Chapter Twenty-Five Matt
Iwas the first to wake the next morning. But then again, I hardly slept. After being kidnapped and nearly murdered the night before, sleep was a bit beyond me. I’d spent most of the night running through the past three weeks of my life, starting with the day the Alpha caught me with his son.
Betrayal was the only word that came close to what I was feeling. Not just by the Alpha’s son for throwing me under the bus, but from the Alpha himself as well. It was one thing to be upset. It was another to order a hit on another werewolf. Packs were supposed to be family, a bond that was everlasting. He’d not only kicked me out because of an obvious lie, but tried to have me wiped off the face of the planet. It was the most insane thing I’d ever heard of. My life felt like some sort of bad Netflix movie.
And now that I’d survived, I had to spend the rest of my life wondering if the Alpha took things into his own hands, or if it was a joint effort with his son or even my parents. I had no idea who all was involved in this plot to literally kill me. Being taken out for who I was or who I slept with felt like a blast from the past, the one that most of us wanted to forget.
Even lying there, safe in my own bed, I felt my skin begin to crawl. What if they came back? What if they went after Ace? Would someone be as brazen as this last guy was and try to run me over? Or would the Alpha get the warning and decide it wasn’t worth the trouble?
I didn’t have an answer to any of those questions. Anxiety rippled through my body as I twisted my hands in the comforter, drawing it up closer to my face. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of me, especially not Ace. He’d been my knight in shining armor more than once now, and I was starting to get worried that it would get him into trouble eventually. If my old Alpha didn’t stop coming after me, it could mean Ace’s life. And they knew where I was now. It felt like only a matter of time until someone else showed up to finish the job.
My thoughts were spiraling, pushing me deeper and deeper into despair. Even with the sun shining through my window and the safety of the hotel around me, I felt like someone was watching me. One thought stood out stark and clear amongst the rest.
Ace couldn’t be hurt because of me.
He was my mate and I loved him. So, in order to keep him safe, I needed to go. That was the only obvious choice.
Throwing the blankets aside, I swung my legs out of bed and crossed the room, grabbing my empty backpack from the desk in the corner. I didn’t own much, so it only took me a couple of minutes to pack. It was much fuller than it had been when I came to Shifter Grove. Not only that but there was an easy hundred dollars in my pocket, thanks to Sam and Ace. It was enough to get me out of here. Although, I had no idea where I’d go. It wasn’t like there was another hotel for rogue wolves. This was the only one I knew of. Then again, I didn’t have to go somewhere. I could just shift and head deep into the woods, my backpack strap in my mouth. Maybe being a hermit would suit me. I definitely wouldn’t be found.
But I’d figure that out later. I got dressed, threw the bag over my shoulder, and grabbed my key from the table. Once I snuck down the back stairs, I’d leave it in the kitchen, taking the back door so nobody noticed me leaving. Five blocks would get me out of town, and I could grab a few supplies on the way out. After that, it would be just me and the open road.
And loneliness.
I snuck down the hallway to the back stairs, taking them all the way down to the kitchens. At the far end of the kitchen, I stopped for a moment, realizing the walk-in cooler was sitting right there. Sam wouldn’t mind if I took an apple or something, and I was starving. Ducking inside, I pocketed two apples and a bottle of water. When I stepped back out, I placed my key on the stainless-steel bench running the length of the kitchen.
And I froze.
I stood there, unable to make my feet go, as I looked over the kitchen. There, at the end of the counter, was the place where Ace called me his mate for the first time. It was the same place we’d shared several meals together, laughed, and began to fall in love. Tears rose to my eyes at the thought of leaving it all behind. I reached out, running my hand along the back of the chair where Ace always sat, remembering how he always hung his black cowboy hat over the back of it while he ate.
“Going somewhere?”
Looking up, my heart skipped a beat as I saw Sam standing at the other end of the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest. He had an eyebrow lifted in my direction and I had a feeling he already knew what was going on.
“I can’t let Ace get hurt because of me,” I said, my voice shaking. “Or you. Or anyone else for that matter.” I shook my head, trying to fight back tears. “I… I have to go.”
“I understand,” Sam said, catching me off guard. “Do you at least want breakfast before you go?”
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open slightly.
“Look,” Sam said, heading my direction. “I get it. You’re scared. It’s natural that you’d want to run. Everyone runs when they think they’re being hunted.”
“You… You’re not going to try to stop me?”
“I run a hotel for strays. Everyone leaves when they think it’s the right time. It’s not my place to say when they come or when they go. I’m just here to support.” He gestured to the chair that Ace always sat in. “Take a seat. I’ll at least send you off with a full stomach.”
