BETA LANCASTER

PART 24 - TORMENTED BY HIS WORDS

TAYLOR

Flipping the pan in my hand, I add some seasoning to Harper's favourite Linguine dish before I uncork a bottle of red and set the table. I've decided that tonight, I'm going to tell her the truth about Jenson. I've re-ran every plan and scenario over and over in my head of what to do about this whole fucking situation and come up with nothing. In all honesty that scares the shit out of me, but what I can't cope with is having to keep looking over my shoulder waiting for my own brother to stab me in the back.

I'm on fucking edge and for someone with a category three wolf thats a real dangerous line to be balancing on.

Already now, my logical thoughts keep getting corrupted as my imagination runs as wild as the wolf that lives beneath my skin. Ever since Jenson told me he was Harper's true mate I've been tormented by his words. I know I can't spend my life always watching them together to see if they share any furtive looks or heated stares. Waiting for them to betray me and fall into bed together. I just need everything out in the open, for Harper to choose who she wants to be with and hope to God it's me.

As much as I want my golden haired, she-wolf, I want her to be happy. I don't want a lifetime of her being miserable being stuck with me when she's pinning for my brother. It would end me.

Sighing, I run an agitated hand over my face and take a few deep breaths when I hear Kit's car making its way down to my lodge.

She's home.

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HARPER

"Hey." I say quietly as I enter the lodge and smell something amazing cooking and see the table is already laid out waiting for me.

"Hey beautiful." Taylor smiles as he briefly looks up to me then continues to cook, his muscles flex and look just perfect every time he moves. I'm a little surprised to see he already has a half-drunk glass of wine next to him as he's not much of a drinker.

I've been pretty quiet the whole ride home, luckily Kit isn't the sort of wolf that needs to fill the quiet with idle chat, so we've both just sat back and listened to music for most of the journey over here whilst I've been lost in thought over everything Jenson said to me earlier. It was a lot to take in. But now I'm home, standing and watching my mate. I can't help but smile. I know neither of us are perfect and admittedly what Jenson told me about what happened to Ella shook me a little... but the truth is ... I love coming home to him. I just can't ever imagine he'd hurt me like that.

Ella and I are different.

Kicking off my shoes, I pad towards the kitchen when I see on the table some art supplies with a big black velvet bow wrapped around them. Stepping closer, I look at the label. 'To my Ann,' and a smile instantly breaks out on my face, when I look up my mates is watching me.

"I thought you could maybe paint or draw me something. Just for me. I'd hang it in my workshop so I could see it every day." He says quietly as I bite my lower lip and lets my fingertips play with the bow before I nod.

"And how would you pay for this commission?" I say playfully.

"You'll get your payment later tonight." Taylor replies straight away, giving me a wink as I shake my head and giggle before he starts to plate up our meal.

I come up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my cheek to his back. He seems a little tense at first, but as I squeeze him tighter I feel his shoulder sag as if relaxing and he stops what he's doing and wraps his large hands around mine.

"That feels good, I needed that." Taylor says quietly as I smile and breathe in his sexy scent making me hum and my wolf purr. She's grown attached to this too.