As I stood there, the weight of everything pressing against my chest, I finally let the words slip out. My voice came out rough, almost fragile under the pressure of his Alpha presence.
"Elliot… you don't have to lower yourself like this," I said quietly. "You deserve a better woman. Someone like Miss Dora…"
The moment her name left my mouth, the air shifted.
"And let you end up with Alex?" Elliot's gaze darkened instantly. His voice carried a restrained growl of dominance, the kind that made instinct react before reason could. "Do you think I am less qualified than him to stand beside the Tillman pack?"
I froze.
Since when did choosing a mate turn into something like territory competition between Alphas?
My thoughts tangled, unsettled. This wasn't how normal bonds were supposed to feel. There was too much intensity, too much claim in his voice.
"Why don't you just head back first, Elliot?" I said quickly, trying to ease the tension. "It's late. You have work tomorrow."
