“I appreciate that.” I manage. “Goodnight, Grady.”
His gaze follows me as I turn and walk away, certain Carson has already decided what comes next.
Chapter Seven
Emily
Carson Whitaker’s name loops through my mind long after we’ve left the party behind.
Jared drives in silence beside me, one hand resting on my thigh, his thumb tracing small circles over the midnight blue fabric of my dress. The simple contact grounds me, but I can’t dispel the image of Leif’s face draining of color, his broad shoulders curving inward as if trying to disappear the moment Carson entered the ballroom.
The gravel of our driveway crunches beneath the tires as we pull up to the cottage. Moonlight spills across the river stone path and climbs the trellis of wild roses, illuminating petals turned silver in the darkness. Jared kills the engine, and the sudden silence wraps around us.
“Home sweet home.” He squeezes my knee before withdrawing his hand to unbuckle his seatbelt.
I follow him up the walkway, the tension in my shoulders easing with each step toward our front door. My heels sink into the soft ground between stones, slowing my progress until I give up and slip them off, letting the cool earth soothe my aching feet.
Jared unlocks the door and steps back, allowing me to enter first. The familiar scents of clean wood, fresh bread fromthis morning, and the subtle combination of our pheromones envelop me.
After hours surrounded by overwhelming scents of competing perfumes and champagne, the simplicity clears my head.
I drop my shoes by the door with a thud, wiggling my toes on the smooth wood floor. Behind me, Jared secures the lock and removes his suit jacket, draping it over the coat rack. His blue tie matches my dress, a detail he’d been proud of when he emerged from our bedroom earlier this evening.
“Want some tea?” he asks, moving toward the kitchen.
“No.” I shake my head, watching him loosen his tie. “But thank you.”
Jared pauses, his sea-glass eyes studying me. “You’ve been quiet since we left.”
I drift toward the window, staring out at our moonlit garden, where the wind chimes hanging from the eaves tinkle. “Did you see how Leif reacted when Carson walked in?”
“Hard to miss.” Jared comes up behind me, not touching but close enough for the heat from his body to seep through my jacket. “He bolted like a startled deer.”
My fingers tap on the windowsill. “What do you think happened between them?”
“Nothing good.” Jared’s reflection appears beside mine in the window glass. “Carson kept scanning the room after Leif left.”
A chill runs through me at the accuracy of his description. “Should I check on him tomorrow?” I turn from the window. “To make sure he’s okay?”
“Of course you should.” The corners of his mouth lift in a gentle curve.
My brow furrows. “What?”
“Nothing.” He steps closer, his fingers trailing up my arm. “I like the way you worry about people.”
“It’s silly.” I move past him toward the couch, sinking onto the cushions. “Leif isn’t pack. He’s not even close to us. I barely know him.”
Jared sits beside me, close but not crowding. “Your instincts are good, Em. You notice things because you care.”
“Maybe.”
“Definitely.” He takes my hand, his thumb running across my knuckles. “It’s what marks you as a good Alpha.”
The compliment warms me deep inside. “I saw the way Carson treated Blake and Nathaniel, how they welcomed him. If he’s dangerous to Leif…”
“We’ll figure it out.” Jared squeezes my hand. “You don’t have to carry your burdens alone anymore.”
The simplicity of his statement untangles a knot in my chest that’s been there for years. How many times has Auren told me that protecting the pack was my responsibility alone? That an Alpha who couldn’t handle problems wasn’t worth following?