Free Awakening the Alpha by Harmony Raines Page B

taking Sol’s hand, who looked lost surrounded by his brothers and sister and their mates. “I’ll help, if that’s OK. I would like to get to know you, Natalie.”
    “That would be awesome.” They started to walk in. For the first time, they were all going to be under the same roof, a roof that should have been their family home. Riley only hoped that he could persuade Natalie to come here to live. A task that might be harder now she knew who he really was.
     

Chapter Sixteen - Natalie
    Natalie was glad they were going to spend some time alone. Sol had managed to persuade his brother to go and meet the puppies, now he was waving happily from Cole’s truck as they drove off.
    “I hope they liked me,” she asked, standing next to Riley and waving back at Sol. It hadn’t seemed too important before she met them, but they all got on so well that she would hate to be the outsider.
    “Of course they did.” But he looked worried, although when he turned to her, his expression softened. “I’m glad we’re alone.”
    She put her arms around him, pulling his head down so their lips met. “You are biased.”
    “Of course I am.” He kissed her back, harder, fiercer. “I want to take you to bed. My bed.”
    “Is that right? Well, I suppose I could make time for you, although there are dishes to do.” She smiled as his hand tightened around her and he pulled her in close.
    “They’ll still be there later.” He pulled back. “Let’s go to bed, forget about the world and everyone in it for a couple of hours.”
    “You mean forget about Frasier? I can’t believe he was so bad, and now he wants to take over again.”
    “We need everyone to stand with us. It’s the only way we are going to beat him.”
    “The bikers, will they be a problem?” she asked.
    “I don’t know them, but from what Kira said, they have been put in their place since she took over as sheriff. They forget she has had first-hand experience of what has been going on here while Frasier was in charge. She knows exactly who has been causing trouble and how to deal with them.”
    “And Frasier has welcomed them to his cause with open arms.”
    “Yes. Kira said they weren’t too bad until their old president left. She shacked up with a biker from Bear Creek. She was holding them together, keeping them from making any real trouble. Small-time stuff, you know. But now…”
    “I can’t understand why people behave like that. Why hurt others?”
    He stopped in front of her, turning around to face her, holding one of her hands in each of his. “Listen, I haven’t been completely honest about myself.”
    Her heart jolted to a stop. There was more? She had come to terms with him being the son of her father’s old beta. But if he had been keeping more from her, would she ever trust him? “Please just tell me.”
    He shook his head. “You have to remember that my brothers and Bliss were brought up by my dad. He lived in this bitter and twisted drink-fuelled world where he had been wronged by your father. I mean, really wronged. And that the town had conspired against him.”
    “They didn’t. I know my father regretted sending your family away. He used to sit and look at this house. It saddened him, but he did what he thought was right. It broke his heart.”
    “That is good to hear. I want to lay the ghosts of the past to rest. But I can’t until I’ve told you everything.”
    She reached up and stroked his cheek, then stood on tiptoe to kiss him softly. “I’m listening.”
    “When he died, he was so consumed with rage, and anger. It was hard for us not to be caught up in it. Especially when we all blamed their exile on my mom’s death. Sol was a reminder of that every day. She died giving birth to him; my dad said she died because of the exile. That it broke her heart to leave everything and everyone she loved. And we believed him.”
    “I’m so sorry, Riley.”
    He looked at her, his eyes filled with love, but he was also