Chapter 88

TALIA

A few days after Alex moved me into his house, the two of us went for a walk in the forest. The day was marginally warmer than it had been, now slightly above freezing. We bundled up so that Alex could bring me to where he normally sketched when it was warmer out. Our feet crunched in the snow that was slowly melting from the warmer climate.

We made it out to a clearing in the forest with a river running through it, a large tree trunk had fallen over it like a bridge. “I sometimes sit on that trunk and put my feet in the water during the summer. And sometimes I sit on this rock over here.” He took my hands and brought me over to a large rock that was beside the water. “It’s so peaceful out here. I can just forget about my responsibilities for a few hours.”

“Is it hard being the alpha?” I asked.

“It’s definitely not easy.” He stared into my eyes. “Ultimately, I’m accountable for the pack—from the income that’s generated by the dairy plant to the safety of all the pack members.