11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

Connor

M y body jolts awake, and I crack open my eyes, staring at the unfamiliar room until my gaze settles on the magenta-haired woman snuggled up on my chest.

Mine.

The words resonate in my chest, and I’m not sure if they come from my wolf or my own consciousness. I carefully extricate myself from under her arm, watching as she curls up under the blanket. Her lashes cast shadows across her cheekbones from the morning light peeking in through the window. I glance at my watch on the nightstand, shocked to find it is nearly 9:30 in the morning. My stomach rumbles with hunger, reminding me I’d slept through breakfast. My fingers run through my tangled hair as I scan the room, searching for my clothes, scattered and abandoned last night. I can’t remember the last time I slept in past 6:00.

As I pull on my pants, I chance another glance at Netti, who is curled up asleep on the bed. For that matter, when was the last time she slept this good? Her expression is soft in sleep, with no worry creasing her brow, and gone were the dark circles under her eyes.

Feed her. She deserves it after last night.

I roll my eyes at my wolf as I button up my shirt and tuck it into my waistband before tightening my belt. But his words nag at me, followed by the desire to protect her. She was just a woman. One that last night was supposed to get out of my system and move on from. But the more I thought about last night, the more I knew I was in trouble. Last night was just a taste of Netti. Now I am addicted, and she is my drug. I glance back at her sleeping form before heading to her dresser to grab my phone and wallet. I’ll slip out and grab her some coffee and breakfast before she wakes up.

That’s when my eyes snag on the bills spread out across the wooden surface. My chest constricts as I pick up the letters one by one. The first is stamped with a tuition payment due date followed by the information that if payment was not received she’d be dropped from her program. It becomes clear to me that Netti is struggling to make ends meet. Flipping through the rest of the envelopes, guilt tangling in the pit of my stomach at going through her mail but unable to stop myself, I discover overdue bills with late fees, bills for books and supplies. The weight of her financial burden hits me hard, and I realize she has been quietly dealing with this on her own.

I drop the envelopes and they hit her mouse, lighting up her computer. Bright on the screen reads the line “Connor Abernathy, CEO of Abernathy Inc., scores multimillion-dollar project that skyrockets business to a new level.” My stomach drops, and I step away, feeling my world shatter. Netti had said she had no motivation to trick me into falling for her. She had said she didn’t even know who I was, but what better proof against that than the bills scattered across her desk and multiple tabs about me on her computer?

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Netti must have known who I was and deliberately kept it hidden. The depth of her deception cuts deep, and I’m torn between anger and a strange sense of admiration for her resilience. She didn’t want me to know about her financial struggles, and she certainly didn’t want me to help her out of pity.

Connor, you’re thinking too far into this.

Ignoring him, I slam the door behind me as I storm out the front door, letting my fury reverberate through the house. I’m feeling overwhelmed and need to find some solitude to clear my head.

You’re acting like an animal, and I’m the canine here.

“Shut the fuck up for once,” I growl, getting into the rental car and slamming into reverse.

If she was so interested in your money, why is she killing herself working overtime? Clearly, the evidence is written all over her face at how hard she’s trying to make ends meet. Plus, why was she at the job fair?

“Carter.” Jealousy flairs hot inside me, and the edge of my vision dances red as I turn onto the main street, trying to put as much distance between myself and Netti as possible. I still haven’t figured out why my brother was here—in this small town, of all places, looking for a nurse—but I was going to find out. I punch in his number, the phone ringing over the car’s speakerphone.

“Hello?” Carter’s voice is sleepy as he answers the call.

“Where are you?” I make a sharp right turn, the engine roaring as I accelerate down the winding road.

“I’m at my hotel.” He yawns, and I hear a female mumble in the background. “Why? Where are you?”

“What hotel?” My hands grip the steering wheel until my knuckles blanch. I don’t have time to play these games.

“At the Lakefront hotel five minutes south of EnchanTea on the lake’s edge, why?”

“I’m on my way—”

A loud pop bang echoes through the air before the car sputters to a halt, thick white steam billowing from the engine.

“Fuck!” I roar, slamming my fist against the steering wheel, the horn blaring in a jarring, angry blast.

You need to go back to her.

“No, I don’t.”

“What did you say? What’s going on, Connor?” My brother’s voice calls broken over the car’s speaker.

“Nothing. Sorry. My wolf... he’s acting up,” I reluctantly admit.

“Ok, but that doesn’t explain the deafening bang I just heard. Are you branching off into bombs now?” He exclaims with a half-hearted joke.

I switch the phone to speaker mode, the call echoing in the car as I step out onto the pavement. The acrid smell of burnt rubber and the hiss of steam assaults my senses, causing me to wrinkle my nose in disgust. The unmistakable scent of trouble fills the air, mingling with the faint smell of gasoline. “No. But I wish I had paid more attention when Uncle Ron was showing us car repair instead of focusing on business,” I mutter, frustration tainting my voice.

“Do you need my help?” His offer hangs in the air, a lifeline I couldn’t bring myself to grasp.

Help.

The word echoes in my mind, a reminder of my resistance to relying on others. I step back, distancing myself not just physically but emotionally, from the pack, from him, from my family. Years of separation have left me isolated, a lone figure in a vast and unforgiving world. I was numb to it until I stepped into this small town.

