I had just hit send when my office door opened. I looked up to see Brandon panting at the door. I closed my laptop and sat back. I let my face settle into cold lines.
Brandon almost recoiled. “You’re back.”
“Yes.” I crossed my arms and looked at my computer screen.
“Where have you been? I called, I texted, you never answered.” He walked in and tried to come around the desk to hug me, but I stood. I pushed the chair between us. He furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong?”
“You know where I was. I was getting my mom settled in her new pack.” I leaned against the wall and put my foot on the chair, keeping it between us. “I told you I needed space to think about everything. Including us. I think I made myself pretty clear…it’s obvious you still want Shannon. She certainly wants to be with you. She even said she was pregnant by you, which at the time I missed, but I spent a lot of time thinking when I was away and I realized what she was insinuating.”
He stared at me for a minute and I could scent the panic coming from him, but I pretended not to notice. “What are youeven talking about Amy?” He tried to reach for me but I held up my hands.
“I’m talking about you fucking Shannon again.” He froze after I said it. Panic lit his face, and his hands trembled.
He opened his mouth and still couldn’t speak, then he found his footing. “Why would you even think that? I love you. We are about to have our mating ceremony. We only have two weeks.” He grimaced. “Are you seriously accusing me?”
I glared at him. “Are you saying Shannon was lying?”
“Of course I am.” He finally pulled the chair out of the way and grabbed me. “I would never cheat on you. I chose you. I fought for you. I love you. It’s always been you.” He kissed me, and I stayed stiff for a minute and then allowed myself to soften. To pretend that his words, his kiss, was changing my mind. I needed him to think he won. I pulled back and let the tears come. “You believe me, right?” He ducked down to look me in my eye. “Right baby.”
I looked away, almost as if I was ashamed of myself. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Shannon said-”
Brandon growled. “I don’t care what that whore said. I’m telling you I would never to do that to you. Do you believe I could do that to you? To us?” He stared at me.
“I-” I covered my face. “I don’t know what to say. I want to believe you. Goddess I do. But Shannon has already told everyone that she is taking my spot. I’m not stupid. Once the pack hears the rumor, they are sold on it. She has to be your mate…” I looked up at him. “I want to be with you…but she’s made it impossible.”
I watched his face go through a barrage of emotions and settled on anger. “Neither the pack nor Shannon can tell me who I can or can’t mate with.” He grabbed my face. “I want you, Amy.” He kissed me again and I had to hold myself back from puking. I couldn’t hold in the shudder, which made Brandonsmile. He thought it was from need and not utter disgust. “You will be my mate. Promise me you will give me time to fix it.”
I looked off to the side. “You have less than two weeks.” I turned back. “If Shannon hasn’t retracted everything…if she hasn’t stepped back, then she can take my place. I won’t be second place in my bond.” I slid out from in front of him and walked to the door. “Until then, I don’t want to be put in a situation where I would be considered the other woman.”
Brandon watched me from behind my desk before he finally nodded and then walked back towards me at the door. “I respect that.” He leaned over and kissed me again. “I’ll handle it. Give me some time.”
I just nodded and took a deep breath when he turned to leave. Nix snorted.You are really selling the idea that you want him.I smiled, and Brandon thought it was for him.
I have to. His ego won’t accept anything other than devotion. Which works in our favor.
“Okay.” I nodded at him. “But…”
He hesitated. “What?”
“Don’t hurt Shannon too much. I don’t want her to hate me. We have become so close these last few months and I don’t want to lose her.”
Brandon smiled, but I saw the look in his eyes. He thought he could figure out a way to keep us both. Shannon just had to play along. At least until I give birth and he could use our pup to drain me of my power. “Of course. Shannon is my best friend too. I never want to hurt her.”
“Good.” I smiled and looked out at Alannah, who was hovering at her desk, unsure of what to do. “Did you need something?”
Alannah bowed. “Sorry to interrupt, but there is an issue on one firewall. There was a breach, and Rick still isn’t in. I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation, but it’s protocol.” She tried to smile but her eyes danced to Brandon.
Brandon smiled. “I’ll let you get back to work.” He kissed me once again and I shivered again. “I’ll call you later.”
I nodded. “I have a call at nine, so if you don’t call before that, I won’t be able to answer.”
His eyes flickered for a moment, but then he nodded. “Of course.” Then he left. I turned to Alannah.
“There was a breach?”
She nodded and sat back down. “I sent the alarm to your desktop. The protocol is to go to Rick, but he’s not here.”
“All good.” I went back to my desk and I clicked on the alert in the system. An alarm popped up, notifying me that someone had breached the first firewall from outside. “Interesting.” Was all I said and then I got to work. In minutes, I had shored up the breech and traced the attack to the college IP address. Interesting.
