Chapter Sixteen
Alpha Taylor arrived precisely at two, flanked by his beta and a third wolf Leyden didn’t recognize. Leyden rose from behind his desk to greet them, Connor standing at his side.
“Taylor.” Leyden extended his hand. “Good to see you again.”
“Leyden.” Taylor’s grip was firm, his smile easy. He was a handsome wolf in his mid-forties, salt-and-pepper hair cut short, laugh lines around his brown eyes. “Appreciate you making time for this. I know you’ve had some recent...complications with your pack structure.”
“All sorted now.” Leyden gestured to the chairs. “Please, sit. Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?”
“Water’s fine.” Taylor settled into the chair across from Leyden’s desk, his beta and companion taking the seats flanking him. His gaze slid to Connor, lingering. “New beta?”
“Alpha mate,” Leyden corrected, pride warming his chest. “This is Connor. Connor, Alpha Taylor of the Ridge Creek pack.”
Taylor’s eyebrows rose. “I didn’t realize you’d settled down. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Leyden fought the urge to reach for Connor’s hand, settling for a brief smile in his mate’s direction. Connor’s expression remained neutral, but tension radiated through the bond.
They spent the next twenty minutes discussing trade agreements - Taylor wanted access to the river that ran through Leyden’s territory for fishing rights. He was offering a percentage of the catch and expanded hunting privileges in his western forests. Reasonable terms. Fair compensation.
But Taylor kept finding excuses to lean closer to Leyden, his body language open and inviting. Compliments about Leyden’s negotiation skills slipped into comments about his “sharp mind” and “decisive leadership.” Nothing overtly inappropriate, but the flirtation hummed beneath every word.
Leyden tried to steer the conversation back to business, hyperaware of Connor’s increasing rigidity beside him.
“I think we can make this work,” Leyden said, pulling up the contract on his tablet. “Let me send this to my lawyer for review, make sure the territory boundaries are clearly defined…”
“Always so thorough.” Taylor’s smile turned appreciative, gaze drifting over Leyden in a way that made his skin crawl. “I’ve always admired that about you. Among other things.”
Connor’s chair creaked.
“I appreciate the compliment,” Leyden said carefully. “But I should clarify…”
“You know, when I heard the rumors about your availability, I thought maybe we could discuss more than just fishing rights over dinner sometime.” Taylor’s tone dropped, suggestive. “If you’re interested in expanding our...relationship beyond business.”
Fury blazed through the bond, hot and sharp enough to make Leyden’s breath catch.
“I thought I’d made it plain I’m not available.
” Leyden tilted his head, exposing the claiming bite on his neck.
The mark had healed to a silvery scar, unmistakable to any wolf who looked.
“If anyone else told you otherwise, they were lying - something you should’ve picked up through their scent.
As I said, Connor is my mate. My fated mate. ”
Taylor blinked, genuine surprise crossing his features. “Oh. I didn’t - my apologies.” His gaze flicked between them, confusion creasing his brow. “I can see the scars clearly, of course, but I didn’t smell the mating bond. Usually that’s pretty obvious when two wolves have...”
He trailed off, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
Connor’s growl started low, building until the windows rattled in their frames. The sound reverberated through Leyden’s bones, primal, furious, and absolutely terrifying. Taylor’s beta shot to his feet, hand moving to his alpha’s shoulder.
“Connor.” Leyden reached for his mate through the bond, pushing calm and reassurance. “It’s fine. He didn’t mean…”
But Connor’s wolf was too close to the surface, hackles raised at the perceived slight. Another growl ripped free, deeper this time, the kind of sound that preceded violence.
Taylor raised both hands, palms out. “Easy. I wasn’t trying to cause offense. I just assumed…”
“You assumed wrong,” Connor bit out, each word sharp as glass. His green eyes had gone nearly feral, pinning Taylor with a predator’s stare. “About everything.”
“Clearly.” Taylor stood slowly, movements careful and non-threatening. “I’ll just - we should go. Let tempers cool. Leyden, send me that contract when you’re ready. We’ll arrange another meeting.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Leyden managed, still flooding the bond with soothing energy.
