“So, your dad handed his title to Theo, and then Theo to Gabriel,” I pieced together, then paused. “What’s your dad like?”
Eli’s chin hit his chest, and he grinned somberly. “He’s the best,” he said, with some finality. We finished the desk quickly, and he stayed a while longer to help me build a small bookcase. As we stood it up, Theo slid the door open fully and stood in the frame with his arms crossed, watching us silently.
Eli situated the bookcase and wiped his hands on the back of his jeans. “Well, I should be on my way,” he said kindly, grabbing my hand softly and giving it a squeeze before brushing past his brother.
I grabbed a few books and journals from a box and filled a shelf, trying my best to ignore Theo’s staring.
“Margo,” he beckoned after he got tired of waiting for me to acknowledge him. I turned to him and raised my eyebrows. “Talk to me. Are you still angry?”
“Angry that you yelled at me in front of the pack the first time I met them while I was just trying to understand more about shifters and our bond? No.” I shook my head subtly, stacking more books.
“I didn’t yell,” he mumbled, looking at his shoes.
“Spoke very loudly,” I amended. “I wasn’t trying to say that I’m your job, Theo. I was just trying to understand more. I’m not a shifter; I never got to go to school like you all did. I don’t know how the bond works or how mating works or the ins and outs of shifting. Caddy told me some stuff, but he’s not so much an academic.”
“I know,” he nodded. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you more anxious than you already were. I know today was a big deal for you and for us.”
“Well, you didn’t need to get snippy,” I murmured, biting my lower lip.
“And you didn’t need to wander off,” he shot back. “We’re both at fault, can we just forget about it?”
“I didn’t wander off. I was twenty feet away from you while you and your brothers ogled over some piece of paper.”
Theo glared. “It wasn’t some piece of paper, Margo. It was a very important letter that was directed at you if you must know. One of my guards probably leaked the information about me finding my mate, and the information got to some very bad people. Remember a few weeks ago when we first met, and I said I wanted security measures in place? It was for this very reason. That’s why I got scared when I couldn’t find you.”
“What was the letter about?”
“It’s nothing.” He slumped against the wall. “Don’t worry about it for now.”
“Don’t worry about it?” My voice scaled a few octaves. “If it’s a letter about me, I deserve to know what it said. Let me read it.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’ve got it covered for now.”
I set the last book down and walked closer to him. His arms were tucked across his chest, and he regarded me with wary eyes.
“If there’s a threat to me, I should know,” I spoke slowly.
“Do you not trust me?”
“Well, I’ve known you for three and a half weeks now, so no, not really,” I said between clenched teeth. “I trust that you care about me and that you probably won’t kill me, but that’s about as far as my trust goes.”
“Good to know where we stand,” Theo seethed as he walked out of the room.
“Can you blame me?” I shouted, walking out of the room after him. “I mean, can you honestly blame me?”
“Yes!” he screamed, stopping to spread his arms out by his sides. “I have done nothing but try to make you comfortable here, with me. Have I not bought everything you wanted? Done everything you wanted? I got you a phone to talk to Caddy, I gave you space, I answered your questions, and I waited to sleep in the bed next to you until you said it was okay! We marked each other, for the moon’s sake, Margo. Does that not mean anything?”
“Yes, you’ve been very accommodating,” I nodded. “But trust takes more than that. It takes time, Theo. I’m sorry I don’t have the best track record with wolves, but I’m trying.”
“Why would you let me mark you if you weren’t sure?” Theo asked with glossy eyes.
“I was trying,” I pressed. “I thought it was a step in the right direction. I wanted to give this a chance; I still do. But it’s going to take more than some new clothes, and a few answered questions to make me trust you.”
“What else can I do?” he asked tiredly.
“I don’t know,” I shook my head, fidgeting with my hands.
“Well, when you know,” he started down the stairs. “Please, come tell me.”
I stayed in my room until night. I knew Theo had gone to bed an hour before, and I weighed my options. In embarrassment, I settled for sleeping on the couch in the living room. I fell asleep despite the glare from the moon outside in the large window. I was woken in the morning by pounding on the front door. Theo stumbled down the steps, still shirtless and in sweatpants.
“Theodore!” Cam shouted cheerfully as Theo opened the door. Theo tried to shut it, but Cam and Beau forced themselves inside.
“Get out,” Theo ordered sleepily.
“Now Theo, remember we made plans to go hunting today, you can’t back out now,” Cam winked. He strolled around the room, noticing me sitting up on the couch. He hitched an eyebrow at Theo.
“Leave her alone,” Theo warned. Cam held his hands up innocently and backed away. “Just let me change.”
Theo came down
