Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Are you sure the alpha approved all of this?”
Hollie turned to glare at the construction crew who stood off to the side of the house, staring at it in bewilderment, as if waiting for instructions from anyone but her.
“Are you questioning me?” she growled, her hands going to her hips as her eyes began to get that golden rim around them the way they did when her lioness wanted to make an appearance.
“No, ma’am,” he stuttered, looking over at the others for help. “It’s just that Alpha Leo is the one who normally makes the big decisions like this.”
“And you don’t think I’m capable of making a decision of this magnitude?” she snapped.
“I didn’t say that,” he countered, “I just didn’t want to make a change that wasn’t approved.”
“Approved?”
“I’d stop right there if I were you, Clayton,” Caiden said, coming over to stand beside her. He cocked his head to the side, looking over at the vast expanse of grass at the back of the house that was taped off. Hollie crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her toe on the ground.
She’d known Caiden was in the barn when the crew had shown up. She hadn’t asked his permission for the changes she wanted to make, and she didn’t need to. She was the alpha-mate of this damn pride. That meant she was in charge, right? And if she wanted to add on to her house, she would do it.
It wasn’t like her mate was here to make any of the decisions.
No, he’d just up and left two days ago. She’d woken up in their king-sized bed alone.
There was a note on the island in the kitchen that said he had to take care of some things, but he would be back in a few days.
No information on where he went or what he was doing, just that he would be back.
Well, if he could do whatever the hell he wanted without consulting her, then she could do the same.
“What exactly are you doing here, Alpha-mate?”
“What does it look like I’m doing, Beta?”
He chuckled. “Well, if I knew that, I wouldn’t be asking, would I?”
Hollie gritted her teeth, anger swamping her, then just as quickly, tears filled her eyes.
“Oh shit. Hollie, I’m sorry. I was just teasing.
I didn’t mean to upset you.” When Hollie didn’t reply, he turned to the crew and snarled, “The alpha-mate gave you an order. When she gives you an order, you listen. Now, do whatever the hell it was she told you to do, or we will find someone else to do the job.”
She almost laughed at how quickly the men rushed to get started on the work she’d requested. Except, she was pissed again, because they weren’t doing the work that she told them to, but followed the orders of Caiden instead.
Just before she flipped her shit, she heard a truck rumbling down the long drive. She stiffened, eyes widening when she realized who was going to be in that truck.
Her mate was home.
There was the sound of slamming doors, and a moment later Leo and Caleb came around the back of the house, taking in all of the lumber, the skid loader and other construction vehicles, and construction crew.
The crew acknowledged them with nods, but kept working, which honestly surprised the hell out of her.
Leo held his arm out to her, and no matter how upset she was with him, she couldn’t ignore him. When he pulled her into his arms, holding her close and stroking a hand down her back, Hollie let out a small sob.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
“All I wanted was a damn ballroom, Leo. Is that too much to ask? But when they got out here, and you weren’t here, Caiden had to tell them what to do because none of them would listen to me.”
“A…ballroom?”
Hollie looked up at him with tears in her eyes, her bottom lip trembling.
“Yes, a ballroom.” Hollie sniffed, wiping the wetness from her cheeks.
“I just wanted a place where we could all be together, the entire pride. But we wouldn’t fit in the house.
I thought if we had a ballroom, we could have parties and dance. ”
“That sounds wonderful, mate.”
She paused, biting her lip, before whispering, “It does?”
“Yes,” he said, nuzzling her face with his. “It sounds perfect.” He breathed in deeply and then pulled her closer. “Let’s go inside. I have something to tell you.”
“Oh! No, I have to stay out here and supervise,” Hollie said, moving as if to go closer to the construction crew, choosing to ignore the look of horror that appeared on some of the men’s faces before they could hide it.
“No, you don’t,” Leo said, scooping her up and gently tossing her over his shoulder, slapping his palm on her bottom.
“Hey!”
“Everything go okay, Leo?” Caiden cut in.
“Yep, Caleb will fill you in.”
Before anyone could say anything else, Leo turned and headed around to the front of the house, still carrying her.
She found herself in the house and their bedroom before she could think of what she wanted to say.
She had so many emotions balled up inside, and she’d just opened her mouth to let it all come out when Leo flipped her over onto the bed, catching her so she fell softly onto the mattress.
“Hey, baby.”
She opened her mouth to tell him off, but all that came out was, “You left me. I woke up, and you were just gone.”
Leo leaned down and kissed her gently. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I should have told you where I was going, but I didn’t want you to worry.”
Holly sniffed, wiping at her damn eyes again. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
“Not a thing.” Leo buried his head in her neck, inhaling deeply. “Everything is perfect. You are perfect.”
“Leo.”
“I went to New York.”
“What?” she asked, her hand going to her mouth in stunned surprise.
“Alexander Griffin will never bother you, or anyone else, again,” he vowed, as he trailed kisses down her neck. “You’re safe, my love.”
“I am?”
“Yes, both of you are.”
“Both of us?”
Leo placed his palm over her belly and inhaled again. “Both, you and our cub are safe.”
Hollie placed her hand over his, for once at a loss for words.
A cub. She inhaled deeply and gasped when she noticed the scent that wasn’t there before.
Leo was right, they were going to have a baby.
Not only that, but she was safe because her mate went to New York to confront a coven leader without telling her.
As if he could sense the direction her thoughts were taking, Leo covered her lips with his, distracting her.
Hollie wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned softly.
When he pulled back, she glared at him. “I’m going to need that whole story, Leo Lyons.
And people around here need to know that I am in charge when you are gone.
If I want them to build a damn ballroom, they damn well better do it. ”
Leo’s eyes lit up with laughter, and he nodded in agreement. “Yes, my lioness, my queen.”
Oh, how he loved her sass!