Taylor and his wolves left quickly, the door clicking shut behind them. Connor remained rigid, breathing hard, fists clenched at his sides.
Leyden waited until their footsteps faded down the hallway before speaking. “You okay?”
“Am I okay?” Connor spun to face him, eyes blazing. “Talking about your availability like you were a slab of beef at a butcher’s shop? That son of a bitch just implied you’d fuck anyone who asked, like you’re some…some…” He cut himself off, jaw working.
“I know what he implied.” Leyden kept his voice level. “But he backed off once he understood…”
“He disrespected you. Right to your face.” Connor paced the length of the office, energy crackling off him in waves. “Treated you like you were still available for casual hookups, like your mating bond means nothing because we haven’t…”
He stopped abruptly, shoulders tight.
Leyden had expected Connor to be upset about the sexual implication, embarrassed or ashamed that their lack of consummation was apparently obvious enough for other wolves to notice. But the emotion pouring through the bond wasn’t shame.
It was righteous fury.
“Connor…”
“How dare he?” Connor’s hands shook. “How fucking dare he question the validity of our bond just because we’re not advertising our private business with our scents? You’re my mate. Mine. And he had the audacity to proposition you like I don’t even exist, like you’d just…”
“Hey.” Leyden crossed to his mate, gripped his shoulders. “Breathe.”
Connor sucked in air, gaze locked on Leyden’s face. “I wanted to rip his throat out.”
“I noticed.”
“I’m not sorry.”
“I didn’t ask you to be.” Leyden studied his mate’s furious expression, something warm unfurling in his chest. “You’re defending my honor.”
“You’re my alpha. My mate.” Connor’s voice roughened. “Nobody gets to talk to you like that. Nobody gets to imply you’d break our bond for casual sex with some…some visiting alpha, especially one who notes our claiming scars, and still makes stupid assumptions.”
Leyden understood in an instant. Connor was possessive, and highly protective. He was fierce in a way that had nothing to do with sexual jealousy and everything to do with pack bonds, with loyalty, with the fundamental disrespect Taylor had shown their mating.
Cupping Connor’s face, Leyden’s thumbs brushed over his sharp cheekbones. “You know what Taylor said doesn’t bother me, right? I don’t care what assumptions other wolves make about our relationship.”
“Well, it bothers me.” Connor’s jaw tightened beneath Leyden’s palms. “You changed your entire life for me. Gave up casual sex, dealt with challenges from your own enforcers, restructured your pack’s expectations about what an alpha should be.
And that asshole walks in here acting like none of it matters because we’re not fucking? ”
“Connor…”
“No.” Connor pulled back, pacing again. “You deserve better than that. You deserve a mate who can give you what you need, who can…”
“Stop.” Leyden caught his wrist, tugged him close.
“You give me what I need. Every day. This…” He gestured between them.
“Sitting on the couch together, working in the office, talking about pack business and everyday things like genuine couples who care about each other. Those things mean more to me than any of those casual encounters ever did.”
Connor’s expression cracked, something vulnerable bleeding through the anger. “But you’re still lonely.”
“Yeah. Sometimes.” Leyden wouldn’t lie. “But that’s not your fault.
That’s me dealing with years of using sex as a substitute for actual connection, trying to figure out what intimacy looks like when it’s not just physical.
” He squeezed Connor’s wrist. “You’re teaching me that.
Showing me what it means to actually know someone, be known by them.
That matters more than what Taylor or anyone else assumes about our bond. ”
Connor searched his face, the fury in his eyes banking to something softer. “You really mean that.”
“I really mean that.”
“Taylor still shouldn’t have…”
“No, he shouldn’t have,” Leyden agreed. “And if he tries it again, you have my permission to tear him apart. But for now, let’s just finish reviewing this contract and make sure he’s not trying to screw us on fishing rights.”
A laugh huffed out of Connor, unexpected and genuine. “Fishing rights. Right. Very important.”
“Critical pack business.” Leyden steered him back toward the desk. “Can’t let minor things like territorial disrespect distract us from the really important issues.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“You like me anyway.”
Connor’s expression softened, affection flowing through the bond. “Yeah. I really do.”