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“I’m fine,” she said, in her usual stubborn way. “It was a tough fight, but we all got through it. You don’t have to treat me like aweakling.”
Did she not realize how closeshe’dcome to dying? My temper escaped me. “I wouldn’t if you’d finally learn you can’t do everything. You practically got yourself killed out there, but we did still need that back-up fire last night, didn’twe?”
Ren definitely flinched then. But not because of any injury. Because of myretort.
In a flash, I saw how her face had fallen, the joyful light gone out of her eyes. She’d come in here brimming with happiness she’d had every reason to feel, and I’d managed to crush it in less than a minute. My heartwrenched.
“I don’t know…” Ren’s voice wavered. She waved her arm vaguely, blinking as if trying to hold back tears. “I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. But if after all this time you still don’t think I’m enough, why don’t you just tell the rest of us to leave so you can do whatever it is you think you’re going to do without a dragonshifter?”
Her words tore through me. Did she reallybelieve—
She was already spinning around, shoulders tensed, swiping at her eyes. I couldn’t let her leave like that. Fuck plans, fuck principles, fuck good intentions. If this was where they’d gotten me, they obviously weren’t worthmuch.
“Ren.” I caught her elbow as she stepped toward the door. She turned back, her expressionwary.
Suddenly I didn’t know what to do with myself. I’d led hundreds of kin since I was a kid. Why was talking to this one woman so damned hard? She was meant forme.
And I was meant forher.
I rested my other hand against the wall beside her, leaning just close enough that I could feel the warmth emanating from her body. Not so close that she couldn’t break my grasp and move away if that’s what shewanted.
But she stayed there, gazing back at me. I swallowedthickly.
“I’m sorry,” I said, forcing myself to keep looking back at her. If seeing the pain on her face hurt me too, well, that was my own damn fault. “You’re more than enough. You’re fucking spectacular, Ren. I’m sorry I ever made you feel otherwise. I don’t know ifI’mever going to be worthy ofyou. But I’m going to try. I promise youthat.”
“West…” Her expression had turned puzzled. “But you— I thought— You’ve been acting like you’re still notsure.”
“That’s not what I was aiming for. There just hasn’t been a good time…” I didn’t even know how to explain it. “I’m sure. I’ve beensure.”
She blinked. “Sincewhen?”
That one thing I could tell her. I could pinpoint the exact moment my heart had flipped over and I’d realized what an idiot I’d been. I could still see her in that instant in my memory, naked and blood-streaked at the edge of the clearing, her eyes shining withgrief.
“When we ambushed the rogues with the disparate kin. The way you tried to save that guard of Nate’s. How upset you were when you couldn’t. If you could care that much about a muskrat shifter who’d considered betraying us… I couldn’t ask anything more for all our kin than compassion likethat.”
“That was—that wasdaysago, West. Why the hell haven’t you saidanything?”
I opened my mouth and closed it again, trying to find the words. My reasoning had all made a lot more sense when I’d only had to work it out in my ownhead.
“There was so much going on,” I said. “The rogues and Marco’s challenge and now the bloodsuckers wreaking havoc… I know I have a lot to make up to you, for how I treated you before. I didn’t want to put any pressure on you to forgive me while you were dealing with everything else. When things have calmed down, when you have room to breathe—you can take your time deciding whether you can be sure of me. I can prove to you that I’ll be a good mate.I—”
“Oh, West,” Ren interrupted, so softly my pulse stuttered. She rested her hand against my chest. “You don’t need to prove anything. I already know who you are. I want you. Now, if I can haveyou.”
Now. That sounded like a very, very good idea. I stared at her, and all I could see in her eyes now was the same longing coursing throughme.
She wanted me. She wantedme, even now, in spite ofeverything.
The dam cracked open inside me, releasing a surge of desire more powerful than I’d even known I was bottling up. I bridged the last short inches between us and captured Ren’s mouth withmine.
My dragon shifter kissed me back just as hard. Her fingers curled into my shirt, tugging my body to hers, as her other hand rose to tease into my hair. I pressed her up against the wall, with just enough self-control to be careful of her injuries. She tasted and felt like heaven. Why had I denied myself this bliss for so goddamnedlong?
It didn’t matter. I had her now. Had her arching against me as I gripped her thigh, had her whimpering at the sweep of my tongue over hers. The possessive impulse I’d tried to bury earlier rose up, and I didn’t have the will left to rein itin.
I jerked her hips tight against mine, tipping her head so I could claim her mouth even more deeply. Her hands clasped behind my neck. She hummed eagerly, with a gasp as I released her lips to trail my tongue and teeth along herjaw.
“Mine,” I muttered. “Mine.” I hadn’t really believed it until this moment. I wasn’t sure I totally believed it evennow.
“Yours,” Ren agreed with a happy sigh. “And you’remine.”
