Chapter 25

“He’s still there, Trey. I’m still me.”

Trey cupped my face and tilted my head so we could lock gazes. His smile was broad and joyful. “Even more yourself, I’d say.”

“What?” I crinkled my brow in confusion, but then a wave of cold hit me and I shivered.

Trey pulled back with a laugh. “Get dressed. There’s some sweats here that should fit.” He pulled out one of the wicker baskets. “Then come in the kitchen. I’ll make us some food while we talk.”

By the time I made it down the hall and into the kitchen, Trey had two huge burgers sizzling in a pan on the stove. A tall glass of orange juice sat on the island, and he gestured to it. My heart melted, knowing he was doing everything he could to help me post-shift. The juice would raise my blood sugar, and the protein would give me strength. I already knew he was big on aftercare, so it shouldn’t surprise me that extended to post-shift care.

I downed half the glass before I asked, “What did you mean, Trey?”

He flipped the burgers before he answered. “I don’t know if I’m right or not, but I believe I am. But I have this theory that you had been denying yourself for so long, your needs and wants, that it weakened your connection with your bear. You weren’t being true to yourself, and he sensed that. But since you came here, you’ve been making huge strides to being yourself. Accepting who you are on the inside.” He set down his spatula and crossed the room to stand in front of me. He held out his hands, and I was quick to give him mine. “And who you are, Asher Grant, is an alpha anda submissive. Acknowledging and feeding both sides has made you even stronger than you ever were.”

“Huh.”

Trey chuckled, lifted my hands to kiss my knuckles, then let me go to check on the burgers. “That’s all you have to say?” But his teasing tone let me know he was amused and not angry.

“I mean, I guess it makes sense.” I tried to wrap my head around it. The more I thought about it, the more it didmake sense. Shifters were a dichotomy by our very nature, two halves of a whole. Logic only followed that some of us, if not all, had dual natures in our human sides, too. Complex beings tended to have that. “Well, then. It only follows that I should keep being me in all the ways I know how, yeah?”

I expected Trey to laugh because I’d tried to be funny. But he spun around and his gaze was intense as he stared at me. It was all I could do not to take a step back. Only knowing that he would never hurt me, at least not more than I needed, kept me still.

“I’m glad to hear you say that. Because I want you to stay here. Permanently.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Be my mate.” 9

“No.”

It was Trey’s turn to freeze, and expression went completely neutral in an instant. He didn’t say anything, just turned back to the stove and took the burgers off the heat. He remained silent as he plated them, pulled the buns from the cupboard, and added one to each plate. Didn’t even look at me as he gathered condiments from the fridge and took two trips to bring everything to the table. Then he sat, still with that oppressive silence filling the room.

My heart was breaking, but I knew I’d given the right answer. I couldn’t be his mate. There were too many things against us. If he wasn’t the alpha…if I was able to bear children…if I was a wolf…

“I’ll go pack my things,” I murmured.

“You will not!” His Dom voice rang through the room, and I was so conditioned to it by now, I stilled and didn’t move until he gave another direction. “Come eat and talk to me about this.”

I sat, not looking at him, and ate my burger plain. I needed the protein and carbs, but I didn’t deserve the extras. So I ate as quickly as I could without choking, just to get the food into my system.

“Why not?” His voice was soft, and a little hesitant, in a way I’d never heard from him, and that made my heart hurt worse.

“Because,” I began, matching his tone. “Because you need a wolf who will give you an alpha heir. That’s not me.”

Trey froze with the burger halfway to his mouth. His gaze shot to mine. “That’s the only reason?”

“It’s a big one.”

“Holy fuck,” he murmured. Then he set down his food, turned his chair, and grabbed my hands. “Asher, I can pass my leadership to anyone who is worthy. It doesn’t need to be my child. If we want kids, we can deal with that down the road. Is that the only thing that’s keeping you from saying yes?”

“I—um…”

“How do you feel about me?” Trey dragged his chair closer so our knees touched. “I know I’m asking a lot, but tell me.”

And it wasn’t a command. Not like before. He was genuinely asking. So even though my stomach swarmed with nerves, I breathed deep and answered. “I could fall in love with you, if I let myself. You take such good care of me, and of your pack, and I just…yeah. I could.”

“Thank the gods,” he whispered. Then he tugged my arm so I shot forward and he gathered me onto his lap so I straddled his thighs. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I draped my arms over his shoulders. “I feel the same. Hell, I’m already falling for you. I’ve been drawn to you since you first hit your knees in my driveway. I want to spend the rest of our days with you at my side. And putting you on your knees.”

I kissed him. Hard and full of want. I tried to put everything I was feeling into the kiss, and he let me control it for a long moment before he took over. And I relaxed into it, letting him lead, as it should be.

When Trey pulled back, he scent-marked my neck, then kissed me hard, just below my ear. I shivered at his touch, and my dick got hard. Gods the things he did to me.

“Will it be perfect?” Trey asked, then before I could figure out if he was actually asking me, he answered himself. “No. We still have a lot to learn about each other. But will it be amazing? Absolutely. I have no doubt. You’re so strong, sweetheart. A competent alpha. I saw it myself with Charlie. But you’re also my sweet, submissive cub, who needs to let everything go sometimes and let me take charge. And I need to dominate you. And I need to lean on your strength when dealing with the pack. So what do you say, cub? Will you stay? Will you be my mate?”

It sounded almost too good to be true. But if anyone could make it happen, it was Trey Carver. So really, there was only one answer I could give. Only one I wanted to.

“Yes.”