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“Honestly, I think I must have.”
~ ~ ~
Braden had lived a decade in Five Bridges, but in all that time he’d never seen anything as extraordinary as what Maeve had created. He’d been in a number of burrows before. He and his wife had created and shared one. Most were deep in the earth but fitted out like a home.
What Maeve had created went to his wild nature. To say he loved it, would place too small a meaning on what this meant to him. The word ‘home’ kept circling through his mind.
He’d lost so much when Laura died, his partner of over twenty years. They’d wanted a family, but had never conceived, then they’d landed here as alter wolves.
Odd to think her death had led him to Maeve, to her huge heart, her willingness to save those abandoned in the Graveyard, even to risk her life to save Kiara and the other captives. She was an Alpha female, a woman he could mate with.
He was in love with her and tonight he would mark her.
Yet, to come here, and to see that somewhere in her consciousness she’d felt compelled to create a burrow of unequaled beauty, moved him beyond words. For a moment, he wondered if his wife, well beyond the grave, had been at work to fashion this space as well. Even she had reached out to him encouraging him to give Maeve a chance.
He dropped his towel as well and approached her. He took her hands in his. “Maeve, there’s something I want to say to you that I never thought I’d say to another woman again. I’m in love with you. I want you to know that.
“But I don’t think it started with your rescuing me from the Graveyard, either. I think it began when I first met you. Then with every meeting after, I started looking forward to being with you.
“I know there’s a lot standing between you and me having a future. I know you’re still grieving for Frank and that our world causes you a constant source of distress. But I’m here and I’m offering you a partnership in Five Bridges. The truth is, I never expected to love again, not after Laura died.”
She stood staring at him, unblinking. But her light blue eyes were soft with tears. “I’m scared, Braden. I’m scared that if I love you, I’ll lose you like I lost Frank and you lost your wife. I don’t know if I have the courage to do this. I’m drawn to you. I ache for you, but I’m scared.”
She’d spoken the essential nature of her misgivings. She didn’t want to grieve again. He didn’t either.
He released her hands and pulled her into his arms. He held her tight. Nothing had felt so good in a long time. He kissed the top of her head over and over. He didn’t say anything. These were her struggles just as he had his own. At least now she knew how he felt.
Finally, she drew back, but not so far that he couldn’t keep his arms around her. “I know I’m ready to accept your wolf mark. That much I can do. It’s a big step for me. In some ways, I’m letting go of my human life by doing this.
“But it doesn’t change that this world still scares me badly most of the time. It’s shocking to me what evil alter folk will do to humans or other alters of their own kind. Veyda seems more typical than not.”
He squeezed her arms gently. “There’s a flip side, Maeve. There’s you and people like you. Most of the Border Patrol Officers I serve with are good men as well and put their lives on the line every night. The majority of the wolf-packs make a decent contribution to Savage. And I’ll bet you’ve found many witches who would never think of joining a dark coven.”
“I have. But the powerful in Five Bridges seem to dominate the majority of what happens here. How do any of us counter that? How can we truly make a dent?”
“Like you do. You’ve done amazing things at the Landing. Look at the people you’ve saved. You’ll be part of a ripple effect that will one day turn the tide for all of us in Five Bridges. You’ll see.”
“You really believe that.”
“I do and here’s why. As violent as you think Five Bridges is today, it was twice as bad ten years go. Your finding me in the Graveyard wasn’t my first brush with death, it was my hundredth. I don’t know why I’m still alive, although I’d like to think it’s because one day I’d meet you. Then maybe, just maybe, we could build something powerful together, a bigger way forward to help change our world.”
She shook her head as tears f
illed her eyes. “Oh, Braden. You give me hope but I’m so afraid to hope.”
“It takes courage. And that’s something you’ve got by the bucket-load even though you don’t think you do.”
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He was surprised, but he wasn’t so stupid he didn’t know what to do.
He kissed her back and began a slow massage of her shoulders. He gradually moved lower until he was caressing her bottom and pressing her against his growing arousal.
I want to do this. Her voice in his head sounded rich and needy. Her lemon-lavender scent rose and flooded his brain with all kinds of wolf-endorphins. The potion she’d taken had enhanced her scent as well.
He felt his cheeks elongate, and fur rise on his face and the backs of his hands. While still holding her firm against him, he lifted his right hand and drew back just enough to stroke her face with his fur.
She gasped and turned into his hand to bury her nose. Your wolf scent, Braden. It’s getting to me. Her body rolled against his.
He picked her up and carried her to the thick pile of furs. She’d been here often. He could smell her scent everywhere.
