Page 36 of Storm's Mistake

“I don’t recall promising, but I’m not going to leave.” She looked into his eyes, and she wanted to ask him to not hurt her. To not fuck this up. She refused to spoil the moment. For now, they had each other, and that was enough.

****

One Week Later

Shadow stepped into the kitchen and glanced over at Lisa. She was baking again. Christmas was only a week away, but she’d been making gifts for the whole pack. Gift baskets filled with breads, cookies, cakes, biscuits, and any other sweet treat she could make. He wanted her to rest, but so long as she ate regularly and took breaks, her pregnancy seemed to be moving well.

He looked at her and couldn’t believe what an asshole he’d been.

“I love you,” he said.

Lisa looked up and the bowl in front of her stopped.

“What?”

“I love you,” he said, taking a step inside the kitchen.

“Shadow, you don’t have to—”

He held his hand up and didn’t expect her to stop talking. It was quite the shock to see her just go silent, pressing her lips together.

“I’m not just saying this. I’m telling you the truth. How you make me feel.” He took several more steps toward her, stopping at the counter. Now, all that stood between them was a counter. “I should have told you this before. From the moment I first saw you, I knew I wanted you, and I’d never felt that way about another person, not ever. I wasn’t a virgin, but I’d never felt so compelled by a woman.”

She tucked some hair behind her ear.

“I knew I needed to know you. I knew I had to find out your name, and everything about you.”

“Kind of stalkery,” she said.

He smiled. “And that feeling has never gone away. I have a gift for you.”

“Christmas presents go under the tree, Shadow.”

“This one can’t wait.”

Lisa frowned and she grabbed a towel, wiping her hands, and coming toward him. She took the gift from him and then tore open the wrapping. It was a welcome mat.

“No doormat resides here,” Lisa said, reading it aloud. “Shadow?”

“I don’t see you as a doormat. I never have. I don’t see you as weak or less of a person.” He reached out and cupped her cheek. “I don’t know how to make up to you that shit I said. It was nothing. I love you. Since you heard what I said, my life has been crap. I’ve hated it. I’ve hated not being able to be close to you. It breaks my heart watching you leave me each night.”

She’d not done it since he asked her to stay, but it was the fact he had to ask her to stay in the first place.

“I’m not keeping you around because you’re the mother of my child. I’m keeping you around because you are the love of my life, Lisa Bennett. I want to be your everything, just as you are my everything. One day, I hope you can forgive me. Also, there is something I want you to see.”

He pulled out his cell phone. He hated the technology, but it had its uses, mainly for getting in touch with Lisa. That was the only reason he purchased one. He never wanted to be apart from her. Shadow found the video, and then pressed “play,” turning up the volume.

“Have you got the angle right?” Shadow asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got it. You’re all in the shot, don’t worry, Lisa is not going to mistake this for being anyone but you,” Pam said.

Lisa frowned and he nodded down at his cell phone.

“I’m Shadow Storm. I’m the Alpha of the Storm pack. Many of you know I have been dating Lisa Bennett who works at the coffee shop in No Wolves Road. Many of you might also know I said some bad shit about her. Called her weak and said I was only using her, but that is wrong. I was wrong,” he said. “Lisa Bennett is the love of my life, and she is expecting my child. I’m so freaking grateful that she is expecting my child, because the truth is, I don’t know how I am going to win her back. She is not a doormat. I love her more than anything in the world. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want her as my mate, my wife, my partner, and the mother of all my children. Not just this one.”

“You’re rambling,” Pam said.

“I’m doing the best I can.”