decided to settle down here and turn this town into what you see today. A wolf owns almost every business here and all of them started off no worse for wear than you are. In fact, I'd say nearly all of them, Vince included, came here much more broken than you could even fathom." He reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You don't need to be an Alpha pack leader to do some good in the world. I did it here and I know you could too. Plus… I've seen you and Vince together and let me tell you, that boy hasn't smiled like that ever in this town. You make him more happy than you could imagine."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Do… Do you really think so?"

Sam nodded. "Vince is in love with you. He might be too scared to say it, but he is."

I reached up, wiping my face with the back of my hand. " That's… terrifying."

"But in a good way, right?"

"Yeah," I sniffled. "And it makes everything more difficult. I don't know what the right thing to do is."

Sam gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Right and wrong are subjective. What's right for you might be wrong to your father and vice versa." He lifted his hand away, pushing a finger against my chest. "But your heart is never going to steer you wrong. Love is a beautiful thing and being in love with the mate you were destined to have is even greater." He smiled up at me, pulling his hand away. "You two are going to do great things, I'm sure of it. Vince already found his calling, but you… well, let's just say there's lots of wolves around here that could use your help too."

I nodded, knowing he was right. I didn't want to leave Vince behind. In fact, I wasn't sure if I could . But that meant I had to come clean with him and I had to face my father.

"Now I just have to figure out how to say it all," I replied. "To Vince and to my dad."

"You'll find your bravery," Sam said, getting up and going back to the cutting board. "Alphas are gifted with that. Even if you don't think you can do it, I know you'll find the right words when the time comes."

"You really think so?"

Sam nodded. "I know so. I've seen it time and again with those that have come through before you. If they can do it, so can you."

I smiled. "Thanks, Sam."

"I didn't do anything," he replied with a smirk. "Now, how do you like your eggs cooked?"