Chapter 26
After closing the door, I watch her drive away before I turn back to the forest and start the trek through the trees. “Shift,” Scarlet says. “We should leave a path of our scent for our mate to follow.”
I expect that Hugh would find us anyway, but I don’t see any flaw with helping him along. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can relax.
So, listening to Scarlet, I shift, grab the bag of supplies between my teeth, and then run through the forest.
As Scarlet releases the tight hold she had on our scent, I start to feel a bit more playful and leave a maze through the woods for Hugh to follow before finally making it to the cabin.
The playfulness must have been Scarlet’s influence, because the minute I am in human form again, my nerves amplify and my heartrate flutters.
I’m feeling lightheaded.
Just focus on changing, I command myself. I don’t want to be caught dressed as I am, so clearly Ollie, so I duck into the bathroom and hurry to change.
In our search for supplies, I had purchased a long white satin nightgown, which I slipped into now. At first I decided against panties, but I feel too exposed now. I slip my panties back on underneath.
Over my face, I place on a thick domino mask that is big enough to hide the shape of my brow, cheekbones, and the bridge of my nose. Finally, I pull my true hair up and cover it with a thick dark wig. Long dark ringlets curl around my shoulders.
Just as I hide my regular clothes in the closet, there’s a knock on the front door. It’s so sudden that I nearly startle out of my skin.
I feel afraid. What am I thinking doing this? What if I mess everything up? What if Hugh can see through my disguise right away?
From the main room, I hear the door open.
“My lovely mate, your scent is so divine,” Hugh says as he walks inside. “Don’t hide from me now. Come on out.”
After a steadying breath, I walked out of the bathroom and into the main room. There’s still some light coming in through the west–facing windows, but I also lit some candles in my preparation. The combination of the two drapes Hugh in a warm glow.
Gods, he is move–star level of handsome, with high cheekbones, deep blue eyes, and a smirk sharp as a dagger.
“There you are,” he says and drags his eyes down my body.
Immediately, all of my senses seem to come to life and I instinctively step closer to him.
His grin softens, pleased, though that dims too as his gaze lifts to my face.
“Why hide your face?” he asks. “This isn’t a masquerade.”
“I have my reasons,” I tell him. I won’t say more, for fear of giving too much away.
He hums. I think he might argue, but instead, he moves on. “I’m one of a set of quadruplets, which I’m sure you know. You could have any one of us. Why pick me?”
1/2
Chapter 26
+25 BONUS
“Because I don’t want any strings attached to what we are about to do,” I say, braver than I feel inside. “You have a certain reputation as a playboy, a love them and leave them type, and I have no desire to settle down.”
For a moment, he seems somewhat distant as he looks at me. “You seem to know me well.”
“I did my research,” I say.
“The way you are talking,” he says, “It’s as if you want to make me your secret lover. You must know I’m about to be one of the pack Alphas…”
Of all the brothers, I thought Hugh would be the most open to this idea. Clearly, I was mistaken.
Turning from him, I say, “If you don’t want to, forget it.”
I need this to go well, so that I can be healthy enough to achieve my dreams. But if he doesn’t want to, then
Suddenly, Hugh takes my hand. Before I can turn, he steps closer to me, lining my back with his front. His free hand comes up, cups my face and turns me enough that his mouth can cover mine with a kiss.
