Page 114 of Moonlight & Mayhem

“Shut up.” His laughter followed him into the bathroom, and Moon smiled

Six months. Some days Black Hollow felt like yesterday, and others, it felt like another lifetime ago. The surviving wolves had chosen new leadership. There were no more elders, no more silver collars, and no more forced bonds. The settlement itself remained, but the Hollow beneath it was gone. Howler had sent Silverfang's brothers back twice to make sure no one was rebuilding the old system. The wolves they'd rescued from the cages had gone home. Two had stayed in Black Hollow to help rebuild, and one had joined Silverfang.

And Morrigan—Moon looked toward the small silver pendant resting on the nightstand, the crescent moon wrapped in black thorns. It was Morrigan's pendant that they'd found in the ruins. They found nothing else of her, though. Moon still didn't know how she felt about the woman. Her emotions ranged from angry to grateful to sad. Morrigan had betrayed Selene. Then she'd died making sure no one could ever use Selene's daughter the way the Hollow had intended. Moon wasn't sure forgiveness had to be simple. Maybe it didn't have to be anything. Maybe some things could simply be finished.

She reached for the pendant, and her fingers closed around it. For months, she'd expected touching it to bring a vision, but it never had. Morrigan was gone, Black Hollow was gone, and that part of Moon's life was over.

“Coffee.” Moon looked up. Mayhem stood in the bedroom doorway wearing jeans and carrying a mug.

She smiled. “I thought you were showering.”

“I did,” he said.

“That was fast,” she said.

“You were brooding, so I hurried to get you coffee,” he said.

“I don't brood,” she insisted.

Mayhem handed her the mug. “You absolutely brood.”

Moon took it from him. “You're annoying.”

“You love me,” he insisted.

“I've made questionable decisions,” she joked. He bent and kissed her, and the mate bond warmed. Six months hadn't changed that. If anything, it had gotten stronger. Moon couldn't hear every thought in Mayhem's head—thank God. She had no interest in that particular nightmare, but she could feel him. She knew when he was happy, concerned, or sometimes irritated. She could feel his desire—definitely his desire, and always his love. Moon had never known love could feel like that. She'd spent so much of her life expecting love to come with conditions, but Mayhem's didn't, and neither did hers.

“Come on,” he said.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Clubhouse,” he said.

“We're in the clubhouse,” she pointed out.

“Main room,” he said.

“Why?” she asked. Mayhem smiled, and Moon narrowed her eyes. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” he lied.

“That smile says otherwise,” she challenged.

“Everybody's waiting,” he said.

“For what?” she asked.

“You'll see.” Moon hated surprises, and Mayhem knew that. Which meant he enjoyed them tremendously.

“Mayhem,” she said his name in warning.

“Get dressed,” he ordered. She threw the pillow at him, and he caught it. “You’re so violent.”

“You knew that when you mated me,” she said.

“Best decision I ever made.” Damn him. Moon climbed out of bed, and Mayhem slapped her ass as she passed.

She turned, and he immediately lifted both hands. “Mate bond made me do it.”