Harper
If someone had told me that my best friend finding her mate would somehow result in me being used as emotional collateral, I would have objected on principle.
And yet here I was.
Training again.
With Elise.
And a very large, very intimidating mountain Alpha hovering approximately twenty meters away like a silent security system with arms.
Ulath did not pretend he wasn’t watching.
He wasn’t subtle about it.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, arms folded, helmet resting on a nearby stump, pale eyes tracking Elise’s movements like she might vanish if he blinked too long.
“Is he going to do that all the time now?” I muttered under my breath as Elise circled me.
“Yes,” she said immediately.
I blinked. “You didn’t even hesitate.”
She huffed, pushing a loose strand of hair o
