“But that makes no sense. If you wanted me, why did you reject me?”
He took her hand within his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Do you know what happened to my mother?”
She nodded her head. “She took her own life.”
“The pressures of the pack drove her to despair, and instead of talking with my dad about it, she … she took matters into her own hands. She ended her life. I found her.”
“Decker, I’m so sorry.” She had no idea he’d been the one to discover his mother’s body.
“I don’t talk about it, and I’m happy that my father has been able to find a new mate.”
“You thought I was going to do that?” she asked.
“I … I know that being by my side isn’t going to be easy. It takes a lot of work to run the pack, and back then, after everything you’ve been through.”
“Everything I’ve been through? You mean the transition?” she asked. Why would that matter?
“Oh, I mean with not knowing your parents.”
“So?” She frowned. “I never knew them. I wasn’t traumatized by anything they did or said, Decker. That makes no sense.”
“Right. Of course, yes, right.”
He was acting rather strange. “I guess I was being overly protective of you as well. I didn’t know all the facts about you. I knew you were kind, sweet, loving, and you’d been through a lot.”
“I’m a lot stronger than I look. You should have come to me about this.”
“We’d never spoken a lot before,” he said.
“True, but that can all change.” She cupped his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m so sorry about your mother, and if the pack ever feels overwhelming, then you will be the first one I tell.”
“And me,” Blueberry said.
Misha burst out laughing when she heard her friend shouting through the door.
Decker groaned. “I should have known she’d be up early.”
“I’ve got to head out. I’ve got a call about one of the upcoming wolves about to go through their transition. You need to check your phone, Alpha.”
Misha sat up as Decker reached for his cell phone. “Shit. I put it on silent. They’ve been trying to call me for three hours.” He growled and Misha put a hand to his chest.
“Stop it,” she said. “Stop worrying. I’m not going to be upset by you taking care of the pack.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “We’ll get changed, and I’ll go with you.”
“You want to come with me?”
“Yes, what better way for me to learn than to come and see what you do every single day.” She couldn’t resist kissing him again.
“You’re incredible, you know that?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Why don’t we see how I get on?” she asked. “I might be under your feet.”
“Not possible.”
Misha dressed quickly, following close behind Blueberry and Decker.
They had to go toward the outskirts of the town, toward one of the smaller neighborhoods. Decker held her hand, and she was able to keep up with them. It looked like the grandmother was outside of the house, and Misha heard the screams on the street. Several children were outside, looking nervous and terrified.
She pulled out of Decker’s arms as he dealt with the grandmother, and she went to the children.
Crouching down, she grinned and looked into their smiling faces. “Hello, guys.”
“He’s going to die,” the little girl said. “He’s been screaming like that for hours.”
“Are you his brothers and sisters?”
Only the girl nodded. The other six children didn’t.
“Okay.” She took the little girl’s hands in her own. “I want you to look at me, sweetheart.”
She did.
“That’s a good girl. Are these your friends?”
She nodded. “I want you to take this ball and go to the park. You are not allowed to leave that park until you laugh. You all have to laugh and have fun. The alpha is here, okay? He’s not going to allow anything to happen to your brother.”
“But his bones kept on breaking. Dad got so scared.”
“I can imagine, sweetheart, but your brother wouldn’t want you worrying about him, would he?”
The little girl shook her head. “He takes me trick or treating.”
“Exactly. He is going to want to know that his little sister is big and strong and can handle anything, right?”
She nodded again.
“Good. Will you go and play for me and as you do, think of your brother strong and coming to play with you?”
“Yes.”
Misha kissed her cheek. “Go on then, sweetheart. Go and play.”
She smiled at the other children, waiting until they were out of sight before turning back to the house. The grandmother was outside, and she smiled at her. “You are going to be an amazing mate to our alpha.”
Misha was even more surprised as the woman bowed to her. She wasn’t used to that kind of attention.
Nodding her head, she walked into the house and came to a stop when she felt the power filling the room.