Chapter 108

Ethan

Climbing into the rental car, I crank it up and tear out of the airport parking lot. The entire flight back, I thought about what Mr. Denton said, and he’s right. There’s nothing more important to me than Fiona.

I will refuse this marriage for my mate. She’s the light in my life, and if my parents don’t like that, they can leave. They’ve never been the best parents, and it will hurt not to have their support, but this is what’s right. This is what I want.

Fiona is mine, and I’m hers. There’s no one else I want to be with, and if that causes problems, I will handle them. The Goddess bestowed this mating bond to us so no one should be able to refute it.

With that in mind, I push harder on the gas. Instead of getting back tomorrow, I took a smaller flight to get back tonight. The only problem is that it didn’t land at my usual airport. This one landed two hours away from home, but I didn’t care. It would get me back to my mate faster.

Being with her now and fixing my mistakes is more important than anything. We need time together where we won’t have any interruptions, and my house isn’t the place for that. The only way for us to truly be alone is to get away.

To get rid of the silence and to bring my plans to completion, I need Ryan’s help.

Pressing a few buttons, I listen to the phone ring through the Bluetooth system.

“Alpha,” Ryan greets as he answers. “How did the talk with Mr. Denton go?”

“I’m refusing the marriage, and if there are repercussions, we’ll deal with them. I’m on my way home now—”

“Really? Did you take another flight?” He asks, sounding confused. I usually tell him about these kinds of things so he can know where I am in case anything happens, and I didn’t this time.

“Yeah, and now I’m driving the last two hours. I need you to do something for me, though. I want to take Fiona away on a vacation so I can make things right with her again, and I don’t want anyone to be able to find us,” I tell him, turning onto an interstate that the GPS points me to.

Ryan laughs then replies with, “That’s a great idea. Give her an idea of where to run off to since she plans to leave.”

Anger heats my chest, and a growl rips from me.

“She won’t be leaving unless she’s going somewhere with me,” I tell him, my fingers turning white as they grip the steering wheel. “I’m going to prove to her that I am a good mate who can treat her like a queen and give her the love she needs.”

“Finally,” Ryan barks. “I’m sorry, Ethan, but you’ve been a dick for taking this long to realize that. Sighing, I mentally curse myself again because he’s right. I should’ve cut off any discussion about marrying Angela immediately. I should never have let them pressure me, especially with Fiona listening.

Hurting her wasn’t my intention, but I did.

“That’s why I want to make it up to her. I want you to find an island we can go on vacation to and book it for an entire week. Also, clear my schedule so I won’t have interruptions. No work. No pack matters. No annoying family members,” I tell him.

Ryan hums and there’s a pause before he says, “I’ll get on it and have the information to you tomorrow.”

Nodding, I take a breath and glance at the GPS. I still have an hour and forty-two minutes until I reach Fiona. Too long, in my opinion.

“How is she?” I ask softly after a few minutes of silence.

“I’d like to say she’s okay, but she’s not. She didn’t quit, but I stayed in your office to keep an eye on her,” he says with a sigh. Mental images of Fiona crying at her desk, laying her head down, and working slowly with a faraway look in her eyes assault my brain. The image of her tears makes my wolf howl.

“Watching her act so mopey and depressed was awful Ethan. Is this how she’s been since your parents came?” He asks. The concern touches my heart, and I shake my head.

“No, she’s been quiet and distant, but not… not like this.”

My chest tightens painfully, and I grit my teeth.

“Well, she promised to give you a little more time, so use it wisely or I fear she may really leave,” he says. “She thought you were getting married today since you and Angela were both gone. I think it was too much for her to take.”

Shit. I really should have told her where I was going or brought her with me.

Fiona

Curled up on the couch, I pull the fuzzy blanket up to my chin while trying to enjoy the lighthearted, cheesy romance movie Isla turned on. I have a hard time paying attention, though, because my mind is firmly planted on the conversation I had with Ryan.

Ethan isn’t out of town getting married.

He doesn’t want me to quit.

But how can I stay?

Everything Ethan is doing to stop the marriage isn’t working. I can’t force him to split his pack apart for me, but growing pain in my chest won’t let me stay. It grows deeper and deeper each day I have to be around him, and I can only imagine how much worse it’ll get when he’s forced to marry Angela.

I understand that he doesn’t want to, but I think it may be too much for even Ethan to refuse. From what he said, he’s in charge, but there are also groups of people over him that aren’t in his pack. With that and his parents, it’s a lot of pressure.

So, even though he doesn’t like Angela, it doesn’t sound like Ethan has much of a choice with that letter of severing ties hanging over his head like a blade ready to drop.

Letting my head fall back, I close my eyes and take a deep, shaky breath to keep the tears at bay. I haven’t told Isla what exactly happened at work, just that it was a bad day, and she didn’t push for answers, but I kind of wish I’d unloaded.

Being the amazing friend she is, I know Isla would listen to anything I need to say, but crying three times in one day is far too much, and the fact that someone has already seen me cry only makes it worse.

Before I can say anything though, a knock sounds at the front door, and I lift my head.

“Pizza is here,” Isla sings, and I jump up, needing something to do and happy for the distraction.

“I’ll get it,” I announce, stopping her from getting up. She gives me a funny look but nods and sits back as I dash toward the door. Jeez, Fiona. Could you be any more awkward?

Shaking my head, I pull the door open and look up. My stomach drops yet my heart flutters when my eyes connect with sharp, familiar green eyes.

There he stands, in all his handsome glory, before me.

“Ethan, you…” I don’t know what to say, especially when he steps closer, his hand coming up and cupping my cheek.

My traitorous heart thumps harder against my ribcage and I take a breath.

“Wh-what are you doing here?”