Magical Midlife Love (Leveling Up 4)

Austin tightened his lips, and Kingsley nodded. “I’ve talked to many of the people here. You might not have been crowned, but you ran this place like a territory. You looked after it and protected it. The people here are fiercely loyal to you. They let you have your eccentrics, allowing your pet to—”

Austin shot his hand out and gripped Kingsley’s throat before he’d even thought about it. Once he did, though, he squeezed. “If you call her a pet again, I will make your wife a widow.”

Kingsley gave him a humorless smile. He’d baited Austin on purpose.

“That’s not a spot to poke,” Austin growled. He released his grip.

Kingsley didn’t even reach up to rub his neck. He’d expected the reaction.

“Here’s what I think,” he said. “You left Gossamer Falls because you were scared. You wanted to learn how to control yourself, what it meant to be a good alpha, but you didn’t trust yourself to be one. You slunk away instead.”

“Maybe,” Austin said. It would do no good to lie to his brother. It had certainly never helped when he’d lied to himself. “But it was still the right thing to do. I wouldn’t have taken the pack from you, Kingsley. I wouldn’t have taken it from your family.”

“Yes. I can see that. But I’m not wrong, either. You were afraid. You came here, you did what you were bred and trained to do, but you wouldn’t accept a title for it. Until Jacinta.”

Austin nearly held his breath.

“I stayed up most of the night looking into the folklore and the myths of Ivy House,” his brother went on. “Obviously the internet only has so much information about a magical house that old, but with what I found and the explanation of that pink gargoyle, I got what I needed. That woman just inherited more power than I’ve probably ever encountered. She called in two legendary creatures.”

Did Austin hear a little excitement in Kingsley’s voice?

“She was handed a golden ticket,” Kingsley said, “and that ticket is going to paint a very large target on her back.”

“I know. Why do you think I came to you for help after what I did to your pack?”

Kingsley continued on as though he hadn’t heard Austin. “I think Fate had a hand in this. You are exactly where you need to be. She needs someone loyal—someone who can’t be swayed from the moral high ground—to guard her back. And you need her unwavering trust. You need a reason to face down your past and rise to your mantle.”

“When did you turn into a life coach?” Austin asked dryly.

“Earnessa would be proud. She always says I have the emotional range of a rock and I can’t see what’s going on right in front of my face. But this is just too obvious.”

“I won’t deny it. Jess needs help, more so than I think you understand, and I will do everything in my power to protect her.”

“Like claiming her for all to see without her knowledge, but still keeping her at arm’s length? You’re taking advantage of her ignorance of the shifter world.”

Austin lost his breath, looking out the window. He’d lied to himself a million different ways. Told himself she’d be safer if everyone thought she was his. That he was just showing friendship and support in a way a Jane would understand, and he’d step out of the way if need be. And his personal favorite—she didn’t know what it meant, and didn’t mind the attention, so what was the big deal?

But that wasn’t why he’d claimed her. Nor was it why he kept claiming her.

He wanted her.

He wanted the honor of everyone knowing she was his. The very thought of another male approaching her with intentions made his blood pressure soar and rage seep through him.

He rubbed his hand down his face. “In the shifter world, yes, you’re right. But she has dated. I haven’t stood in her way. If she chose someone new tomorrow, I’d accept that. Someone outside of the pack,” he growled. “There is only so much I can bear. I will step out of the way if she doesn’t want me—I will make myself—but…”

“I don’t think she’s the problem here. I think it’s you.”

Austin took a deep breath and pulled back out onto the street. “I have to say, you really took the long road to lecture me about my dating life.”

“We needed to clear the air about how you left the pack.”

“Were you worried that I’d come back one day?”

“When I didn’t hear you’d started a place of your own? Yes.”

Austin glanced over. “Truly?”

“It was always in the back of my head. You’re better than me. I knew that when you left. I see it now, as you piece together this territory.”

“You must have a poor impression of me if you thought I’d come back for your territory.”