“I know you can, but for now, I want to bewith my family andyou. Those things are my focus. I wanttime to enjoy our relationship. I’ve also shut my family out a lotrecently. It’s time I go home.”
“And afterward?”
“We’ll decide our future together. If wedecide I should return to working with Ronan and the others, so beit. If not, then we’ll figure out our next step.”
“Okay, but I don’t want you thinking youhaveto give it up for me.”
“I don’t,” he said, and she felt the truthof that through their bond. “I don’t think we should be gone forlong though; I’m concerned about Vicky.”
“Why?”
“She pretends everything is okay, but it’snot.”
“We’ll be here for her,” Maggie saiddecisively. “I’d still like to run the marathon.”
“You’re going to cheat the humans?” heteased, and she laughed.
“I’ll hold myself back, but I can’t let mycoworkers down. The race is next week. Will I be able to be aroundpeople by then?”
“You should be fine, and if you run into anytrouble, I’ll be there to get you through it.”
He recalled the baseball tickets he’d boughtfor her, but he didn’t bring them up. If the date hadn’t passedalready—he wasn’t sure what day it was now—the game would be soon,and he didn’t think she would be up for that. There was no reasonto disappoint her over something he couldn’t change. He would takeher to lots of other games this year.
“So, are you going to tell me aboutGrandma?” he asked.
The smile that lit her face warmed hisheart.
“She’s wonderful,” Maggie breathed andexplained to him how she’d discovered Marsha, their meeting, andeverything else that occurred since they’d last seen eachother.
They talked for over an hour beforefootsteps drew Aiden’s attention away from her. He looked over hisshoulder to find the others standing in the doorway leading to thekitchen of the cottage.
“We heard you talking and hoped you were upfor some company,” Abby said.
He was enjoying this time alone with Maggie,but the hope in Abby’s eyes kept him from turning her away.
“Of course,” Maggie said as she sat up inhis arms.
They filtered onto the patio, spreading outaround it.
“Watch out for the stake,” Vicky said toMaggie and winked as she handed her coat back to her.
Maggie laughed and settled the coat on herlap. “Thank you.”
Vicky and Abby settled onto the other twochairs. Brian rested his hands on the back of Abby’s chair whileStefan leaned against the corner of the house. Saxon walked to theedge of the patio to survey the woods before turning to Aiden.Ethan remained in the doorway.
“I assume you told Ronan those cells andchains won't hold a purebred,” Aiden said to him.
“I did,” Saxon replied. “He’s going to workon modifying them, but it’s difficult to judge how strong apurebred can get, especially if someone threatens their mate.”
“I wasn’t threatened,” Maggie protested.
“At that moment, in Aiden’s mind, you were,”Saxon replied.
“Yes,” Aiden agreed as he recalled thestrength of his fury and the colossal power thrumming through hisbody when he’d given himself over to the demon seeking to rule him.He’d never experienced anything like that before, and he hopednever to feel it again. If he did, it meant there might be agenuine threat to Maggie’s life.
Aiden met Ethan’s eyes over Maggie’s head.“I have to speak with my brother,” he said as he kissed Maggie’stemple.
“Aiden—”
