Kate POVGypsy leaves Erick and me to eat the delicious food she brought to the cabin for us. We each put food on our plates, and I unwrap the bread in the box. Erick takes a thermos of tea out of the box and sets it on the table. I get us two glasses from the cabinet and some ice from the freezer.“Do you think she will help me?” I ask Erick.“Yes, I do. I wasn’t expecting her to be here tonight. I guess it worked out that she was here. Her oldest daughter is usually here,” Erick says.“You come up here often?” I ask him.“Yes, I do. It is a great place to get away from the pack and my crazy mother,” Erick says.“Do you bring women up here?” I ask him.“No, I am not like that. I usually come up here when my mother is trying to play matchmaker. I come up here to keep from hurting whoever she is trying to hook me up with at the moment,” Erick says.“Does she do that a lot?” I ask.“Yes, you have no idea. She is set on me marrying someone of status. I only want to be happy. I want to ch

Erick POVMy drive home has been long. The two-hour drive took three because my heart and mind could only think of Kate constantly. I pull into the driveway of my family home, thinking not about my dead father or how my mother will take the news, but I think of Kate and how I feel for her. I left her only three hours ago, and I miss her already. I want to kiss her, hold her and tell her that I think I am falling in love with her. My wolf has chosen her. Neither my mother nor the pack can argue with who I chose as my mate. I have to take care of my father, take my place as Alpha and release Kate from being my slave in front of the pack so I can make her my wife.My mother rushes out to the truck, yelling. “Did you kill that bitch!” she screams. It takes her a moment to realize it is not my father but me under cover of darkness. I step out of the truck to greet her. She stares at me, confused as to why I am here without my father.“Where is your father? Is the little bitch dead?” my mot

Erick POVI put Karen into my father’s truck. I close the door and go around to get into the truck. I do not look in the direction of my mother. I don’t want ever to see her face again. I am done with her and her evil manipulation. She has done nothing but makes everyone around her miserable for as long as I can remember. Today it stops. My father may have allowed her to manipulate him continually, but not me. She will not ruin my life. Her reign of terror over this pack is over today.I get into the truck. Karen is still sobbing. “Thank you,” she says to me. “I am still pissed at you, but your son does not deserve to grow up without a mother. Don’t make me regret allowing you to live,” I say.“I won’t. I could not lie to your father. He told me that Kate was bad news. She is not one of us, Erick. You have to protect the pack,” Karen says.“I know what I have to do for this pack. You let me worry about the pack, and you worry about your son's future,” I say.“What will happen to Austi

Kate POVI lay in Erick’s arms for hours. I know we have to go back soon, but this is the only place I want to be right now. I want him to hold me and tell me everything will be okay. Just a few hours ago, his father tried to take my life. Now, he wants me to go back with him and be his mate. I wish for that more than anything.“We need to go back,” Erick says, kissing me on the cheek.“I know, but I want to be here with you,” I say.“You will always be with me, Kate. For as long as you will have me, I am yours,” Erick says.We get out of bed and dress. Erick takes me into his arms and holds me. Our bodies melt into one another. “I promise everything will be fine. I will protect you,” Erick says.“We do not even know why they want to kill me or why they are afraid of me,” I say.“The pack is not afraid of you. My father and his henchmen feared you for some reason. We will find out why,” Erick says.Erick and I leave the cabin. We stop by the main cabin to say goodbye to Gypsy and Wan.

Kate POVI scrub the house as I wait for Erick. I do not know what has gotten into me. I am so emotionally drained and feel overwhelmed. This feeling is not like me at all. I feel strange. I am not myself.Angie and I work hard cleaning and moving things around in the house. “What about the bedroom?” Angie asks.“What do you mean?” I ask her.“I mean, Erick will want to move into the bigger bedroom upstairs, don’t you think?” Angie suggests.“Let us go look at it and see what we need to do,” I answer her.Angie and I make our way up the stairs to the master bedroom. The top half of the log cabin is for Alpha and Luna only. No one else stays up there. I open the door to the top of the stairs. The bedroom is a vast open space with another entry leading to the master bathroom.The bedroom, like the rest of the house, is a disaster. I want to scream! How can people live like this? Angie puts her arm around me. “I will help you get this house perfect for Erick and yourself,” Angie says.“T