Even though anger still courses through my veins at Netti’s possible betrayal, I can’t ignore the empty ache that fills the void she has left behind. The memory of her intoxicating scent and tender touch lingers, haunting me in my solitude.

Should I have stayed, instead of storming out like an insolent pup?

Do you want me to answer that?

“Connor?” my brother asks.

“Sorry, it looks like something blew or burned in the engine.”

“Where are you? I’m coming to get you,” he says.

“You don’t need to. I’ll call a tow truck and a cab.”

I let out a heavy sigh and lean against the car, only to yelp as my hand makes contact with the scorching metal. I recoil, my hand instinctively pulling away, and stare at the bright pink flesh, the stinging pain making my brows furrow.

You need to go back to the girl. Clearly, we’re cursed without her.

“Cursed with her, without her. What is it, wolf?” I growl, a low rumble in my chest. I look around the deserted street, lined with tall green pines and vibrant burgundy maples.

"Connor." My brother's tone is commanding and low, reminiscent of our father. "We need to talk."

His words hang heavy in the air. About the pack? The girl?

"Fine." I punch in the GPS location, send it to him, and then end the call before dialing a tow truck. Let him fume over being hung up on. I had questions and this conversation was a long time coming.

Ten minutes later, my brother pulls up, followed by the tow truck. He loops his thumbs through his belt loops, letting out a low whistle as he stares at my rental car being loaded onto the truck.

“Who did you piss off? You’re lucky if it needs anything less than a total.” He smirks and gestures to his car. “Come on. Let's go get some coffee.”

We ride in silence to EnchanTea and then order two black coffees, the rich, bold aroma enveloping us as we receive our steaming cups. We find a secluded table in the back, away from the bustling chatter of other patrons.

“Why are you in Rusthollow?” we both say in unison, our voices barely audible above the soft background music. Carter chuckles and shakes his head before taking a deep swig of his coffee, the sound of the liquid being swallowed echoing in the quiet space.

“I miss seeing your face. Mom misses you,” he says. He gives me a pointed look.

“You know why I can’t come back. You know we wouldn’t last one week before we’re at each other’s throats,” I reply, my voice tinged with resignation. I stare at the swirling black liquid in my cup, the steam rising and dissipating into the air, carrying a sense of uncertainty with it.

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Carter starts, his voice filled with hope.

“It’s the laws of nature. We were always born to bear the burden, one to rise to Alpha, the other to leave,” I snap, my frustration seeping into my words. Suddenly, my coffee spills over the edge of my cup, the warm liquid splashing onto the table, creating a small puddle.

“Shit. I’m sorry,” I mutter, regret lacing my words.

“Connor, you left us,” he accuses, his voice filled with pain and anger.

“I was not going to fight you, hurt you,” I defend myself, feeling my wolf stir under my skin. I meet his gaze, his face a mirror image of mine, the resemblance uncanny.

“You never asked if I wanted to be Alpha. You didn’t even give me a chance to step down,” he accuses.

“You don’t want to be Alpha?” I ask. A thousand questions filling my mind. How did I not see that all the years growing up. We had always done everything together, sports, hobbies. I presumed he wanted the role as Alpha just as much as I did.

Perhaps you projected your wants on him, instead of letting him find his own path.

“No,” Carter says, taking a sip of his coffee. He absentmindedly strums his fingers on the table. “I never wanted to lead the pack. I knew I didn’t have what it took,” he admits, the weight of his confession hanging in the air.

“You’re doing a fine job—” I begin, my words interrupted by his snort, the sound cutting through the quiet ambiance. He slams his fist on the table, the sudden impact causing a jolt in the atmosphere.

“That’s because of your support. Don’t you think I know where the anonymous donations come from?” he says. He quirks an eyebrow at me before continuing, his words laced with sarcasm. “You could have used a less obvious name than Abernathy Inc.”

“I—You have a point. But you are doing a great job as Alpha. The pack is thriving, the people are happy.”

“What’s going on with you and the girl?” he says, changing the subject.

Netti.

My stomach drops, jealousy clouding my thoughts. “Calm down, Connor,” Carter says reassuringly, laying a hand on my forearms where claws have lengthened from my hands. “I have no intention of courting her. I have my eyes set on another.” He glances at the phone sitting on the table, his expression pensive.

Curiosity piqued, I inquire, “Why are you here in Rusthollow, then? There must be dozens of other schools and job fairs closer to home.”

“To be honest,” Carter sighs, leaning back in his chair and placing his hands behind his head, “the flyer showed up at the pack headquarters the day Jules put in her retirement. I tossed it in the trash with the rest of the junk mail, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, the next morning, I pulled it out and reached out to the fair to secure a spot. I had no idea you’d be here. Why are you here, anyway?”

“I came to town to secure a deal for a big building project, but I’ve messed it up,” I confess, weariness evident in my voice. I rub my face wearily before sharing the details of my week’s disasters, like we used to do when we were pups.

“So now, anytime you’re away from her, disaster seems to strike?” Carter observes, setting his empty mug on the table.

I nod, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness.

“But you’re afraid she’s known all along, and someone put her up to this ruse?”

“Now that you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous,” I admit.

At least someone is thinking logically . My wolf snorts in agreement inside my head.

“Well, you know what you need to do now?” Carter says.

“What?”

“Win the girl, fix the deal, and come take your rightful place as Alpha,” he declares, a wolfish grin spreading across his face.