“Damien the alpha, yes. Damien my cousin… eh, not so much.” I smile, because she knows I’m joking. Mostly. It’s nice having family to lean on again, to know they’re there if I need them. I’ll always be grateful for my angel bridging the gap that existed for far too long.
“Thank you, my angel. You returned more than my wolf to me. You gave me back my family.”
Her smile fades. “I want to return to my old pack.”
I sit up, thighs on either side of her, not entirely shocked as I knew this moment would come. She’s not safe out there. Even if she allows me to escort her, there are a lot of dangers outside our territory, and the thought of her getting hurt sickens me.
Her hand strokes my abdomen, stopping near my cock. “I’m coming back, Garrett. This is my pack now. This is home. Roninsaid my family was wiped out, but I need to know who survived. Which of my friends, neighbors… I want to see them, one last time. I need a chance to say good-bye.”
The old me would get off her and walk away with a resounding ‘no’. But she’s not Marla, not even close. She doesn’t do anything on a whim, which means she’s thought this through.
And while I’m fucking nervous about her going, I can’t stop her. I wouldn’t want to. My Angel’s been caged enough.
“You know you don’t need my permission to go.”
“I know.”
“What if the scouts find the pack soon, before you’re healed?”
“I know these shifters, including their alpha. They won’t harm me, if that’s what’s worrying you.”
“Angel, I don’t trust anyone outside a small circle of shifters.”
“You mean our pack.”
I brush the hair away from her eyes. “I’m always going to worry about you, but I won’t ever stand in your way. I just want you to be healed, first. In case?—”
“In case I have to run? Defend myself?”
“Yes, basically.”
“I’ll have you with me.”
“You will? I wasn’t sure you’d want me along.”
“Who else will guard my backside? I mean, when he’s not busy staring at it.”
“If any other male stares at your backside, he’ll have to deal with me.”
That smile she throws me is as confident and ego-boosting as can be. She knows what I’m saying. I won’t let anyone hurt her ever again.
“Then you’ll come with me?” she asks.
“Do you really have to ask that?”
“I know you don’t want me going anywhere near my birth pack.”
“I don’t trust that asshole.”
“Look, what Ronin did to me was a dick move, but I understand his desperation. I can get through to him and his brother. The cadmium test and cure will go a long way to possibly establishing relations between the two packs. I need to more than see them. I need to ensure they have this chance to survive.”
“You make several good points. Can you promise me you’ll return here with me, no matter what?”
“I can’t see myself anywhere else, shifter.” Her arms wrap around my neck. “Especially since I love you.”
My heart stops for a full beat as the blood rushes north, trying to absorb what she just said.
“I don’t think… I’ve never…” Hell, I have no words. I’ve waited so long to hear that she loves me, to know how she truly feels about me. Hearing that now… so much joy, I’m not sure what to do.
