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Once the females were gone, which had been hard as hell for me to let Ainslee leave my side, I stared at Banner. The sons must have sensed the tension, because they left seconds later, leaving two alphas in the room alone.
We didn’t speak, and I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for whatever was on Banner’s mind to be revealed.
He took a few steps forward, then stopped. He was nearly as tall as I was, but because of the half-Lycan state I’d been in for so long, I still outweighed him in muscle mass.
“If I ever find out ye ever hurt my daughter, I’ll make sure tae hunt ye down and skin ye alive.” He took another step forward. “Hell, if she stubs her toe in yer presence and cries, I’m coming after ye, wolf.”
I grinned, a sinister flash of my teeth and canines. “If she ever cries in my presence, I’ll skin myself.”
Banner was still, his expression hard. After a long moment, he straightened and nodded. “Good, then we have an understanding.” He lifted his hand, and I tensed, but all he did was clap my shoulder. “Welcome tae the family. Hope yer ready for all that entails.”
I exhaled slowly. I’ve been ready for this—for my female—my entire life.
Because with Ainslee at my side, everything else was easy.
33
Ainslee
It had been hours since we returned to our home. I felt a smile play across my face at the emotions that simple phrase conjured up in me.
Our home.
It was strange to really think about the fact that I was mated, stranger still to realize all the things that had transpired in such a short amount of time.
In a little over a week, I’d found my Linked Mate, an all but Lycan and vampire war had nearly broke out because of that, my sadistic and bloodthirsty uncle had nearly killed my mate, I’d shifted for the first time in my life, and Caelan was still missing, presumably hunting down his mate.
God, that was all such a mouthful, but in the end, things had seemed to all work out.
I just hoped it lasted, but as I snuggled against Luca’s side and felt him tighten his arm around me, this low rumble of possessiveness leaving him, I knew that no matter what, we’d have each other’s back.
I felt him kiss the top of my head, and I smoothed my flat palm over the wide expanse of his chest. He was bare-chested and wore a pair of low-slung jeans. I only wore a T-shirt—one of his that was oversized and hung past my knees. The material smelled like him, and it had tingles racing up my spine.
We’d gone for a run on the property as soon as we’d gotten back home, something I knew we’d both needed.
After the time spent with my family—although it had been great seeing them and everything working out—there had been obvious and understandable tension. My father might be accepting of my mating to Luca, but it would take a long time—if ever—for him to fully be okay with all that happened.
“It’s so strange that my wolf finally awoke,” I said softly as I rested my head against his chest and stared at the fire. Although the estate was modernized enough with electricity and running water, it lacked other things I was used to. Television and Wi-Fi being two of them.
I’d have to remedy that soon.
I was pretty sure my nearly four-hundred-year-old mate didn’t even know about Netflix.
“I’m glad she awoke. Although I’m not pleased it was because of the danger happening. I don’t like you not being protected at all times.” His arm tightened around me as if just thinking about it made him uneasy.
I felt stronger with my wolf rising, but I knew that didn’t mean my Lycan side was more dominant than my vampire one. Hybrids weren’t a common occurrence in the Otherworld, at least not that me nor my family had heard much on. So I wasn’t sure if down the road my Lycan side would become recessive again. Maybe my vampire side would rise up and become dominant.
I didn’t even know what would happen when—if—I got pregnant.
It was just so up in the air and unknown, concerning… everything.
“Love is such a tame word for what I feel for you,” Luca murmured against the crown of my head, his voice a little absentminded, as if he was lost in thought.
His deep voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I focused on the here and now. In the world we lived in, that was all we could do to stay afloat.
I pulled back and looked up at him. He was already staring into my eyes, the corner of his mouth curled up in a smile.
“Yeah,” he whispered and cupped the side of my face. “There is no spoken word in any known or unknown language that could ever come close to describing how I feel about you.”
