“Ivy says you’re important to Lucy, but my daughter hasn’t said anything about you.” She cocked her head. “So, are you? Important?”
I opened my mouth and closed it again.
“I hope to be.”
She hummed. “Lucy deserves the world. If you plan to give her anything less than everything, you should step back now. Because while I might seem very intimidating, I have three alphas who wouldn’t hesitate to destroy you.”
With a sweet smile and flounce of her hair, she walked away.
43
Wilder
I scraped another chunk ofleaves out of Lucy’s gutters and thanked the universe I hadn’t been commanded to do somethingsocialto win over my omega. Manual labor was much more in my wheelhouse.
“Umm, what are you doing?” My heart leapt at Lucy’s voice. She squinted up at me from the sidewalk, and time stopped because my girl’s eyes were red and puffy.
I was down the ladder in an instant, leaning down to cup her face. “What’s wrong?”
Lucy’s plush lips parted, but no words escaped. She was wearing a soft yellow dress decorated with green vines. She looked perfect except for the fact that she was fuckingcrying.
“Tell me who hurt you, sweetheart, and I’ll take care of it.” A rumble rolled through my chest as protectiveness surged through me. Lucy was pure sweetness, and she moved through the world giving that sweetness to everyone she met. I would be the one to shield her from the world’s harshness.
Her cheeks flushed a gorgeous pink. “Nobody hurt me.” At my growl, she continued. “I have to bring Blossom to the wildlife rescue people and I’m sad to say goodbye.” She laughed, but it was a hollow sound. “It’s my fault for getting too attached. I do that a lot.”
It was only then that I noticed the small bunny curled up on her arm, her nose twitching gently in her sleep. “Nothing wrong with that,” I said gruffly. And I meant it. “She looks happy with you.”
A sad little smile twisted her lips. “She’s made both of us happy.” I glanced down and realized Felix was sitting by her feet. “I hope I’ve taken good care of her, but I need to do what’s best for her.”
Irrational hatred for the wildlife rescue rose in me. “I’ll come with you.”
She blinked. “Oh. You don’t—”
I didn’t let her finish her sentence and instead put my hand on her back and guided her down the street to the clinic. She glanced up at me, confusion filling her bright blue eyes, but I had no explanation to offer for my behavior.
“What were you doing on the ladder?” she asked.
“Cleaning your gutters.”
“Why would you do that?”
Now it was my turn to be at a loss for words. “It needed to be done.”
“Riiiight.” She peered at me like she was trying to figure me out.
James was already in the lobby when we arrived. He greeted us with a smile, and I had the urge to smack the expression off his face. I’d never cared about being charming, but now I wished I had the beta vet’s easy appeal.
“You’re right on time,” he said, gesturing at two women who looked to be in their sixties standing by the check-in counter. “This is Mable and Iris from Maine Wildlife Rescue.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lucy.” She glanced up at me. “And this is Wilder, who is here for…reasons.”
I snorted and Lucy flashed me a smile that made my breath catch.
Iris clasped her hands together when she caught sight of the still-sleeping Blossom. “She looks like she’s doing well.”
“I think so.” Lucy’s voice was steady, but the slight burnt edge to her scent gave her away. I rubbed my hand down her back before I realized what I was doing, my alpha desperate to soothe her.
James opened a door to a small exam room. “I’ll take another look at Blossom’s leg to make sure it’s healing well before we send her to her new home.”
