“Great.”
“Since you haven’t really been back to town in a few weeks.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not very subtle. You know that, right?”
He shrugged. “Not trying to be. The guys know you’ll be back when you’re ready.”
“Oh?”
“Well. They’re giving you until the New Year to be ready.”
“Figured.”
“I thought you might have. You need to go back.”
I refused to look at him. “I’m needed here.”
“Why?”
“Mark. He—”
“Mark is fine. I’ve got him. Try again.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Yeah. Sounds about right.”
Mark turned to look at me at the uptick of my heart. He cocked his head, and it was gordo gordo gordo in a constant hum.
“Thank you,” Ox said quietly.
“I’m not going to do this. Not with you.”
I felt that big hand of his on the back of my neck, squeezing tightly. “You saved me. Again. You always do that, don’t you?”
I stepped out of his reach. The wooden porch creaked underneath us. Mark slowly rose as I glared at Ox. “I’m your witch. It’s what I’m supposed to do. You would do the same for me.”
“I would.”
“So then don’t. I don’t need your gratitude. I don’t need your pity.”
“You’re hurting, Gordo. You’ve tried to hide yourself for so long that it’s become second nature for you. But you always seem to forget that you can’t hide shit from me. I’m your—”
“Alpha,” I spat bitterly. “I know. You’re always in my head.”
“I was going to say friend.”
Goddammit. “I—I don’t—”
“I’m your friend, Gordo. And your tether. Yes, I am your Alpha, but it’s always been more than that between us. Even before… all of this. You were there after my daddy left. When it was just Mom and me. When I called you on the phone and told you we needed help. You—you came for me. You always have.”
“I’m fine,” I told him stubbornly. “You don’t have to feel guilty for—”
“You aren’t alone.”
I swallowed with an audible click.
“You’ve always been this… force,” Ox said, not unkindly. “This immovable force. A mountain, I told myself. A constant. Always watching. Over me. And then over Joe and Carter and Kelly. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t what you wanted. Maybe it wasn’t what you expected it to be. But you were always there, Gordo. For us. It’s time you let us be there for you.”