Choose Wisely

Chapter 6

Natalia Rose made her way into the room where Connor was taking deep breaths to calm himself down, before making his way back up to his mate, completely unaware that she was now standing behind him.

"Is everything alright, Connor," Natalia Rose asked. Connor spun around spotting Natalia Rose standing there, looking nervous.

"Everything is fine. I just had to deal with some business. It's hard finding people who are capable of doing the job right the first time they are told. What are you doing out of bed anyway? You knew that I would be up to join you in bed. I don't want to waste another moment dealing with the business that I had to quickly deal with," Connor said, hoping that Natalia Rose would stop questioning him about the person he was talking to on the phone.

"You sounded like you were on the verge of letting out your aggressive side...the very side that you unleash when you hunt those who have crossed the line with you. I know that you wouldn't go out of your way to leave Lupine Ridge. You wouldn't trust anyone else to keep all of us in check while you're gone. That and you would be afraid that we would find a way to make Lupine Ridge thrive without you around. You can't stand the thought of another male taking the role of alpha male," Natalia Rose said, knowing that it would get under Connor's skin, which would get him to tell her what he was hiding from her.

Connor growled at Natalia Rose causing her to back down a bit. "Do you feel brave enough to speak up about your doubts about me being a good alpha again? Do you have doubts about my ability to keep our quaint little town safe? Because if it really comes down to it, I could leave this town and kill all of your family, and I won't think twice about doing it. It would be in your best interest not to anger me, unless you really want me to go through with punishing you. Is that what you want?"

Natalia Rose bowed her head before speaking up. "No. I'm sorry for stepping out of line with you Connor."

"Maybe you will think before you say something stupid like that again," Connor growled out before storming past Natalia Rose.

If I'm not careful with how I speak to Connor, not only will he go out of his way to punish me, but he will take his anger out on my family as well. I can't allow him to do that. Especially after I had gone out of my way to hurt my adopted mother to keep her from ever wanting to come look for me and try to talk me into going back home with her, father and Cayden. I won't allow my family to die by the hand of Connor. Even if I have to endure the punishment that Connor unleashes on me, I will. Only if it means that my family remains alive and well, Natalia Rose thought to herself while staring at the spot on the floor, where Connor once stood.

"There has to be a way for me to find out who Connor was talking to. But who the hell could I trust to help me? Basically, everyone up here in this damn mountain is loyal to Connor. Either that or they fear him and will do anything to remain on his good side to keep him from killing them and their family," Natalia Rose quietly said to herself before she heard someone knocking on the door. "Who on earth would make their way up here just to knock on the door, knowing Connor is here?"

Natalia Rose made her way to the door, opening it only to find Haley standing there. "Is there something that I can help you with? Unless you want to speak with Connor. If that is the case, then you can find him upstairs in one of the rooms somewhere. If you want to have fun with him, then go right ahead. I don't think he would deny your advances, since he seems a bit desperate for sex at the moment."

"Very funny Natalia Rose, but I'm not here to see Connor. I actually came here to see you. I was wondering if you wanted to do something; around the mountain camp of course. I don't think Connor would allow us to go down to the town without him or any of the other boys tagging along with us," Haley suggested.

"The only reason why he wouldn't allow us to go down to the town without any of the guys or himself in attendance with us, because Connor doesn't trust us. Connor feels that I'm not trustworthy to go to the town," Natalia Rose explained.

"It's not that Connor doesn't trust you. He doesn't trust all the other males who live in the town. Especially if there is an unmated male wandering around the town. Connor doesn't like to share with anyone," Haley explained before looking behind Natalia Rose, noticing Connor walking up behind her. "Hello Connor."

"Haley, what are you doing here," Connor asked causing Natalia Rose to jump at the sound of his voice coming from behind her. Connor walked up behind Natalia Rose, wrapping a possessive arm around Natalia Rose, causing her to flinch slightly, which in turn caused Connor to smirk, which didn't go unnoticed by Haley.

"I was wondering if I could go walking around the camp with Natalia Rose. I figured it would be a good way to get to know one another a little bit better. I think it would be good for Natalia Rose to have a friend to hang around with. I'm sure she would go a bit stir crazy always being surrounded by men without another woman to talk to about girly things...you know things that you and the others wouldn't care to talk about with her," Haley said, hoping that Connor would agree to allow Natalia Rose to hang around with her.

Connor thought about it for a moment. "I could allow you some time to hang around with Natalia Rose. But not today. I'm going to be spending time with my little lady. I have every intention of making up for lost time that I had to wait for her to return to me."

"Understandable. But let me ask you this, aren't you worried that the two young females who run the bar in town, might try and make a friend to befriend your little woman? Aren't you worried about those two women, putting ideas in your little woman's head," Haley asked trying to prove her point. Connor's grip tightening around Natalia Rose's waist didn't go unnoticed by Haley. "If you allow the young woman and I to become friends, I can keep her from befriending the two in town."

Connor growled at Haley for putting ideas in Natalia Rose's head, giving her hope that she could possibly make friends with Angelina and Gail Timmins. "Haley, you know damn well that I wouldn't go and allow anyone else to talk to Natalia Rose; especially if I have any say in it. Everyone in town knowns that I don't like sharing my girl."

"I'm sorry Connor. I didn't mean to put ideas in Natalia Rose's head. But you know that Angelina would make an attempt to befriend Natalia Rose. It's part of who she is. We all know that Angelina will try to save Natalia Rose from you," Haley said.

"And she will get hurt if she gets too close," Connor said before leaning down to Natalia Rose. "And you will get hurt as well if you try to escape from me or accept help from someone else who would dare try to rescue you from me."