Unable to think of a way to turn him down, I took a seat in my chair, leaving Ace’s empty. Sam made his way around the kitchen and to the cooler, collecting supplies and piling them in front of me.
“Farmer’s omelet okay?” he asked. “I’ll do some hashbrowns for you too.”
“Sure…”
Sam went to work. He took pans down, turned on the stove, and got things cooking without saying a word. Hashbrowns went into one pan, the hot oil sizzling as they began to brown. Meanwhile, Sam cracked eggs and chopped vegetables. Ace’s vegetables.
“So where are you gonna go?” he asked nonchalantly. “You must have a plan.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I think I’m just gonna shift and head through the state forest. Maybe I’ll find some old, abandoned place I can shack up for a while.”
Sam nodded. “A shelter is a good start. What will you eat?”
“I can hunt in wolf form,” I replied. “It’s not my favorite, but I’ll get used to it.”
“It’ll be hard,” he said, beating the eggs into a slurry. “But then again, I suppose wolves like you and me are used to that sort of thing. Life is never easy for us.”
“You’re not going to try to stop me?”
“No,” he stated simply. He poured the eggs into the hot skillet and began giving the pan a shake. “Why would I try to convince you to stay? You came to Shifter Grove broken and alone, and that’s just the way you’ll leave. Who cares about the friends you’ve made or the love you found, right?” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Fated mates are a dime a dozen. I’m sure you’ll find plenty more out in the middle of the woods.”
Anger flared in my chest. “It’s not like I want to do this!” I barked back at him. “But my old Alpha tried to kill me, in case you didn’t notice. And I can’t let Ace or you or anyone else get hurt because of me.”
“If I recall, Ace is the one that saved you. Twice.”
“He shouldn’t have had to do it at all!”
“But he did,” Sam said, pointing the spatula at me. “Because he loves you.”
Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as the anger bubbled up, turning to despair. “What if he dies protecting me? I would never forgive myself!”
“You think you leaving, without telling him why, won’t do that?”
I opened my mouth to retort but snapped it shut as no words came to mind.
“You were betrayed by your family and your pack, just like he was. They kicked you out, not caring whether you lived or died. His did the same to him, and he spent ten years in solitude because of it. His heart remained broken until you came along.” Sam took a good, long look at me. “Are you going to sit here and tell me that you, the love of his life, leaving without warning, abandoning him just like they did, is going to keep him safe?”
“But… he could… get hurt…”
“If you leave like this,” he said, gesturing at me with irritation. “You’ll hurt him more than anyone else ever has. He will never recover from your act of foolishness.”
Tears continued to flow down my cheeks. Sam turned off the burners, abandoning the half-cooked breakfast, and walked over to me. He put his hands on my shoulders, his gaze fixed on mine as he spoke.
“I know you’re scared, Matt,” he said, taking a deep breath. “What happened last night was insane, and it never should’ve happened. It caught everyone off guard, not just you.” He leaned down, getting face-to-face with me. “But this hotel… this town is full of people just like you. They understand what you’ve been through, just like Ace does. You saw everyone at the party last night. We’re a family, and whether you like it or not, you’ve become part of that family.”
“What if–”
“What if anything?” Sam said, cutting me off. “You can sit here for the rest of your life and worry yourself to death about what-ifs, about things that will never come true.” He reached out, laying his hand over my heart. “I know it feels like your heart betrayed you in the past. But I can promise you that Ace is the real deal. You found the perfect guy just for you. And he’s an Alpha to boot. If there’s anyone in this backwater town that could protect you from anything, it”s Ace.” He pulled his hand away, giving me a soft smile. “You’re not a burden, you’re not stupid, and you are worthy of love. And I will not sit here and let you throw away the greatest thing that’s ever happened to you because of fear.”
My resolve, which had been shaky at best, disintegrated the moment he finished speaking. I leaned forward, falling into Sam’s arms. My shoulders shook as I cried, but he never said a word. A minute or two passed before he pulled me away and gave me a smile.
“I think there’s someone better for this,” he said.
Lifting a hand, he waved. I turned in my chair, my gaze coming to rest on that dark handsome figure in the black cowboy hat. Before I knew what was happening, my feet were carrying me across the kitchen. I slammed into Ace, throwing my arms around him, the tears flowing even faster now.
“I’m so sorry, Ace,” I cried, holding onto him with no intention of ever letting go. “I’m sorry…”
He wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me tight to his chest. “It’s okay, beautiful,” he said, a smile filling his face. “Everything is gonna be okay. I’ve got you.”
“I love you, Ace. More than anything.”
“I love you too, beautiful.”