Alpha Beast (The Alpha Shifter Collection)

“I don’t understand.”

“You could have denied me, Jenny.”

“That would have been a big insult.”

“Our families have never seen eye-to-eye.” He kissed her cheek. “No one would have forced you.”

She sighed. “I like you.”

“I like you too.”

Jenny giggled. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Why? Because your reputation rivaled mine?” He tightened his grip. “I never scared you, did I?”

“Did I scare you?” she asked.

“Not a chance. You made me curious.”

“It’s the white hair, huh?”

He laughed. “No, it’s you. Even in front of all that judgment and adversity, you shone like a beacon.”

“Yeah, a beacon you’ve never paid much attention to.”

“I couldn’t. Rivalry, remember?”

She nodded. “I wasn’t afraid of you. I knew of your reputation. I think I feel more guilt myself. You’re married to me.”

He cupped her face. “No, don’t ever feel guilty.”

“Liam, we can’t hide from the curse forever.”

He shook his head. “There is no curse. I won’t hear of it. No curse. Nothing.”

She smiled and touched his cheek. There was a curse. They both knew it. Her bloodline confirmed it with this gift. There was nothing either of them could do about it. Liam couldn’t walk away from this life, and she wouldn’t let him.

They were trapped together.

Chapter Ten

“How is married life treating you?” Ben asked, stepping into his office.

Liam looked up and smiled at one of his younger brothers. Getting up from behind his desk, he shook his brother’s arm, clasped it tightly, and hugged him. “Married life is treating me well.”

“I should go and pay Jenny a visit. She has kept your ugly ass off my case.”

He laughed. “We’d like that. I’d enjoy for you to visit.”

“I was only joking,” Ben said, taking a seat opposite the desk.

Liam frowned. “You’re invited. Jenny is a fantastic cook.”

“Again, I’ll pass.”

Picking up his pen, he stared across the desk at his brother. “If you’re not here for pleasantries, then why are you here?”

Ben snorted. “I came out of brotherly concern. You know me, I’m all about my responsibilities.”

He stared at his brother. His father had been more direct on the phone and asked him if he was happy. His father knew of her gift, but he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that kind of information.

It wasn’t like she was any different.

The other day, they’d decided to take a stroll in the park and he’d felt Jenny tense. He looked at her and she plainly told him they weren’t alone.

Arm-in-arm, he’d listened to a one-sided conversation. Later that night, Jenny had told him it was a dog walker who’d come to visit. They were looking for their dog and didn’t know where the old mutt had gotten to. She’d been visited by a spirit who was a hundred years old, or at least his dress sense had given her that impression.

He wasn’t afraid of his wife. There were times he wished he could see what she did. He had an idea the world through her eyes was a magical place, at times dark, but for the most part, he’d only seen the good times so far.

“You can leave,” he said.

“Liam? What the hell?”

“You insult me and you insult my wife. Jenny would love to have you over. We haven’t had any guests since we got married.” He shouldn’t complain because he had her all to himself and he didn’t have a single issue with that. Sharing her was a big problem for him, but he wanted her to feel like part of the family. “Yes, Jenny sees ghosts, spirits, dead people. She’s not cursed, damn it. She has to put up with people visiting her, talking to her that are not there.”

He paced behind his desk. “Did you know the way she found out about her brother? He visited her. Yeah, she was seeing her dead niece, and he appeared to take her away. How fucked up is that? Lewis told her about me.” He laughed. “It’s how she knew where I was and when. She got you all to the hospital. Jenny is a good fucking person, and if you’re here because you think she’s messed me up in some way, well, you’re right, she has. She has messed me up because against all the fucking odds, I’m in love with her.”

The words hung between them.

He stared at his brother, a little taken aback himself. From the look on Ben’s eyes, he was the same way.

“Wow,” he said.

“Yeah, wow.” He lowered himself into his seat.

“I guess this is the first time you’ve been aware of your feelings?”

“I knew they were getting stronger. I had no idea they were … like this.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I haven’t told anyone how I feel. I haven’t told Jenny.”

“You love her.”

He glared at Ben. “If you gave her even a little chance, you’d see she’s amazing.”

“Doesn’t the way she talks to herself scare you?”