Page 39 of Alpha's Claim
He kissed her again before heading off to join Landon. Briar lingered a little longer, enjoying the slow warmth of their shared morning. After pulling on her gardening clothes, she trotted down the stairs, grabbing a quick breakfast before making her way outside, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The ranch was already bustling with life—the sounds of horses in the distance, the occasional bark of a dog, and the familiar hum of the land waking up.
As she wandered toward the barn, the little yellow cat that had adopted her appeared out of nowhere, winding around her legs with a soft purr. “Hey there, trouble,” Briar murmured, crouching down to scratch behind the cat’s ears. The feline purred louder, leaning into her touch with unabashed affection.
Briar scooped the cat into her arms, cradling it against her chest as she made her way to the garden. The small creature had become a constant companion, always nearby whenever she worked among the plants. It reminded her that even the most independent souls could find comfort in companionship—something she was learning firsthand with Colt.
When she reached the garden, Briar set the cat down and began her work. The plants were thriving, responding to her care with new growth and vibrant blooms. She knelt in one of the beds, gently plucking away dead leaves and weeds, her hands moving with practiced ease.
The scent of lavender and rosemary filled the air, mingling with the rich aroma of freshly turned soil. This was her sanctuary—her place of peace. And now, it was beginning to feel like home.
Briar hummed softly as she worked, her thoughts drifting to Colt. The easy rhythm of their relationship surprised her, but it also filled her with a sense of belonging she hadn’t expected.Being with him was like tending a garden—slow, steady, and deeply satisfying.
The yellow cat curled up in a patch of sunlight nearby, its tail flicking lazily as it watched her. Briar smiled, feeling a strange sense of contentment settle over her.
For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t running. She wasn’t hiding. She was exactly where she wanted to be. And later, when she met Colt for lunch, she knew it would feel just as easy, just as right. Because here, with him, she had finally found something worth holding on to.
The sun was warm on Briar’s skin as she knelt beside the garden bed, gently loosening the soil with her fingers. The small yellow cat dozed in a patch of sunlight nearby, purring softly, utterly at peace. The sight made Briar smile. Moments like these—simple and unhurried—were becoming more precious to her.
She stood, brushing the dirt from her hands, and stretched, inhaling the sweet scent of lavender and rosemary. This garden had become a symbol of her healing, each flower and herb carefully chosen and nurtured. It was taking shape, finally becoming what she had imagined the moment she’d first set foot in it.
Still humming softly, Briar moved to the far side of the garden to check on the newly planted flowers she’d tucked into the beds the previous day. But the moment her eyes landed on the space, her heart stopped.
She froze, her mind struggling to process the scene before her. The flowers—those vibrant, delicate blossoms—had been ripped from the soil, their roots dangling uselessly in the dirt. The neat rows of herbs she’d painstakingly arranged were trampled, their leaves bruised and broken. Even the small stone markers she’d placed to keep track of the different plants had been overturned, scattered across the ground like debris after a storm.
The devastation was total.
Briar’s heart clenched painfully in her chest, her stomach twisting with a combination of disbelief and rage. It was as if all her hard work, all the care and effort she’d poured into this space, had been spat on. Her hands curled into fists, nails biting into her palms as a wave of hot anger surged through her. She knew immediately who was responsible. There was no doubt in her mind.
"Elle," Briar whispered through gritted teeth.
It made perfect sense. The she-wolf hadn’t taken Colt’s rejection well, and it was clear that she was determined to lash out in any way she could. This garden—Briar’s sanctuary—was the perfect target.
The cat at her feet stirred, sensing her tension, and let out a small, concerned meow. Briar bent down, running a soothing hand over its fur. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she murmured to the cat, though her voice was tight with emotion. “We’ll fix this.”
Briar straightened, her heart still pounding. The last thing Colt needed was another reason to deal with Elle. If he found out what had happened here, his anger would boil over, and she couldn’t let that happen. He had enough on his plate without another confrontation. This washerfight.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Briar crouched by the ruined bed, gently gathering the torn flowers in her hands. She could still save some of them, maybe. If she worked quickly enough, there was a chance to salvage what hadn’t been too badly damaged.
As she worked, her thoughts spun, trying to figure out how to protect the garden going forward. Her magic stirred beneath the surface, gentle but insistent, a quiet hum in the back of her mind. She had held back using it up until now, afraid of the consequences. But this… this was different.
Protecting her sanctuary wasn’t an act of harm—it was an act of preservation.
Briar made up her mind. She would lay wards around the garden. Subtle ones, designed to repel those with ill intent. They wouldn’t harm anyone—just a gentle push, a nudge, to make the space unappealing to anyone with malice in their heart. It wasn’t dark magic. Wards were defensive, protective. There was no corruption in keeping something safe.
Her hands trembled slightly as she set a flower back into the soil, patting the earth around its roots. A part of her wanted to lash out—to summon the darker side of her magic and curse Elle for what she’d done. But Briar knew better. Using magic to harm was a slippery slope. It might feel justified in the moment, but it always came at a cost. That was not a path she was willing to walk.
“No,” Briar whispered to herself, firm and resolute. “No dark magic.”
She finished replanting the flowers, her movements careful and deliberate. The yellow cat purred beside her, rubbing its head against her leg as if to offer comfort.
Once the last flower was back in place, Briar sat back on her heels and wiped her brow. The damage wasn’t as bad as she’d first thought. It would take time for the garden to recover fully, but it would heal. Just like she had.
Satisfied, Briar took off her gardening gloves and dusted off her hands. She glanced toward the house, her heart aching with the need to be near Colt.
“I’m done with this nonsense,” Briar muttered under her breath. “She can do whatever the hell she wants. I’m going to spend the rest of the day with Colt.”
The thought of being wrapped in his arms again, of losing herself in his warmth and strength, was more comforting than she cared to admit. She needed him, plain and simple. And Elle’spetty games weren’t going to stop her from being where she belonged. She would go be with Colt. Because at the end of the day, there was only one place she wanted to be—and that was at his side.
By the time Briar reached the porch of the ranch house, her heart felt lighter. The tension Elle had stirred in her began to fade, and the anticipation of seeing Colt—of slipping back into the easy rhythm they shared—replaced the frustration that had simmered in her chest.