Beckett watched her go from his bedroom window. He should have asked her to stay or even to talk, but he couldn't. Things were done between them. There was nothing left for them to do but wait for her contract to be finished. He went to his closet and looked at the rows of brightly colored shirts. Those had been uncovered because of her.

She had brought so much life to his home and into his life. He was going to miss her. He wished things had been different, but there was nothing to do now. She wanted more than he could ever give her and she deserved all of it. He would never be able to give her all the things she wanted, so he had to let her go. It didn't matter how much it hurt him.

He was keeping himself busy with work and the upcoming move. Potter wanted to remodel the mansion while they were out on the East Coast. She wanted new colors on the walls and new carpeting. When they got back, it would be like a whole new place. Everything would be fresh and new. At first he had been reluctant, but he'd quickly agreed when he realized the changes would help him.

They might help him forget Lenni. If everything was different when they got back, he wouldn't be reminded of her. He was still thinking about skipping Hope Springs for a year or two, but maybe he would feel different when he saw it with a fresh coat of paint.

When she'd pulled away down the drive, he went back to his office. He still had so much work to do for the day. He'd been reading the same paragraphs on contracts over and over. It was hard to concentrate with so much on his mind.

He got back to it and tried to concentrate. But he had barely begun answering his next email when his phone rang.

It was the Scrabble Pack alpha. He pressed ignore. He didn't need to hear another thank you from that man. The pack alpha was so grateful that Beckett hadn't pressed charges against his son for trespassing. He had called to thank him twice, but both times been sent to voicemail. Today would be just like the ones before it. He didn't have the patience for it. Plus, he hadn't even done anything. The only thing stopping him from pressing charges was knowing that it would make things harder for the pack. The restraining order was all he cared about. As long as Ned stayed away from Lenni, he didn't care if the young wolf bothered him or stalked around his mountain.

He got back to his email, but his phone rang again. And again. And again. Four times he hit ignore. The fifth time he picked up. This alpha was persistent. Better to get it over with than to keep being bothered.

"You need to keep that girl inside." The alpha was breathing hard. "I'm sorry. I'm on my way there now, but I don't know if I can beat him. He'll be there very soon I think."

Beckett stood up, smashing his chair into the wall. "What do you mean he'll be here soon?"

"My idiot son is going after that girl again. I'm sure he'll try and fight you. If I can get there first, I'll stop him. He won't listen, so he deserves everything coming to him. I don't care if he is my son. He's putting us all in danger, his entire pack at risk for a girl who doesn't want him. I can't believe I raised such a little idiot."

"He's coming to get Lenni?"

"Yes. And if he comes in there and tries to hurt you, you have my permission to go against him with everything you got. There will be no retribution from my pack. I want this taken care of and I don't care how it gets done."

"Are you sure he's coming here?"

"I'm sure. He's coming to get the girl and she's with you. There's nowhere else for him to go."

Beckett dropped his phone and charged into the hallway. "Potter! Call the police and send them to the Belle house."

"What are you yelling about?" Potter came from the kitchen with a book of wallpaper swatches in her hand.

"Ned is headed to Lenni's house. He might come here, but there's a good chance he'll go there first. Call the police and then call Lenni. I want them to be prepared just in case."

"I'll call. Be careful and don't drive too fast."

"I'll do my best."

Beckett couldn't think straight. His bear wanted to run the entire way there, but it wasn't fast enough. His animal was no match for the horsepower his sports car had under the hood. He could get to the Belle house in less than twenty minutes if he went forty over the speed limit the whole way. It was going to be dangerous, but he didn't care.

If a cop tried to stop him, he wouldn't stop. He would lead them to Lenni's house and explain when he got there. Being wealthy enough to have a lawyer on speed dial had its perks. And even if they did throw him in jail for a month or two, it would be worth it. As long as Lenni was safe, it wouldn't matter.

She might not want to be with him anymore, but he didn't want her to get hurt. Potter would never forgive him if he let that happen either. Not to mention his bear. The animal would go mad with grief.

He couldn't think about that right now. He had to keep his eyes on the road. He was going fast enough to wreck his car at any bend in the road. He scarcely noticed as the leaves whipped past his windshield. He could breathe and think again once he got to the house.

It took him less than fifteen minutes. He didn't even want to think how fast he was going. Either Potter didn't call the police or they didn't take her seriously because there were no cruisers out in front of the house.

He took the steps in one jump and pounded on the blue front door. "Lenni? Professor Belle?"

It was an agonizing minute before Professor Belle opened the front door. "Mr. Hansen? What can I do for you this afternoon?"

"Is Lenni here?"

"She's out back in the garden. Why?"

"Ned is looking for her," Beckett told him as he shoved past the old man to get through the house to the backyard. "He's probably going to my house, but I wanted to come here to keep an eye on Lenni until this whole thing is taken care of."

"I can't believe he's still on her case."

"A shifter who thinks he found his mate is going to be a little crazy. This one is a special case."

"You can't do anything to him," Professor Belle cautioned. "Even if he shows up here, you can't hurt him. His father is the pack alpha and won't take lightly to his son being harmed."

"His dad is on his way to my place now. He's ready to throw his son out of the pack if need be. They don't want the human police involved in pack problems, and his son is putting a bullseye on them. The police will be trolling the pack grounds for months after this incident. There's no way Ned will be able to be alpha either."

"Fascinating. I would love to be able to talk with you more. You know so much about wolf packs. I've studied them for years and don't know how this situation would go."

"Professor Belle?"

"Yes, Beckett?"

"I'm sorry I'm about to ruin your yard."

Lenni was standing a few feet from Ned in the backyard. Her arms were up and she was shaking her head. Ned had his back to the house and didn't see her father and Beckett approach. He had the element of surprise and he was going to use it. The idiot wolf wasn't using all his senses. He was so focused on Lenni that he didn't notice what was about to hit him.

Beckett's bear burst from his skin and charged in the backyard at full speed. He hit the man and knocked him to the ground.

Lenni screamed and pressed herself closer to the fence. Ned was scratching and clawing at Beckett's front paws, but there was no way he was going to be able to move the bear.

"Don't kill him, Beckett. Please."

His animal could hear her, but it didn't move. He pressed harder on Ned's chest until red blossomed across his shirt. He was going to crush the wolf.

"Beckett!" She was on him now. She was pulling at his fur and hitting him in the snout. If it were anyone else, his bear might have turned on her. "Let him up. You've broken his ribs. You're going to kill him."

He could hear sirens in the background. The police would be here any moment. He nuzzled Lenni's arm until she backed up to the fence. Carefully, Beckett moved Ned so he was closer to the house and then let go of him. The wolf shifter coughed and spat out blood.

"This isn't over, bear," he wheezed. "I'm going to come for her again, and next time you won't stop me."

Beckett didn't bother shifting to answer his stupid claim. He was going to jail. And after that, he would be banned from his pack. He wouldn't be coming for Lenni again. And if he did, Beckett would kill him. It didn't need to be said. He would have killed him right there if it weren't for Lenni's pleading.

It didn't matter if she was his mate or not anymore. She was his friend and they had a connection. Even if she hated him, he would never let any harm come to her.