seriously considering it, even if she would basically be at Kai’s beck and call if she stayed with this pack.
If she were going to do that, she didn’t want to have to drive from Portland to La Grande on a whim, even if the city had more options for work.
Sipping her hot cocoa, she studied the three men that were somehow now the most important people in the world to her. Zoe didn’t really have friends, but Chris had always enjoyed her company despite her attitude. He was easygoing like Liam in that way.
Then there was her mate, who’s eyes twinkled when he and Noah started arguing about which was worse as a wolf – the taste of dandelions, or fish. It was a dumb argument, but Chris’s eyes were wide with astonishment and amusement as he listened to them, suggesting other things to try the next time they were in wolf form.
Liam was important to her. Zoe watched him, realizing she cared about him in ways she’d never cared about anyone before except maybe her sister and father. Clearly, this wasn’t the same, but there was a sense of belonging – of family, that she’d never expected.
Maybe accepting the mate bond wouldn’t be as terrifying as she assumed it would be. Not only was Liam kind and patient, but he was also hot as fuck too. This man was adventurous, funny, and really good at sex.
Was there really a better choice for her out there? Zoe didn’t think so.
“I’m tired,” she said, picking up her empty mug and plate. “I think I’m going back to bed.”
Liam took them from her before she could stand and stacked them with his own. “It’s a good idea to get as much sleep as possible while your body is adjusting to the bite.”
“Which is why you should go back to sleep, Chris,” Noah said. “I’ll stay up until it’s Olivia’s turn to watch over the patients.”
“Are you sure?” Zoe asked, frowning as she tried to get a read on his exhaustion level.
“I’ll be fine, Zoe.” Noah smiled and got up to brew some more coffee. “Got any shows to recommend?”
“The Great British Baking Show,” Liam told him, wrapping an arm around Zoe’s waist. “It’s better than I thought it would be.”
She looked up at him, surprised he’d remember such a small detail about her likes and dislikes. Liam was romantic in a simple way that somehow still managed to blast massive holes in the walls around her heart.
It seemed futile to resist him.
Taking his hand, she pulled him up the stairs with her, wanting to show him just how much she liked how romantic and caring he was – just how much she was realizing that this mate bond was probably the best thing to ever happen to her.
Despite not having a choice in the matter, it had slapped her out of her old habits and routines hard enough it was impossible to fall back into the unhealthy coping mechanisms she’d been using for the majority of her life.
Therapy hadn’t helped in the ways she’d hoped it would, but this? The curse of a wolf and the gift of a mate might actually help her heal in a way she hadn’t thought possible.
“You good?” Liam asked, opening the door of his bedroom for her.
Zoe grinned and pushed him in. “Let me show you just how good I am.”
18
Zoe
She spent most of the morning exploring La Grande with Liam. He showed her the various businesses the pack owned and introduced her to some of the locals. The garage he worked at was massive and impressive.
Some of the projects Liam was working on was unlike anything she’d ever seen before and her praise had made him blush in ways that gave her enough fantasies that he’d caught her eyes glowing silver.
It would have been embarrassing if Liam hadn’t liked the reaction so much.
The twins’ art was gorgeous, and Zoe found herself admiring Liam’s tattoos again as he drove them back to what he called the homestead.
La Grande was beautiful and so was the homestead, but neither of those could hold a candle to Liam as she watched him drive, one hand on the wheel and the other holding her hand, fingers laced through her own.
It was comforting in a way she didn’t ever remember experiencing before. Zoe followed the line of his tattoos to his hand, studying how large it was in comparison to her own, how easy it was to hold it, and how